Bonnie Hunter’s Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

Bonnie has done it again!

Got Inklingo 1.5 inch Half Square Triangles?

Then you’ve got fun!

Today there are 2 free PDFs to get you started.

Inklingo Baby Quilt with Leaders & Enders

EASY, SCRAPPY BABY QUILT

Bonnie Hunter’s 2014 “Leaders & Enders Challenge” is perfect if you are new to Inklingo. It is an easy way to make a scrappy baby quilt—at the same time as you finish whatever you are working on now!

Bonnie’s Leaders & Enders method is described on the Quiltville blog and in The Inklingo Handbook.

The idea is to always use your Leaders and Enders when you start and stop chain piecing. Don’t start and stop on a scrap you will throw away. Get a head start on your next quilt top!

Inklingo Baby Quilt with Leaders & Enders

LOZENGES

For 2014, Bonnie is sewing triangles to 3.5 x 6.5 rectangles (finished size 3 x 6). Bonnie’s instructions are on the Quiltville Quips & Snips blog. You can see a photo of an antique quilt (1890) made with lozenges there too.

Bonnie agrees we need Inklingo instructions for Leaders & Enders this year too, especially since so many quilters already have the triangles for it.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

WHY INKLINGO?

Of course, you can make these lozenges without Inklingo.

However, Inklingo has advantages:

  • Faster and more accurate because you don’t draw lines on fabric.
  • Less fabric is wasted than using 2 inch squares.
    (If you use 2 inch squares, a small, fiddly triangle is left over. It is an odd size and most quilters would never use it.)
  • Only the triangles are printed so the prep is very fast.
  • It keeps you organized.

You can print hundreds of triangles very quickly so they are handy whenever you need a Leader or Ender!

 

Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice Mystery

If you have Bonnie’s Celtic Solstice shape collection, you already have the 1.5 inch HST.

This same triangle is also in several other shape collections (Index of Shapes), so you might be able to get started without buying anything.

If you do need to buy triangles, compare the shape collections. You might prefer to buy Storm At Sea (9 inch) or another shape collection to get these triangles.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

RECTANGLES OF NOVELTY FABRICS—108 OF THEM!

Of course, there are a few monkey prints in my stash. Stripes and other kids prints are super, the brighter the better!

For a Baby Quilt, 36 x 54, you’ll need to rotary cut 108 rectangles 3.5 x 6.5. (The quilt will be 12 blocks across and 9 down = 108 blocks.)

Can you find 108 different “I Spy” fabrics in your stash? Mess it up! Dig deep!

This is perfect for the older brother or sister when the new baby comes. (The baby won’t mind.)

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES (HST)

All you need is two contrasting colors. Black & white? Red & white? Blue & yellow? Whatever gives you good contrast.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

Working with the pair of HST makes it easy because TWO edges align perfectly with the edges of the large rectangle (red arrows). That’s the advantage of using Layout 2.

(Sometimes HST Layout 1 is the best, sometimes HST Layout 2 is the best, and sometimes it doesn’t matter. This time, it’s Layout 2.)

If you use 2 inch squares instead of Inklingo HST, a small, fiddly triangle is left over. It is an odd size and most quilters would never use it.

With Inklingo Layout 2 “triangles in a rectangle,” the triangle you trim off is used for the next corner!

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

SEWING SEQUENCE

For me, it is easiest if I sew the corners in this order, 1, 2, 3, 4, because the blocks are pressed so they will nest when the rows are assembled in the quilt top (below).

Notice that on the first edge, I sew the pair of triangles to the right corner first (1) and at the other end, I sew the pair of triangles to the left corner first (3). It makes it easier to press for success.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

PDF to download. This one-page guide will keep you organized at the sewing machine.

TIP Arrange your Leaders & Enders so you add Corner 1 to all 108 rectangles, then switch to Corner 2, and so on. That way, you can do all of the trimming and pressing at once and it will help you stay organized.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt Cheat Sheet

PDF to download. We prepared Monkey’s Cheat Sheet for you too.

If you are using scraps, you might use other suggested custom page sizes.

BONUS TIPS

1. If you need to print a dark fabric, see the Top Ten Tutes on the blog.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

2. As usual, it is necessary to sew a “scant” 0.25 inch seam allowance. Notice how the stitches are beside the printed line in the seam allowance.

You will be able to tell if your seam allowance is correct when you press the triangles because the point of the triangle will line up perfectly with the corner of the large rectangle.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

3. Some of the rectangles have the line going in the opposite direction, but don’t let that confuse you! Either one can be used on any corner.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

4. The sewing always starts or stops at the midpoint of the short side of the large rectangle (not at the corner).

You’ll know it is wrong because it is hard to line up two sides of a triangle.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

5. It might seem easier to press all of the seam allowances away from the rectangle (red arrows a).

However, it makes it harder to assemble the quilt top, so press two seam allowances away from the rectangle (a) and two  toward the rectangle (red arrows b). (This is the same as in Bonnie’s instructions.)

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

6. When you sew the single triangle to Corners 2 and 4, you might find it helpful to un-fold the first triangle—for a second—just to double-check that the new triangle is straight (red line) before you sew the next seam.

BONNIE SAYS

“Leaders & Enders don’t even HAVE to be scrappy. They can be planned.

You can have that ‘next quilt’ nearly half pieced by the time you finish your current top! And that is the exciting part. You just have to think ahead and have something cut and sitting at the side of your machine for you to use and you will be amazed how fast units stack up.  :c)”

 

Win Inklingo $50

$50 INKLINGO GIFT CERTIFICATE

You could win! Leave a comment, NOT here, but HERE to be in the draw for a $50 Inklingo Gift Certificate. We’re celebrating the article about Lucy Boston in the new issue of The Quilt Life.

 

Inklingo Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt

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Linda & Monkey

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7 thoughts on “Bonnie Hunter’s Leaders & Enders Baby Quilt”

  1. Oh I love this idea! Here is an alternative for rotary cutting the 3.5×6.5 rectangles, if you have an Accuquilt, there is a die for that size. We can use ALL our cutting tools..and various ones in the same quilt. It is the Inklingo TRIANGLES that give us the sewing lines for this..how you cut the rectangles does not matter : )

    Reply
  2. bonjour;j’aime beaucoup votre site,malheureusement,je ne comprends pas l’Anglais;dommage,vos avez de beaux modèles;peut-être ferez vous une traduction complete ou un site en Français? j’aimerai beaucoup;à bientôt(en Français?)

    Reply
  3. Thanks for the detailed tips, clear and concise instructions and clear pictures, especially showing the location of the stitches.

    Reply
  4. Bonnie is a great one for leaders and enders, makes me wonder why I’ve never done it before. Thanks for the tips Linda, I’m going to go through my scrap stash and get something together for this one!

    Reply
  5. Great tips, Linda and Monkey — we always know to expect a little Minkey Business from you two! I already have a stack of HSTs left over from another project. Perfect! Plus I have the Collections of course.

    Reply
  6. Wow! These are great tips Linda! Who would have thought that leaders and enders could be so useful using Inklingo? And the sewing/pressing tips are excellent. Thank you for thinking this all out for us!

    Reply

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