When I don't have much idea of what to sew, or I've reached a stalemate in a current project, I often just make HST, on spec. I cut a lot of scraps into this triangle shape, so there's always plenty on hand and it involves nothing more strenuous than matching two fabrics together,

I have a container of 2 1/2" ones, and another of 2" finished squares.

I began sewing Broken Dishes units with the 2 1/2"  pile and have amassed quite a box full.

I then sewed some  into 12" squares, using nine of the smaller blocks. I love the rich colours I'm using, and so far I feel no urgency to rush ahead and make heaps of them. At the moment I'm happy to just potter and plod along whenever I feel like it.

I used 2" HST to make this smaller block, containing just four of the broken dishes units,

and tried some pinwheels too, just for a different effect.

I'm not looking to finish anything from these blocks yet, I'm just playing with possibilities.

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A few posts ago I showed some bright scrappy HST that I'd been sewing. I'd been using these as Leader-enders for quite a while, so there was a satisfying pile of them, ready to turn into something. I decided to make these star blocks, and as each one takes 16 HST, and the finished  block only  measures 6 inches I knew it wouldn't be very big. A nice cot quilt that I could whip out easily.

The blocks went together fairly quickly, I chose the sashing and set them into a top, and then I had The Bright  Idea. What about a pieced border?

Yes, a few more of those triangles around the edge should do it...

or what about a double row of them...?

Hmm, have to work out the measurements and get them to turn the corner somehow....

Such a good idea at the time, and I think the result is worth it, but oh my giddy aunt, the extra sewing this entailed! Another two hundred or so HST had me chopping up lots of light fabrics and more of the brights and stitching solidly on this border for many hours.

That's the trouble with leader-ender projects, at certain times they just take over and I become obsessed with finishing them. The idea of slowly piecing the border triangles over the next few months just wasn't an option. I wanted this done, Now!

I couldn't take a good photo of this top for some reason, what looks like red fabric is actually a hot pink that my camera couldn't capture. These bright colours are so not my style, and yet I enjoyed working with them. Now that I'm done with this, it's back to the softer reproduction fabrics I love, browns and greys and cream. At least I've proved I can step outside my comfort zone occasionally...

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