Today marks the final day of The Back to School Blog Hop

There has been so much to learn this month. Thank you Sam at Huntersdesignstudio (here) for organizing this informative, interesting and diverse hop.

My topic for the final day of the hop is Using Leaders and Enders. To the best of my knowledge Bonnie Hunter of  Quiltville fame is the individual who came up with this term and I might add took the technique to new heights.

56 little windmill blocks made as Leaders and Enders become a small wheelchair quilt.

Let's look at Five W's and an H, Who, What, Where, When and Why and then finish with the How.

Who: Anyone can use Leaders and Enders, but I feel they are most effective for quilters who do piecing on a regular basis. If you chain piece your Foundation Paper piecing you might consider Leaders and Enders but do think about  the tiny stitch length you would be using for FPP.








What: A Leader/Ender is  purposeful fabric that is ready to put through the sewing machine when the sewer has finished the row of stitching for the primary project they are working on. I like to keep mine short, no longer than 3 1/2", but some people use string blocks as a Leader/Ender. A block for a quilt can be broken down into its components and then each component stitched in stages as a Leader/Ender.

Four brown and four orange rectangles (1 1/2" x 2 1/2") will make a nice windmill block.

Stitching the two sides of a waste/bonus triangle together is also an excellent type of Leader and Ender project. And some people stitch lights and darks together for future four patches. The options are as wide as your imagination.

Where: I like to keep mine to the right of my sewing machine, organized in a variety of ways depending on how big a project is envisioned. Some people organize their Leader/Ender projects in baggies. I like to use the small containers that deli's use for salad. These can be stacked as they are the same size with a recessed lid. A baggie would be easier to use if you were travelling with your sewing. Of course as soon as you say this is how I do it there is an exception.

This small pile is a Broken Dishes quilt in the works. I was gifted a huge bag of triangles. Note, not Half Square Triangles, just triangles. I had to first make them into Half Square Triangles, a good Leader and Ender exercise in itself. Then I squared them all up. These particular HST's were squared at 1 1/2" each. Then I need four that were either the same or played well together. I pinned them together in their groups of four and that is this pile. I have just over 100 little blocks done and these are the remaining block components.


When: You can use a Leader and Ender project when the seam for the  primary project is completed.  Instead of  pulling the thread out and cutting it you take your already prepared L/E project and feed it through the sewing machine without taking a break. This becomes the end for that first task and is in place for the start of the next primary seam to be stitched, hence the name Leader and Ender.

Why: The most obvious reason is to save thread but this strategy also helps to keep your machine sewing needle from coming unthreaded. It goes a long way towards preventing the bunch-up that sometimes happens at the beginning of a seam. Also when you are stitching from one piece to another it helps you to avoid that tail off that sometimes happens at the end of a long seam. 

How: There are likely several ways to organize for a Lender/Ender project. My personal preference is to have a short stitching project. I know some people who do string quilts as a L/E. I would not be able to do that comfortably because I like to audition my next string and make sure I am getting my best length and colour string in place. So I spend some time organizing before hand. I have a couple of favourite L/E projects. These require limited thinking once they are set up. the simple Windmills project shown at the top of the post with the orange windmills on a brown background is one great Leader and ender project. You can go completely scrappy or select a colour theme. I look for four blades that are the same and if you have a good value match the background can be scrappy. Think about how you organize your stitching and the types of projects you like to complete. That will give you some guidance in selecting a Leader and Ender project that will work well for you.

This is a finished Broken Dishes doll quilt. Started with triangles, then Half Square Triangles, then pairs of HST's then two pairs together. All tasks that work nicely as Leaders and Enders.

