Two large leader/ender quilts finished

I've said it many time before, but for any newbies here, I'll explain that I am a big fan of leaders & enders.  I learned this technique from Bonnie Hunter, through her blog.  Leader/enders are an opportunity to advance on a quilt bit by bit, while working a quilt that is your main focus.

How it works is, if I am making a quilt, we'll call it quilt A, I will always be working on quilt A, as that is my focus.  Now, if for any reason I have to take the pieces out of the machine to do the next step, instead of cutting my thread or putting in one of those thread bunnies (piece of scrap fabric), I will put two squares together finished sides facing together, we'll call this quilt B.  Those blocks I just put through are called the ender (ie I just ended my quilt A piecing).  Then I can just snip off the quilt A pieces.  

When I am ready to start on quilt A again, the blocks that are currently in the machine holding the thread ends, is now considered your leader.  You leave it there and start sewing your parts for quilt A.  Once that is done you can just snip off the blocks of quilt B.  And there you have it.  You just did a leader and an ender.  Press them to the dark side, and you have your first 2-patch.  

Just set these aside.  Don't worry about them, just let them keep piling up.  I have a large jar for mine and I don't always have a plan for them.  I just keep making them.  Currently I am making those tiny HSTs (see previous post for details on that one).  If you prefer a theme, you could chose to do a light and dark block.  In my case I went with random squares, as I had a plan for the first quilt I wanted to make.  I just made too many, that I had to come up with a plan for all the extras.....lol.  I most often work with four patches, so as the 2-patches accumulated, I would start using two 2-patch blocks as my leader/ender to make 4-patches and I would set those aside and let them pile up in the jar.

When I felt I had enough 4-patch leader/enders, I started this 1st quilt, back in Jan/2023.  I then turned this to my main focus and started to assemble the quilt.  I made this Irish chain quilt.  I used black as the first row, burgundy for the second row and light brown for the last row.  These three colours frame the colourful chains and become part of the chain as well, for a nice wide chain.  The background is a dark cream.  The borders are finished with the same black, burgundy and light brown.

I think it turn out nice.  The black tends to define the space and contains the colourful squares.  I finished this top in Dec 15/2024 and quilted it in Mar/2025.  It measures approx. 72" square.

Next, since I had such a large pile of leader/enders remaining, I was able to make a second quilt.  I started this 2nd quilt in Dec/2024.  For this quilt I found this quilt layout.  Not sure it has a name, because it was one of those flash sightings.  You see a quilt and your memory stores the information for another day.  This was the day.  For this quilt, I decided to tone it down some.  I took out all the 4-patch blocks that had bright colours.  I just wanted the muted, sometimes called muddy colours, for this quilt.

I used a lighter cream, the same fabric for the sashing and the divides in the block itself.  This block assembly uses partial seams on the middle 4-patch.  You sew two 4-patches plus a 2-patch together in a row and add the cream strip to one side.  Make four of these to form the perimeter of the block.  Then you sew one perimeter block to the centre 4-patch, but only half way.  By doing this, you have created a partial seam, where you started to sew.  On the edge that is a complete seam, you can now attach another perimeter block to the 4-patch, and this time you will sew it all the way to the end.  Continue this same process with the third perimeter piece and then the four perimeter piece.  Now that you have added the four perimeter piece, you are ready to finish the first partial seam.  Start where you left off at the half way mark and sew it to the end.  Sit back and admire your block....lol.  That wasn't so hard now was it?  

This quilt was also quilted in Mar/2025.  This quilt measure approx. 70" x 97"

Both of these quilts, other than the border and background fabrics, were made using scraps that I had.  I often cut my smaller scraps into usable strips and squares for future projects.  I follow a similar system as Bonnie, but I don't do all the sizes she does.  The system makes is easier to start and faster to finish a quilt.  Plus I saved a lot of time by putting through these pieces as leader/enders too.  To start this method for the first time, I would suggest you have a quilt planned, that has simple blocks that can be used as leader/enders.  Don't make it complicated.  Just sew, press and put aside.

Both of these quilts were recently donated to HHQG.  They have donated the first one to raise money for SickKids neuroblastoma research and the second one is still to be determined.  I would like to send out a big thank you to all the folks who drop off packages of their scraps to me, when they don't want them anymore.  It's with your scraps and mine, that I was able to make these quilts, that are going to a good cause.

Take care everyone.  If your are in Canada, enjoy your long weekend!!