Cutting Marathon

Do you do leader and enders?  Bonnie Hunter has a great explanation on her website HERE.  I love the concept and have made a couple of quilts completely using this technique and many others were started that way.

I currently have two L/E projects.  One is my postage stamp quilt.  I’ve got a note that says I need 4520 1 1/2″ squares.  With the exception of 8 4-patches to be sewn into 4 pairs everything I’ve cut for that quilt is shown above.  I have a way to go. That’s 540 1 1/2″ squares, so I need to cut some more.

The second L/E project is the 3″ Spool Block.  Since each stack is 20 blocks, I only have 140 made (and no more cut)  and I need a minimum of 288 if I set them on point with a 1″ sashing which I’m considering.  Needless to say I needed to cut some more spools.

So, tonight I pulled out my 1 1/2″ strip box (another one of Bonnie’s great hints – Scrap User’s System) and started cutting spool blocks and if there was 1 1/2″ left over from my strip I cut a square for the postage stamp quilt.

A few hours later,  I now have 90 spool blocks cut and 64 squares for the postage stamp quilt.  My 1 1/2″ strip box is pretty much a 1 1/2″ scrap box now. I’m thinking there may be a lego quilt in my future.

Now that I’ve spent the evening cutting fabric, I’m ready to start sewing.  Wait, I really need to get those gromment in the bag which was supposed to be a Christmas 2011 gift.