I hope my simple explanation of Leaders and Enders and some of their advantages has convinced you to consider them if you don't already use this approach. Thank you Sam Hunter for including me in this wonderful month of learning. Piecefully, Joanne

Almost too embarrassed to write a post

Someone asked me recently if I had stopped blogging. I instantly said "no" but as I look at things maybe in some ways I had. The past couple of months have been difficult on the health front and a bit of a roller coaster. Sick, recovering, sick again. Nothing it seemed was getting accomplished. but I suppose in little bits it has. I continue to do pattern testing for a variety of designers. Some of the testing is secret and some is not. It is easier for me to think of it as all secret. Then I don't show a photo I should not have shown.
So I can show this photo. As I work away at tests I continue with my love of Leaders and Enders. This quilt is just such a project. I was given a large baggie with several smaller baggies. The smaller baggies contained very small triangles that matched each other. A somewhat larger baggie contained a lot of white triangles that were similarly sized. So I stitched a coloured and a white triangle together Leader and Ender style. Then I made pinwheels with the HST's. Then I made pinwheel nine patches, then turned those into square in a square. Needless to say this project has been on the go for a while. It is now awaiting quilting. Piecefully, Joanne
And linking to Cynthia's Oh Scrap! (here)

Working towards some finishes

This top has been languishing for some time now. Small rails, 1 1/2" x 3 1/2". The centre's a constant blue with a few reds thrown in, the side rails were shirting samples our Scrapbag group was given. I tidied them up and did this as a Leader and Ender project. Hubby has 4 more quilts pinned and ready for me to quilt so my work is cut out for me.
Of course now that we are in December one does start to look ahead at the coming year. Not certain yet where it will take me but I am signed up for the Fat Quarter Shop's Block of the Month. This is a fund raiser for St. Jude's Hospital. And Jen of Patterns by Jen is doing a colour block of the month. Each month will be different block featuring the colour of the month. It will happen on her blog (here). Piecefully, Joanne
Linking with Cynthia at Oh Scrap! (here)

Scraps as therapy

This was a strong motivator for me to get back to my sewing machine and working. I had to be able to bend my knee enough to sit at the table. I am happy to say, I reached that point about two weeks ago and have been stitching ever since. Mind you it is in short bursts of time and then I need to move around a bit. Guess I need to build up my tolerance again.
I do not remember who gave me these scraps. Or most of them. I cut them all to 1 1/2" squares and added some from my scrap heap that I thought would work well with the core group. I stitched them together Leader and Ender style. First one I saw as light with one I saw as dark. Pressing all to the dark. Then those were joined into four patches and then sixteen patches. Once we were at that stage I let them talk to me from the design floor. I had 60 sixteen patches which would have made a really long skinny quilt. So I went with using 56 sixteen patches and kept four for corner blocks. One of my friends drove me to the local quilt shop and I picked out this border fabric. I will be happy to be able to drive myself places after tomorrow's check in with the surgeon.
I have done a lot of reading in the last few weeks but am anxious to get back to doing something more hands on. Piecefully, Joanne
Linking with Cynthia (here) for another session of Oh Scrap!

From time to time some things do get finished

These three little scrap quilts are ready to donate to the Scrapbag Quilters of Saugeen Shores. . The pieces for the small ones with the green borders came to me as scraps in baggies. They are finished doll quilt size now. The larger quilt is a nice lap size. It was all done as off white/cream with blues. Who knew there were so many blues.  I have four more tops done but do not see how they will get quilted in the next week and a half. The optimist would say it is always nice to have something to look forward to. I will take that rather than the pessimist pointing out they are not finished.
I have enough scrappy windmills completed to assemble another top. They are such addictive Leaders and Enders. I have also been doing some postage stamp squares as Leaders and Enders. They pile up quickly. I plan to link up with Cynthia's Oh Scrap! (here)on Sunday.
It is shaping up to be a busy week. I have a return visit to the hospital for my physio session, I teach a class for my Local Quilt shop, and have quilt guild Wednesday. That is in addition to the normal things that happen around here. Piecefully, Joanne

Baby Rail Fences, More Leaders and Enders

Three little finishes start the year off right. These quilts were all done as Leaders and Enders, so have been underway for a while. The scraps for the middle one came primarily from a friend (thank you Laurissa), the blue/green  and yellow on the left from my left overs and the blue and grey on the right from a quilt top left over. Pieces are all cut to 1 1/2" by 3 1/2". the centry strip is either the same fabric or very similar in colour and value. And I have two more in the works. The over all size depends on how many scraps I have in that colour scheme. I am not certain how a totally scrappy one would work. It is a lot of work over a period of time to discover you aren't happy with the result.
I was going to take these as my show and tell to Guild tomorrow but the weather continues to look iffy. The highway is however open today. Piecefully, Joanne

Edited to add a Link to A Quilting Chick's Leader and Ender link up
(here) and to Lorna at SewFreshQuilts (here)

I don't think I have ever met a blue fabric I didn't like

These blue pinwheels were made as Leaders and Enders. I was trying for a different effect. I got the lights in the middle OK but the next row out should have been darker. It is done now and I learned from this one. Will probably tackle a green one next. Each little block consists of four 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" pieces of two different colours (eight pieces in total per block). On this exercise I used various blues and off whites. I am tidying up some new scraps so they will be ready for a new Leader and Ender project. Piecefully, Joanne

Linking with Soscrappy (here) and Quilting is More Fun than Housework (here) this coming weekend.

