Back on Easy Street

I spent a good part of Christmas Day getting caught up on Easy Street.  I'm really enjoying this mystery quilt, and still have no clue as to how it will play out as a finished quilt.  I've seen some guesses by others, but I'm not bold enough to venture any guesses, so I'll wait, patiently, or not.

I don't know why this first picture loaded sideways - somewhere between my computer and Blogger, it just did it on its own!  No matter, it still shows the blocks of Step 5 with the first 'wing' added.

Here, I'm adding the second wing.  I started out using a tool I have to mark the diagonal line, which really just gives a crease in the piece of fabric, but tired of that.  I then tried using a pencil, and it just doesn't show up well enough with the lighting I have.  I've even tried that tool, I believe called the Angler and didn't like having that on my machine.  and many years ago I'd read - somewhere - of marking my machine in order to get the sewn line right from point A to point B.  So I've had that 1/4" orange tape affixed to my machine for quite awhile, and use it by putting the point of my square, where I want to start my stitch, directly where the needle will fall.  I then line up the bottom point along the edge that corresponds to the needle line and as I sew, my eye doesn't follow the needle, but rather the bottom point which is kept aligned with that orange tape.  Perfect line, giving perfect placement.

I know Bonnie said she doesn't keep those little triangles but I've always wanted to do a miniature quilt so I thought to myself "Self, why not just go ahead and stitch a half inch from your project stitching, and then cut between the two stitch lines."  That's what the blue tape is.  Between the right edge of blue tape, and left edge of orange tape is 1/2", so I aligned the fabric under the needle using the first line of stitching along with the right edge of the blue tape.  Then trimmed off that little triangle, which when opened would give a nice, albeit very small, square.  I stuffed them all into a plastic bag and set them aside for a 'some day' project.

And here are some of my finished Step 5 blocks.  Nearly all came out needing little or no extra trimming using this method, and I didn't spend time doing a marking chore that to me, is a chore.

Linking up to Easy Street at Quiltville.