I was burned out on hst's a few years ago so I've tried not to make quilts that need too many. And the magic 8 way of doing it is the only way to go if a lot is needed. I didn't remember the magic 8 way a few years ago, trying to make it like the pattern called for, and the quilt required many many many hst's that the magic 8 would have been perfect for.
Recently I've decided to go thru my many quilting magazines....again...and purge some more and get them organized a final time. I found a pattern in one of the magazines that I decided to make immediately. It's scrappy and each 8 inch block has 16 squares and 6 of them are hst's and I thought I would go crazy! I guess I'm still burned out. Most definitely be organized about the hst's and do a little at a time; sew some, trim some , make a few blocks to encourage yourself, walk away from them, come back fresh and start again. I in no way did 2,000, although the burn out quilt probably had close to 1,000, and if I don't see a hst in another 5 years, I think it will be too soon
. It is almost impossible to make more detailed quilts without hst's, but, oh my............ I have another pattern that is on my to-do list, but I won't even consider it because it is mainly hst's. Please show us your progress. And try to enjoy the process, which is why we do this, after all.