Scrap Processing: HSTs

Monkey Wrench 

5 inch finished

In a previous blog post I mentioned that in between other projects I was processing a couple of large shoeboxes of HST parts that have accumulated over the years. If there are four matching HSTs then I make Monkey Wrench blocks with them. I have been making 10 inch, 7.5 inch and 5 inch HSTs. After I process all the HST parts in the shoeboxes I will divide all of the Monkey Wrench blocks into different collections and make more blocks continuing into next year with scraps and then when I'm tired of making them or run out of scraps then I will make them all into donation quilts. 

Monkey Wrench

5 inch finished

The thing I like about making the various sized Monkey Wrench blocks with scraps is that the three sizes will use a lot of different sized scraps. The 10 inch blocks use 2.5 inch squares and 4.5 inch HSTs; the 7.5 inch blocks use 2 inch squares and 3.5 inch HSTs and the 5 inch blocks use 2.5 inch HSTs and 1.5 inch squares. 

Monkey Wrench

7.5 inch finished

Broken Dishes

7 inch finished

If I have 2 matching HSTs then I make Broken Dishes blocks. I know...there are four matching HSTs in the above photo and I made Broken Dishes blocks not Monkey Wrench blocks. Well, the HSTs were a weird 4 inches and so didn't fit my criteria for Monkey Wrench blocks so I made Broken Dishes. I am going to put these in the orphan block box (aka orphanage) because I doubt I will have many more HSTs in this size. 

Broken Dishes

6 inch finished

Odds and Ends

4 inch Broken Dish block, 3 inch Broken Dishes blocks and HSTs that will just stay HSTs and go into the baggies sorted by HST size. 

More HST strips for a vintage inspired quilt. 

These HSTs finish at 1 inch.  I cut them off the ends of 1.5 inch strips with an Easy Angle ruler back when I was making Clarissa (still in the hand quilting pile). I cut the parts for the 2.5 inch QSTs in Clarissa with an Easy Angle Companion ruler and didn't want to waste the beginning and end of the strips so added the resulting HST parts to the shoeboxes to be used at a later date. "Later date" has arrived I guess. 

And I pressed and trimmed a few Wonky QSTs for another vintage inspired quilt. 

My shoeboxes of HST parts are not empty yet so more to come. 

And sew on...