New News is Old News!!

" New news is old news to new people!"

Perfect!! Listening to a morning inspirational speaker I got (stole) my title to this post. LOl... really perfect but quilting was not the topic, oh well, it is what I have been thinking about as I waited for these pictures to upload. I have been thinking, this is old news Carrie. The old technique to do half square triangle was really not enjoyable to me so I just started avoiding fun little projects like this one. This is project #1 for JLW 8 group that I joined. I sewed on it this weekend while DH was in Portland.

I could have gone to Portland too, I was tempted. Anne there are FOUR Panera's in Portland. And all those quilt shops I could have gone to see, be tempted to buy more fabric, find new wool pieces to add to my stash! Or I could stay home and sew. I do love staying home and sewing.

Did I ever mention I have a roommate in my sewing room. Yes I do, call me crazy or cranky!!!

But we put my DH's antique roll top desk in my sewing room. Oh.....a story for later. But I stayed home and sewed ALONE in my sewing room....on Meg's Baskets!

These next pictures are of a easy way to make half square triangles that I found enjoyable. I really like that you don't cut large pieces of fabric in bias strips, leaving strange pieces to work with. Two 2 inch squares, right sides together, rst, draw a line from corner to corner.
Sew your "scant" 1/4 inch seam allowance on each side of the drawn line.

Then you cut them in half on the drawn line.

Press them open, and trim to make them 1 1/2 inch squares.

Do this with the many sets you have prepared according to instructions, sew them together and this is what you have. Cute little 4 inch baskets set on point. Next......Trying out this Clover chalk marker, I will mark lines from corner to corner both directions. Making an X. I really did like the way this marker moved over the fabric, my pencil lead was fatter and caught on the threads. This marker is finer and moves smoother across the fabric.
This time you sew on both sides of both lines, same scant 1/4 inch.
It lays pretty flat, not much distortion.

Cut apart by starting through the middle, then corner to corner on the diagonal. These are 4 inch pieces, I used my ruler with 1/8 markings and made sure the fabric was square before starting my cutting. I was very pleased with this method.

I sewed up 9 squares giving my 72 half square triangles ready to do the sawtooth border around my baskets. I pressed them open and will trim the to 1/1/2 inch. Very fast and not any strange shaped pieces of fabric leftover.

Monday the lqs was having a President's Day Sale so I didn't need to go to Portland to be tempted. I bought this book to give me some tips on my BOM Birds of a Feather. It was printed in 2002, but hey its new to me so it fits right into this post. And some fabric glue thatI will use to hold pieces in place. I liked the fine tip on this bottle. Thank goodness for 20% off sale, they don't give this glue away , but I think it will last for as long as I have need for it.

I have been stitching on A Tisket, A Tasket BOM, and Wool Garden BOM from Farmhouse Woolens. These are two very enjoyable projects, I love the artists expressions in them. My DH even commented on this months Wool Garden block, he loved the color selections of the wools. He is my go to guy when I am choosing borders and color selections. And since he is my new roomy, he is handier then ever. But guess what DH the rug stays!!!! Give them an inch and they start redecorating your sewing room. LOL.....

Winter Blessing to you all!

Carrie