Basic Trial and Error with HSTs

Linking up with WIP Wednesday.

I went to Joann's on Sunday to replenish my collection of DMC floss. I've been working on embroidery projects lately and my floss stash was looking quite drab for the projects I have planned. I started my collection during the late 1980s when the country look was in so I had an abundance of brick reds, drab browns and cornflower blues. The few bright colors I had were used first by my 3 nieces during summer stays to make friendship bracelets, followed by my sons for the same purpose. 

I can't go to Joann's without checking out the sale fabric rack. I'm on the lookout for a Jack Russell friendly piece of fabric to cover an Ikea pillow form I bought a few months ago. He has an orange velvet covered version that is his absolute favorite but the cover just doesn't look good for very long since he is a super-shedder. I am hoping to find that perfect remnant that will meet his approval for comfort and my approval for hiding his hair.

What I did find was 6 bolts of one of their designer lines for $3/yard. I've been dying to try some out so I bought a half yard of each. I unfortunately used chain store fabric for my first quilt attempt in the early 1990s. I just couldn't commit myself to the process as can be seen by the tools I purchased. 

I cut WOF with this little setup. It is no wonder almost 20 years would go by before I would try quilting again! Dinky tools, cheap fabric=not very much fun. 

So, I was a bit nervous about trying this line out but I have to say I have been impressed. I added some pieces from my stash to the set of 6, including some Kona Bone, and cut a stack of 10" squares to try my hand with the 8 HST as once technique.

Since I am a fairly new quilter you will get to read about my experiences trying out some pretty basic techniques.  My plan with this stack is to play with HST and value. 

I have paired my fabric squares, marked them and have sewn over one diagonal. It looks like it will go pretty fast. 

I completed all the seams on one 10" test square and started cutting. It didn't look right. I realized at that point that I had sewn over all the lines when I only should have sewn over the diagonals. Whoopsie, out came the seam ripper and all is well. Now I know that I don't have to mark so many lines next time. I should have reread one of the tutorials. I was going from memory.