Thoughts on Leaders and Enders and the 200th post

This little quilt started its life as a leader and ender project. It was a bag of blue and green and white triangles. So first leader/ender task was to make them into half square triangles. That took a while. Then those triangles were grouped into likes and made into pinwheels. Then I looked at them and thought they were too small to do anything with them so added "sides" to make them a little bigger. Each additional piece was added as a leader/ender. I did have the nerve to go back to the person who had given me the original baggie and ask if she had any more pieces that matched to get enough of the right colours and then added from my stash.The borders came from my stash. Sometimes you are saving a piece for some unknown reason. I thought the outer border this time was just right. this is ready to give to Project Linus at our next Kincardine Sunset Quilters Guild meeting.
And my thoughts on Leaders and Enders. I prefer not to leave home without them. I have several cut out and in small containers ready to take to workshops or group sewing events.
And if that is not enough excitement for the day according to Blogger this is my 200th post. I think I do repeat myself but my original intent was to record finishes. This year there have been fewer finishes than I would like but there are a ton of tops waiting for their finish. I have a list today for the Scrapbag Quilters to get batting cut. My Bernina has died and I am now learning to use my little Lotus by Elna for the machine quilting. It is not the same but I think we will come to terms with each other.
So thank you followers for taking the ride with me. Piecefully, Joanne
Linking up with cynthia at Quilting is More fun than Housework (here)

A little more fun with scraps

This top is now ready to quilt. It began its life as a baggie of bonus triangles in blue/green/white. I used them as Leaders and Enders to make Half Square triangles. From there they went to pinwheels. Once that was done I thought they were a little small to make a quilt top so I got nervy and asked Mary if she had any more left overs from her triangle donation. She did and I added from my collection. The borders came from my scraps too although it is almost embarrassing to mention the date on the selvage of the blue green wavy outer border. The resulting top is 34" by 37". Personally I love the colours. when it is quilted it will go to Project Linus.
In non-quilty news I had a birthday this week. Next birthday a decade will change. The whole family came to celebrate with me which was very nice. The boys stayed the rest of the week. DH will take them home tomorrow so no more LEGO in the family room or forts with the couch cushions. Well that is until they return towards the end of the week.
I think my big job next week will be organizing my "Strings" workshop and making certain my samples are up to snuff. Piecefully, Joanne

Linking up with Cynthia's Oh scrap! (here)

A little leader and ender fun

The little blocks for this project were assembled leader and ender style. I was gifted with a bag of 1" strips of varying lengths. Corey Yoder (Little Miss Shabby) had a tutorial on the Moda Bake Shop using the 2 1/2" candy squares. So I rummaged through my 2 1/2" squares for all manner of pink ones and made these little blocks that were then assembled into a top. Current size is 18" by 21" but it needs to grow. If it doesn't then it will be a doll quilt for the Salvation Army toy drive next November.
Other than that I have been doing more testing. We have been assigned about half of the blocks for the next Quiltmaker's 100 blocks magazine and I have a couple of paper piecing projects I am testing. For me the only real downside to the testing is that for the most part you can't talk about it. A couple of the designers I test for are happy to have the pre-release buzz happening but most (90+percent) prefer total secrecy prior to the pattern release.
Have also been working on samples for the store (Shoreline Quilts Port Elgin, ON) and taught a bag class last week. So one way and another I am keeping busy. Piecefully, Joanne

Edited to add Linking up with Cynthia's  Oh Scrap! Linky party at Quilting is more fun than Housework here (Oh Scrap!)

