Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com popularized this clever method of making a second quilt while chain piecing. Many quilters stitch off onto a scrap of fabric, sometimes called a "spider," to avoid having to hold the threads at the beginning of the next row of stitching. Bonnie took the idea and made it productive -- why not use pre-cut squares, rather than a scrap of fabric that you will throw away?
She calls her method "Leaders & Enders." Leaders, because you sew from the small squares onto your quilt piece. Enders, because you stitch from the quilt piece onto the smaller square.
And the Leaders & Enders don't have to be squares. Each summer, Bonnie proposes a different quilt block design as the year's "Leaders & Enders" challenge. This year, it's tumblers. I cut up a lot of scraps into light and dark tumblers and stacked them in a plastic shoe box:
The note on the side of the box reminds me how many tumblers I need to make each row, and how many rows to make a lap-size quilt.
Each morning when I sit down to sew, I stitch a light and dark tumbler piece together.
When I've stitched across the tumbler, I place the first block of the day's project under the presser foot, and off I sew!
It is amazing how quickly these little "Leaders & Enders" become a whole quilt! Storm is lurking in the doorway, nervous because she knows I don't like dogs in the bedroom!
I'm also using the cut-off triangles from a Flying Geese project to make tiny half square triangles. When I get them all stitched, I'll square them up using my littlest Bloc-Loc ruler to make 1" HSTs. Then I'll stitch them together to make a little bag.
I just a week, I've collected quite a few HSTs!
The "A Quilt Block a Day" Facebook group is making "Birds in Flight" blocks this season. October 2 was the 10th day of Autumn, so I'm right on target with my block count. I haven't decided which layout I like better -- but it's early days, yet!
This diagonal set will require setting triangles, but it will also make a larger quilt.
Which layout do you like?
From the desk of your
Leaders & Enders help us optimize our time. I like most the diagonal setting, all birds flying in the same directions. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...Right now I like your straight set version. But as you add more blocks, I may end up liking the diagonal set.
ReplyDeleteThankyou Marti, I was wondering how this worked! I am trying to get into the habit of putting the "ender" under my needle and not using the automatic thread cutter once I've finished my blocks.
ReplyDeleteI prefer on point for this particular set of blocks. Setting triangles remains on my list of skills to learn.
ReplyDeleteLeader-enders are the best. I wind up w strips of coins that become design elements in other projects: potholders, mug rugs, trivets, doll blankets. Small projects with fabrics I may not see again !~!
Thank you so much for introducing me to "leaders and enders"! I have been quilting for quite a few years but had never heard of "spiders" or "leaders and enders." All these years I have just been leaving incredibly long threads so that I wouldn't have to hold them to keep the thread from pulling out of the needle. It also gives me the perfect way to go ahead and start on the Christmas quilt I have been wanting to make for myself, completely guilt free! I was so excited to get started on this after I read your post last week that I neglected to comment. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteI like the straight set better.
I'm going to vote for the straight set. I love the motion it creates!
ReplyDeleteI really really like your birds in flight blocks!!
ReplyDeleteI think I like the version on point slightly more. No idea why.
ReplyDelete