Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

Flowers For Clara

So.  What do you all do when you feel overwhelmed with the number of quilting projects you have started and have yet to finish?  Do you pull your hair in frustration?  Do you stay up all night to make some headway on all the sewing you need to do?  Do you hide the unfinished projects away so your family won't scold you for buying more fabric when you haven't even finished what you have started?

Or do you do what I do?

Start a new project!!! 

I love the energy and enthusiasm that comes with beginning something new.  It cheers me up and makes me love life and the joy of creation and the prospect of bringing something lovely into my future.  Please. No comparisons to the psyche of the typical addict.  That would not be me.  Not at all.

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This is my new project!  (Don't you love it Karen Dianne? It is so your thing).  It is a kit I bought awhile back from Bonnie Blue Quilts.   It calls for 64 blocks, each one of which has 12 half square triangle units!  That is 768 half square triangles.  I did not feel daunted in the slightest however, because the kit came with these cool half square triangle papers called Spinning Stars.

All you have to do to make two blocks is to cut out three six inch squares of your print fabric and three six inch squares of your background fabric.  Plus eight 2 1/2 inch squares of your print fabric.  Stack a print square and a background square right sides together and stitch on the dotted lines.   Do this three times.  Cut on the solid lines and you have 24 half square triangles, which is enough to make two complete quilt blocks.  The kit came with 32 different prints, so there will be loads of variety in the blocks.  Super scrappy, just like I like it.

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This is the package of Spinning Star papers that came with the kit.  You can buy these in a number of different sizes from Bonnie Blue.

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Stitch on the dotted line.

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Cut on the solid lines to trim up the edges and separate the square into quadrants

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Cut the squares in half on the diagonal.

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Tear off the paper, like you are ripping off a bandaid.

Open your half square triangles, press them and trim off the little dog ears.

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There are many ways of making half square triangles, and this one is a nice change.  The units come out super accurate.  Give it a try, and I bet you'll be smiling.

40 responses to “Flowers For Clara”

  1. VERY Karen Dianne, very Nicole, too, methinks. And I ALWAYS start a new project when I feel overwhelmed with all that is in the works. Always.

  2. VERY Karen Dianne, very Nicole, too, methinks. And I ALWAYS start a new project when I feel overwhelmed with all that is in the works. Always.

  3. Oh Nicole, you’ve nailed it! This is totally something wonderful to share. I’m so thrilled to watch it come to life. This is am amazing quilt and a great size, too! And I love the Spinning Stars paper. Its pretty much…fun!
    I’m happy. 🙂

  4. Oh Nicole, you’ve nailed it! This is totally something wonderful to share. I’m so thrilled to watch it come to life. This is am amazing quilt and a great size, too! And I love the Spinning Stars paper. Its pretty much…fun!
    I’m happy. 🙂

  7. That’s a cute project. I know how you feel. I have so many projects that “should” be finished first, but I can’t help but start a new project instead. :0)

  8. That’s a cute project. I know how you feel. I have so many projects that “should” be finished first, but I can’t help but start a new project instead. :0)

  9. LOVE starting new projects – there’s nothing like it. Those Spinning Star papers look very interesting – I HATE triangles – I can never seem to get them acccurate.

  10. LOVE starting new projects – there’s nothing like it. Those Spinning Star papers look very interesting – I HATE triangles – I can never seem to get them acccurate.

  11. Me too! I love starting new projects and “forgetting” about the old ones. I have 2 baby quilts more than half finished but I got discouraged and put them aside. I hope to get back into the groove with them soon so that the babies can get the quilts before they go to high school. LOL.
    I like that paper method for making triangles. I will have to research that.
    Jen

  12. Me too! I love starting new projects and “forgetting” about the old ones. I have 2 baby quilts more than half finished but I got discouraged and put them aside. I hope to get back into the groove with them soon so that the babies can get the quilts before they go to high school. LOL.
    I like that paper method for making triangles. I will have to research that.
    Jen

  13. I’m the same way, a million projects in the works, feeling overwhelmed, so what do I do? Buy more fabric, and start a new project!!!! Glad to see I’m not alone in this!
    I can’t wait to see the finished product of your new project, I think it’s going to turn out great!

  14. I’m the same way, a million projects in the works, feeling overwhelmed, so what do I do? Buy more fabric, and start a new project!!!! Glad to see I’m not alone in this!
    I can’t wait to see the finished product of your new project, I think it’s going to turn out great!

  17. I do exactly what you do….start something new. What does that say about us? Hmmm. I also have that kit. It’s still in the bag so maybe this will motivate me to start it…..or maybe not. LOL
    Love your blog.

  18. I do exactly what you do….start something new. What does that say about us? Hmmm. I also have that kit. It’s still in the bag so maybe this will motivate me to start it…..or maybe not. LOL
    Love your blog.

  21. While nothing beats the thrill of a new project, starting something new when I have too much on my plate just makes me even more uptight. I would love to work on something different and new right now, but I have chores to finish. Ick. I’m sure people aren’t even looking at my blog, I haven’t posted anything quilty in weeks, it seems!

  22. While nothing beats the thrill of a new project, starting something new when I have too much on my plate just makes me even more uptight. I would love to work on something different and new right now, but I have chores to finish. Ick. I’m sure people aren’t even looking at my blog, I haven’t posted anything quilty in weeks, it seems!

  23. I LOVE Bonnie Blue Quilts. I bought a kit for one in June. The pattern is Second Hand Clothes. I have been looking at it pretty longingly lately. Might just have to pull it out and get started on it. Just like you I have at least a dozen of other projects already in the works to be finished. It’s a sickness!!

  24. I LOVE Bonnie Blue Quilts. I bought a kit for one in June. The pattern is Second Hand Clothes. I have been looking at it pretty longingly lately. Might just have to pull it out and get started on it. Just like you I have at least a dozen of other projects already in the works to be finished. It’s a sickness!!

  25. Nicole I think I might be able to do that I am scared to start cutting in case I do it all wrong. I am desprate to quilt But just cant push myself to do it you have just given me insperation to try.
    Hugs Mary.

  26. Nicole I think I might be able to do that I am scared to start cutting in case I do it all wrong. I am desprate to quilt But just cant push myself to do it you have just given me insperation to try.
    Hugs Mary.

  27. i have those on a roll but tend to prefer thangles since i can cut strips (which is satisfying to me for some crazy reason). i love half square triangles and anytime a quilt calls for them, i ALWAYS use thangles to do them… none of that crazy math for me!
    and the most i have done is 576 1.75″ finished half square triangles for a queen size quilt top. so no, i don’t think you are crazy.

  28. i have those on a roll but tend to prefer thangles since i can cut strips (which is satisfying to me for some crazy reason). i love half square triangles and anytime a quilt calls for them, i ALWAYS use thangles to do them… none of that crazy math for me!
    and the most i have done is 576 1.75″ finished half square triangles for a queen size quilt top. so no, i don’t think you are crazy.

  37. Papers are absolutely the best way to go! They are so fast AND accurate! Love the new project.

  38. Papers are absolutely the best way to go! They are so fast AND accurate! Love the new project.