Twelve Days of Christmas in July - and Quilt-Along, Day 4!

Hi, all!

Welcome to day four of the Twelve Days of Christmas in July blog hop and quilt-along!  Have you been inspired yet?  Are you turning into a little Christmas elf?  We've got even more inspiration today so hold on to your hats!

Tonia blogs over at All Thingz Sewn and always has something interesting on her blog.  Lately she's been sharing some really good (and good for you) recipes that I'm dying to try.  And I bet you'll want to give her Christmas project a whirl too!

Selina, of Selina Quilts, is bringing us some great gift items today.  She has a pet project that I just love, having made some myself, and I can't wait to see exactly what she has in store for us.  It's kind of like potato chips - you can't make just one!

So hop off and check out today's posts, then come back here ready to sew on your Christmas quilt!  I'll be right here, waiting for you!

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Today we'll be finishing the remaining HSTs needed for the quilt top.

Take the forty-eight 5" squares you cut for the outer star (red on the EQ7 diagram).  Pair each one, right sides together, with one of the remaining marked 5" background squares.  Sew 1/4" from one side of the center line you drew, chain piecing all 48 pieces. 

Cut the thread after sewing the last one, turn the chain around, and stitch down the other side of the center lines.

Cut the chain piecing apart.

Lay one of your squares on the cutting mat, background side up, and lay a ruler on that pencil line you drew. Take your rotary cutter and slice away (carefully!)  Repeat for all the HSTs.  You will now have 96 triangles.

TIP:  You can do this step with scissors, and frequently I'll do that when I am watching TV in the evenings.  It makes a good portable project if you need something to do while waiting somewhere!

Now it's time to move to the ironing station. Place forty-eight triangles in a stack, with the seam at the top and the dark side up.  Pull the first triangle from the stack and press it open, pressing the dark side away from you.  Repeat for all these HSTs.

Take the remaining forty-eight triangles and place them in a stack, with the seam at the top and the LIGHT side up.  Pull the first triangle from the stack and press it open, pressing the light side away from you. Press these forty-eight as you did the last set.

You're done for today!  Tomorrow we'll square up these HSTs, and then construction of the blocks can begin.  How exciting!!

Hugs and see you tomorrow!

Sarah

And if you need to catch up on the blog hop, here's a list of all the great bloggers participating!

July 14th:     Sharon Vrooman @ Vrooman’s Quilts

                    Carole Carter @ From My Caroline Home

July 15th:    Yanicka Hachez @ Finding Myself As An Artist

                   Chris Dodsley @ Made by ChrissieD

July 16th:     Marsha Hodgkins @ Quilter in Motion

                    Leanne Parsons  @ Devoted Quilter

July 17th:     Tonia Conner @ All Thingz Sewn

                    Selina @ Selina Quilts

July 18th:     Lara Buccella @ Buzzin Bumble

                    Soma Acharya @ Whims and Fancies

July 19th:     Joanne Harris@ Quilts by Joanne

                    Suzy Webster @ Adventurous Applique and Quilting

July 20th:     Vicki in MN @ Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

                    Jennifer Fulton @ The Inquiring Quilter

July 21st:     Michele Kuhns @ Crayon Box Quilt Studio

                    Jan Ochterbeck @ The Colorful Fabriholic

July 22nd:     Alla Blanca @ Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes.

                     Zenia Rene @ A Quilted Passion

July 23rd:     Joanne Hubbard @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt

                    Paige Alexander @ Quilted Blooms

July 24th:     Carolyn Jones @ …by CJ

                    Tisha Nagel @ Quilty Therapy

July 25th:     Susan Arnold @ Quilt Fabrication

                    Beth Sellers @ Cooking Up Quilts

                    Linda Pearl @ One Quilting Circle