Sometimes I like the pieces small...

Sometimes I like the pieces small.....really small...  Some people call it insane, but I do like the challenge.  This following quilt is definitely a scrap quilt.  It starts out with HST (half square triangles).  Lots and lots of them.  I think, if memory serves me, Bonnie Hunter says over 5400 pieces....lol.  

The reason I need so many is the fact that these HSTs are only 1 1/2" square, which is 1" finished in the quilt.  Yes, I know.  It is insane.  It's not for the faint of heart and this is not a get it done quick type of quilt.  

I've been using scraps and cut off triangles from bindings, flying geese, snowball corners or anywhere you are left with a triangle.  I even have friends collecting them for me as this size is smaller than most people want to work with.  Me too, normally....lol.  I put them by my machine and use them as my leader/enders.  I do take breaks from them here and there, as I often use the current project I am doing as their own leader/ender.  Once I sew them, I keep on top of ironing them toward the dark, then I store them in a container until I can find some time to square them.

Yesturday, I was quilting two charity quilts for QOV (Quilt of Valor) and while they were quilting, I set up this station right beside my longarm, for trimming the HSTs.  I was surprised when I realized that I was able to trim 170 HSTs while keeping an eye on the quilting progress.  I thought that was amazing!!

   

Here is my little workstation, on a rolling cart.  I secured a piece of wood to the top.  Put my container of HSTs on the upper corner with my small rotating cutting mat on the bottom corner.  I do have to say that I really love my rotating cutting mat and the Loc-bloc ruler.  They make it much easier to trim the HSTs.  When I am done for the day, I just have to roll the cart back up against the wall out of the way.

Below you can see that I am sorting out the HSTs into colour families.  I want to try and distribute the colours throughout the quilt.  As you can see, I have a LOT of blue.  The pile of blues is several layers high. 

I started doing these over a year ago (see post dated Jan 15/2024), however with everything that was going on, I'm really only just now getting back to these and I anticipate working on them for a very long time, but that's ok.  Some things just take time.

Take care everyone.