In for a Penny In for a pound.

idiom. British. used to say that a person should finish what he or she has started to do even though it may be difficult or expensive

That’s how I feel about my Split Nines project. It started as a way to get my bin/box of 2 ½ inch squares reduced. This bin also contained a bunch of HSTs too. I needed 1008 squares and 504 HSTs to make a top that will be 72″ by 84″. I started by cutting a few more white and off white HSTs with the Accuquilt cutter die. It cuts 16 triangles from a 8″ x 9″ piece of fabric. I think I must have gotten carried away, as I soon found I had more than enough cut. I also found a bunch that were already cut in the bin. I spent two sewing sessions making about 700 of them. Yeah, a few too many, but I was thinking I could use them as an outer border. Last night I started putting some of the nine patch blocks together, they go pretty quickly, once you have all the HSTs done. Definitely not expensive, as no new fabric has been or will be purchased for this project. The only difficulty is avoiding boredom, but it is an interesting way to wander through ones fabric collection. I remember most of the projects each square/fabric came from, it is like a trip down memory lane, is that strange?

I am sticking with the layout that Bonnie Hunter used in the free pattern/guide she has. It is based on a quilt she calls Perkiomen Valley Split 9 patch. I found this explanation:

The Perkiomen Valley quilt design is named for the Perkiomen Creek that flows diagonally through Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This is an early documented pattern from the Germans who settled in this area. 

The design is made of nine-patch blocks split by a diagonal, thus creating a dark and light color scheme. It’s the way these blocks are put together that makes the Perkiomen Valley quilt design, which is said to represent the hills and valleys. Typically a scrap quilt, the layout always results in a square, 10 blocks across and 10 blocks down.

Atypically, my top will be a bit larger 12 blocks by 14, although, I could make it 16 x 16. I would need about 20 more HSTs. It’s a possibility, plus just think of all the squares I would use up. There would be 768 hsts, and 1536 squares, I might even begin to see the bottom of this bin.

The Hobbit house is about 40% stitched. On the FB group I follow for this year-long stitch-a -long, one person is done with it. She started the same day I did, 4/11, she is a pretty quick stitcher. Each house is in an area 120 stitches by 120, I’d say the area is about 75% filled, so roughly 10,000 little X stitches. (Yay math!) She finished in 15 days, thats approximately 650 stitches a day. I think I average about 300 a day, and I usually stitch for about 2 hours. The previous 4 houses took me about three weeks to stitch.

With this house, I have started to use bees wax on my threads. I have a small tin of it, and by pressing my thumb over the thread, I pull the thread through to get a light coating. I found that the threads were fraying and breaking as I used them and were looking fuzzy. I usually use a ten inch length piece to avoid this, but it was still happening. My theory is that the Aida cloth is rougher than the linen and other even weave cloths I have used and the thread wears out faster.

I did finally finish the Strawberry Picnic quilt this week, needs binding though. I put the Noel quilt on next, and I’m about ½ way through it. Once the Split Nine patch quilt is done, it’ll free up my sewing table and I can get the bindings done on those two three, (don’t forget Morning Glory). I also go the Spot-on quilt top together, it will join the TBQ pile too. Next up is the Moondance Revival, as the backing for it was delivered.

Lastly I finished block 6 of the Simple Days quilt top. I have three more to do, 8,9 and 3, I don’t know why I missed 3, but I still have to construct the block, then embroider it. Eight and Nine are made, just need embellishments.

Time to get a move on, the day is passing quickly.

Be Kind.