row 2: quarter squares

 

Row 2 of the red and white quilt is all about quarter square triangles aka hourglasses.

This is how I made them:

 

An absolute must-have/best ruler EVER is the Precision Trimmer by Marsha McCloskey. I asked C to bring me one when she went to Florida. Her DH made it his mission to find one at a quiltshow they visited and he brought one home for me as a gift. I love it and it is perfect to trim the oversized blocks for absolute accurate blocks.
The hourglasses came together pretty quick but there is a downside to this way of constructing them. I found that seams of one where not competible with the other. It was a bit of a puzzle to match them in a row with butted seams.
Played around a bit.....

...but decided I liked the 3rth option best. Ofcourse I could have used just squares, but where's the challenge in that? Now I had to conquer bulky seams and fan lots of seam allowances and that was the assigment I gave myself. Besides, the goal is to master triangles.
So, here it is....tadáá row 2

Meanwhile, Husqvarna Sven threw up it's threadcutter (again!) but this time I got it out in time. If the weather isn't too bad (we have snow again..blah)  might take a trip to the sewingmachine dealer tomorrow.  If not, I'll do without and cut the threads myself for a while.

Next row? Browsing through Quilter's Academy volume 3 I think perhaps flying geese:)

Ahá!

Finally decided it was time to actually SEW instead of reading about  it, meaning that i jumped right in the Quilter's Academy books by the Hargrave ladies.
I have been struggling with machine piecing, making points meet. So pulled out fabric ánd one of the books and followed all the "rules'
Half square triangles revisited!
Check this out: ALL points match! I'm very pleased with myself :)

 What really did the trick was the seam fanning

Unbelievable that no one ever, during all the years I've been piecing/quilting told me about FANNING THE SEAMS! It makes a huge difference in reducing bulk and accurate points.
All I ever learned was pressing half of the seams to the right and the other half to the left, butting them together and stitch. I tried fanning once but didn't know how. Quilter's Academy taught me:) and following line by line in the book, turned on a lightbulb. This is really an "aha-erlebnis"
Ofcourse I decided on red and white, totally inspired by all the red/white solid quilts popping up on several blogs ánd on Pinterest.
I'm adding borders,making them up as I go

Next chapter is quarter square triangles. It IS a painstaking process of constantly measuring, pressing, cutting etc etc, but it's well worth the exercise. I feel I'm finally starting to learn :)
Needless to say that there are red and white threads everywhere in  my house. DH even found one or two in his dinner *lol*

I also finished the hearts top. Not as bright and cheerfull as  imagined it would be, but ah well, love is sometimes hard work and not always bright either.

Off to order some more red fabric!

HST magic :) (lots of pics!!)

There are many tutorials on the web for making hst fast and easy. Here's one that'll give you 8 hst in a few minutes. I did not come up with this one and don't know who did, I just want to share...
First you start with 2 squares, one colour for one half triangle. Mine are Christmassy red and white.

Put them on top of each-other and draw 2 diagonal lines and sew on each side 1/4" from the line. So far nothing new.

Then cut: 2x diagonal, 1 horizontal and 1 vertical like this:

Press them open and cut them to the exact size (mine are 3 1/2 ") The precision trimmer by Martha Mc Closky is an absolute wonderfull ruler for that!

And tadááá...8 perfect hst's

Ah, the possibilities!

Unfortunately we need math. Don't worry, it's simple:   

 

              (A+1/2")x2=B

Meaning: A is the unfinished hst and B your starting square.

My hst is 3 1/2". Add 1/2" makes 4". x2 makes 8. So my starting square B was 8".

For safety I added another 1/4". If you are just as accurate as Harriet Hargrave you need not do that.





 Now what to do with these? Make a Christmas pillowcover that's easy to put on and off your cushion!
Sew your block of choice together and put a piece of thick fusible fleece on the back and quilt it if you want.

Then the back. Same hight as the pieced block but for the width, cut a piece that's approx. 1 1/2 the size of the pieced block.

Cut that piece in half

Make a seam on the cut edges

Put both pieces on top op your block, right sides together, overlap in the middle

Sew the overlap to secure it and then sew all the way around.
Sew a lockstitch all around to prevent any fraying.

 Turn, put a cushion in the pillowcover and enjoy!