Finishing touch

     I saw the ad and example of small labels that I could sew in the binding on Sew Fresh blog and decided, with the coupon, to give them a try. Ikaprint labels come all the way from France! I received them and sewed one in the last comfort quilt. I like them, they add that extra touch. I already have a big label from Spoonflower that goes on the back, but this makes it just right.

Front of label

Backside

HST layout decided

      Now that the design wall was free of the gray stripey thing, I finished pinning up the Half Square Triangles. I tried a bunch of layouts. I had divided up both charm packs of Marcia Derse fabrics into light, medium and dark, but the divisions were not even-- the light ones had the least. As a consequence, there were a lot of dark clumps.

One of many tries

     I got out the camera again and used the B&W feature to find the best variation in values.

This was the layout I decided on.

    When I sew the blocks together, I sew the 1st row 1st block to 2nd block, then the 2nd row, 1st block to 2nd block, 3rd row 1st block to 2nd block until the last row. Then I will sew the 1st row 2nd block to 3rd block 2nd row 2nd block to 3rd block, etc. until I get all the rows pieced. With all the rows pieced, I sew pairs of rows together, like 1 to 2, 2 to 3, etc. Then I sew all the pairs seams until all the rows are sewn. If there is a better way, I am all for it. Shout it out.
    I mark each row with the row number and block position number. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 all across. I use blue painters tape that was rolled out a strip on my cutting board, cut it half lengthwise, and then across into little squares. I label the tape with a sharpie. 
    Then I take the cutting board with the numbers to the design wall and stick them on placing the number at the center top of the block so I always know the orientation. 
     Last, I start with the first number in the row and stack them until the last number in the row is on the bottom. I use a small bulldog clip for each row to keep track of the rows. I arrange these on my sewing table and pull then out in order for piecing. No matter if I am interrupted or have brain interruptions, it stays in order because it is numbered and the top side is plain. It may sound like a lot of fussy work, but it pays off in streamlined sewing and NO ripping.

Partial view of the numbering while on the wall

Ready to roll