When I set my blocks together I really like sewing them  into chunks like this instead of long rows. The seams are so much more manageable and the pressing is easier too. I used to hate manhandling every single long row through the machine and the top just got more and more unweildy. Sewing them this way does wonders for my temper and it seems to go quicker too. I've since finished setting these 16 patch blocks and now I have to choose a border.

I decided to put the final border on this paisley album top the other day, and I had fun looking at all the fabrics again.

 Not all of them are paisleys, some are just large patterned fabric I wanted to use, but they all work well together.

I think this is finished, it probably doesn't need another border, so later I'm going to weigh it and add the yardage to my "used" total. I'm very casual about this, but it's nice to have a rough estimate.

So far this year I've used 50 metres, but that's only in totally finished tops. I've sewn so many blocks that aren't put together yet that it's probably twice as much in reality. But I don't get to count it until the tops completely done, that's my rule.