triangles

A couple weeks ago I took a leap and joined a group of quilters through The Quilt Show who were organizing a half square triangle exchange, called the Sisterhood of the Traveling Triangles Exchange, open to anyone on the globe. The guidelines were posted, and an episode of The Quilt Show featuring Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts, was aired free for a limited time (their programs are usually by subscription only) and I saw just how doable this would be. When I noticed the exchange announcement, the deadline for committing was only 2 days away. No time to dither, it was time to jump in and swim. Splash, I jumped in the deep end. (I think I will order Edyta's book, Friendship Triangles for my personal library.)

Since then I have purchased the paper guides for sewing quick sets (that's them above) and already have completed 14 sheets of them, that's 392 squares!

Lay your contrasting fabrics right sides together and pin the guide to the back of the lighter fabric. Sew on the dashed guidelines, then cut on the solid lines.

Each pair is perfect in size and shape, each having a dark side and a light side. Here are 6 stacks of 28 half square triangles all cut and waiting. These sets are stacked with the darker side facing the camera. The paper is still attached to the lighter side, waiting for me to attach a label identifying my screen name, city, state and country, so the recipients will know their origin. The triangles I receive will all be identified as well. Somehow then I can include some of that info in or on the quilt(s) I choose to design with them.

I'm still trying to decide how many total I'll send. All participants will each receive as many in return for those sent, and they will be from people all over the US and abroad. My enthusiasm has grown, and my confidence. Most of the sets have come from my fabric stash. Only a few sets from fabric I purchased just for the exchange, from Olive Juice Quilts in Onalaska and from River Road Quilt Shop in LaCrosse.
My first set, my trial run, I did with fabrics I plan to keep and use on the border of a star quilt I have in progress. I pressed the squares open today and laid them out in various designs to get an idea of the variety of ways they can be used.

Imagine receiving a few hundred of these, all amazing colors and prints. What fun.

Each evening after dinner and a round of Quiddler, we settle beneath our afghans for a movie and our hand work, usually crochet. In this lovely manner the winter is slipping away. Though it was 10 below when Dovey woke me for breakfast this morning, the skies were mostly clear all day, and winter seemed more lovely than in recent years. I did go out and run my errands, mailing Valentines and picking up library materials, buying seed, peanuts and suet for the birds and a few staples for our pantry. But even managing getting things to the car and into the house in the cold was enjoyable. Am I just totally in love with my new surroundings? You bet. Last night we had a phenomenon known as a sun pillar at sunset.

Today Anne spotted a pair of bald eagles flying over the farm house. Beautiful.
The days are getting longer and by this weekend we will see temperatures near 40 and next week even warmer. Before you know it we'll be breaking ground for the orchard and planting peas and radishes. Til then I'll enjoy the cozy evenings we've been sharing and be glad for them.
I'll also feel very glad for the organizers of the triangle exchange, for their brilliant idea, their hard work on the behalf of all 516 participants, for creative quilters everywhere.