Half square triangle workshop and my last four favourite things

Yesterday I took a Half Square Triangle (HST) workshop with Jeanne Simpson. Jeanne is a great workshop leader. She was generous and encouraging. She explained several different methods of making HSTs and then let us loose to make them to our heart's content using the methods we preferred.

I'm sure that like me you've all made HSTs in many different ways. Nonetheless I was confident that I would learn something new in Jeanne's workshop and I wasn't disappointed. I learned an easy method for making these interesting little units!

My portable design wall is two strips of diaper flannel that I stitch together. I taped it to the wall in the classroom. Another friend used a flannel backed plastic table cloth. The diaper flannel and the back of the tablecloth are white. A tip Jeanne shared is "don't use a white design wall."  White creates such a strong contrast so you don't get an accurate read of colour. Westminster Fabrics has a flannel fabric that is marked off in a 2" grid - perfect for a design wall! I just might get some for myself! This is what it looks like. I found it at Stitch-N-Frame for under $12/yard.

Many of the workshop participants opted for a more traditional block designs and they were lovely. I wanted to try something a little more "free-wheeling". This is the arrangement I am working with. I pinned everything to the flannel to keep things in place until I got home.

The little orange pops are not stitched in place but I think I will add them. They add some sparkle to the piece. I will need to add one more because I like things in odd numbers (e.g., 1, 3, 5, 7 and so on) because it adds visual interest. I'm not sure where I will go with this piece, quilt or wall hanging, but it is a start.

So today I share the last four pictures of my quilt A Few of My Favourite Things. It is wet and grey outside so I can't get out to take a picture of the quilt. Fingers crossed tomorrow will be better!

This block that makes me think of my Mom. She went to school in a one room school house but it wasn't as luxurious as this one! I had to angle the embroidery to get it to fit inside the bowtie frame.

My Mom has grown tiger lilies in her garden for as long as I can remember. I love their spotted little faces!

I made this quilt in 1997. Now some 16 years later I love looking at this year block because it give the quilt a sense of place and time. A label will do that too but I think this block is more impactful because it is on the front of the quilt.

Also if the fabric with the year and the square in the upper right hand corner appear lighter, they are. I ran out of muslin so had to look for another. At the time I wasn't too happy that they were different but now I like it because it adds to the scrappiness of the quilt. Now I often plan to run out of fabric when I make a quilt so I am forced to find a substitute.

And finally the last block, one more old timey flower. I'm not sure if these are bachelor buttons or carnations but both are old fashioned flowers!

Tomorrow I'll show you the interesting border and if the weather permits I'll get outside to photograph the entire quilt!

I leave you with a little autumn treat! We have several big patches of autumn crocuses blooming in the garden. What a lovely mid-November treat!

Until I blog again, happy sewing!