Leaders and Enders a continuing battle to use up the little bits

I am back to making windmill blocks. This time I decided I should be a little "controlling". So the background pieces are various neutrals in the beige range of colours and the blades for the windmills are blue. Any blue, just need 4 the same, although when I was talking to someone on the weekend she was going to try scrappy blades. I am not certain I am there yet. All my pieces are cut 1 1/2" by 2 1/2". I do have some L&E that I am working with that are 1 1/2" square but I can't bring myself to go any smaller. To do this effectively you need the pieces ready to sew and you must be patient. A few at a time while the main project is happening. Otherwise you have two projects that you are trying to complete.
Today I am packing my suitcase and picking up a few last minute things at the store. Tomorrow the Kincardine Sunset Quilters bus trip to Paducah leaves town. The weather here is looking yechy so I hope we drive out of that. Have checked the Paducah weather and it looks like some rain is in the forecast but milder temperatures than we are having. Looking forward to this great adventure. I just hope my knee holds up. Piecefully, Joanne

Linking with A Quilting Chick for her leader and ender project

Oh Scrap! for the end of March

At the last Sunset Quilters Quilt Guild meeting one of my "regulars" handed me a bag of scraps. Inside were all these lovely triangle pieces. Stop me from myself. I pulled them out and set them beside the machine to sew together as leaders and enders. She had just cut the pieces off  so they were not all uniform in size nor did they have a smooth cut edge. I had been sewing some 1 1/2" squares together and making them into little four patchs to set in the middle square of a square in a square block and the light bulb went on. If I made little pinwheel blocks, squared them up to 2 1/2" then  I could do the same thing. So the sequence above shows the few remaining triangle pieces, a few HST's, One pinwheel block that has been squared to 2 1/2" and then a contrast set of triangles to make a final square in a square block. I will admit I did have the nerve to ask her if she had any strips left that I might be able to use for the outer triangles. I needed 2 2 1/2" squares for each block. She had a couple and I rummaged through my stash. I think I will end up with a nice little quilt out of this exercise.
I taught another class for the new quilt shop this week and took in a sample quilt for another class that will be happening in April. Probably just a little busier than I really need to be these days. Piecefully, Joanne
Linking up with Cynthia at quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com  on Oh Scrap! Sunday afternoon

My Grandpa always said......

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So I hope that Sharon over at Vrooman's Quilts (here) doesn't mind if I imitate her and start a new Leaders and Enders project. I had a small bin of 1 1/2" squares and was really wondering what in the world I would do with them. I can use up the 1 1/2" by 2 1/2" pieces nicely but wasn't so sure about these smaller squares. What Sharon has done is make a four patch and then slice two 2 1/2" squares and put the triangles that are formed around the outside edge to make a square in a square idea. So I have started making little four patches.

The photo below is a downsized Strip Cocoon block. Gudrun Erla of gequiltdesigns has written a book where she takes 6 of her patterns that were designed for 2 1/2" strips and downsized the patterns to make them with 1 1/2" strips. Each of the 6 designs has three different sizes. She is working on a new book Stripology II I am guessing the title will be where she is planning to do the same thing with some other patterns. I am currently making a store sample of Strip Cocoon with the 2 1/2" strips and thought I would give a try at the downsized block. Quite easy actually. this particular block makes use of the partial seam. Otherwise it is a very straight forward easy to assemble block.

Piecefully, Joanne

Turning Scraps into Quilts one Leader and Ender at a time

Pictured are 25 quilt blocks made from my Scrap Salad box. I thought the box was full but after making 25 blocks the box is still full. Perhaps is it just a little aerated now. I like to keep these beside my machine when I am doing some piecing and before you know it you have a block assembled. With this particular one I sew the two centre pieces together on the long side. Then add a piece across the top and  the bottom. Next step is to join pairs of scraps on the short side and then add them to the sides. These pieces are 1 1/2" by 2 1/2". this design however will work with 2 1/2" by 4 1/2" pieces, and 3 1/2" by 6 1/2" pieces. I forget the 2" by? size as I don't use 2" strips very often. Once you have a good collection of little blocks made join them together alternating the direction of the centre pairs. No seams to match. another win-win block and project. This pile is enough to make a lap quilt or a baby quilt. Piecefully, Joanne
Linking with A Quilting Chick for her Leader and Ender challenge and later this week with Quilting is More Fun than Housework