Another post about those bonus HSTs...

Remember those bonus blocks that I got whilst working on my Blossom quilt? I have received some sweet comments from some rookie quilters -- they've told me that they appreciate the series of posts I've been writing. 
I'm trying to make sure that they can avoid some of the obstacles that really threw me for a loop!

(Remember? Your first line of stitching is for the quilt block, but you stitch again just a little ways over, and cut between the two lines of stitches.)

Just a quick note here, rookies: when you slice off those half square triangle blocks, and you are ready to square them up?  Don't use steam!!  Not at first, anyway.

When your block looks like this, use a dry iron (turn off the steam) and press it flat, first. Then open it out and press the seam (I usually press toward the darker fabric, so it doesn't show as much) without pulling on it. You can really distort it, and get it severely wonkified if you are not careful.  (Ask me how I know.  Or take pity on me and don't ask.  Just nod, knowingly, and pat my hand.)

After you get it nice and flat, if you want to you can use a bit of steam to coax it into submission, er, make sure it stays flat!

Then you square it up, like we did in this post.

Now you are ready to have fun!  I mean it! This is so much fun . . . there are so many things you can do with these bonus blocks.

Look, here is option number one:

Pinwheels! There's a classic for you. Lots of movement when you put those as a border. You can see that Padsworth loves his HST blocks. . . he's hugging them, whilst he tells me how to arrange them.

Next, you can line them up this way:

Or this way:

Or even this way:

You can even arrange them this way:

Now do you see why I say they are a lot of fun? Of course, my studio cat was not as excited as Padsworth was, with all of these options . . . Moses was suddenly overcome with the urge to nap. 

I'm not quite sure which way I'll use mine, but I am certain that I like how my Blossom quilt is coming along.  Click here to go to the gallery and check it out!

Do you like the colors you saw there for the lattice and the intersection blocks? Or do you like it better with this color option?  (This is a super easy switch with the OleFrogEyes software!)

Tell me what you think!  

Me? I hafta go and coax Padsworth into letting go of my HST blocks!!

Come back here, you rascal!!

Love,