Secondary Blocks for Good Fortune Mystery post 4

Parts and half of the finished blocks

One of my goals was to stitch the secondary blocks for the Good Fortune Mystery quilt. To complete this block, I pulled the orange strips that I had string pieced along with the four patches and the 16 patch centers. Before I went to one of my sew group get togethers to stitch and catch up on the news, I sewed one block. Stitching a "test" block helps me learn how the block goes together. It is good to have a sample! For this block, it is important that the light colored part of the four patch is on the outer corner!

Stitching a test block also allows me to ensure that I've packed the correct "parts" and tools to make more. The blocks weren't difficult to stitch. I was surprised at how quickly these went together! I chain pieced and worked on two blocks at a time. I also took along my leader/ender block parts. Interestingly, I sewed a few leaders and enders. . .some days are like that! I do imagine that there will be more opportunities to make progress on those blocks too!

All the secondary blocks

As I neared the end of the block making, I found that I was two string sections short of the orange "sashing" so I stitched two more "strings." I hope that was the only counting error that I made! I had saved the leftovers from this step in a little baggie so stitching the strips wasn't difficult. I save all the parts and leftovers of a quilt until I finish it. Sometimes, I need those little bits!

With all the pieces to this block, I was pleasantly surprised again that each block was a thread or two from being eight and a half inches square! Seeing how nicely the red and the orange colors played together was great! It took me nine hours to make the 24 secondary blocks. I spent another hour pressing the blocks.

Three completed leader/ender blocks

Miss K was over and laid out all of the blocks to see what they looked like together. She oohed as she laid out the pieces. These blocks looked great together! She commented that I just needed one more to finish the pattern. I explained she needed to see the next step to see how I had just the right amount of blocks!

 My next step is to stitch these blocks to the spinning blocks. I look forward to seeing this step of the process complete! Miss K is ready to do the block layout.

After I have stitched the blocks together, there are several borders to complete and apply. This project won't be a top soon; but I do love the progress that I'm making!

As for those leader/ender blocks, with Miss K's help, I've stitched three so far. Truly, Miss K and I have sewn the parts as we've been piecing other projects as leader/enders. Miss K says that this  concept is a great idea. For those that have inquired, there are 48 pieces in each block. The block finishes to 12 inches. I'm thinking 35 blocks would make a quilt about 60 inches wide and 84 inches long. . .I've a long way to go before I contemplate what the blocks will become!