Originally Posted by
LAF2019
I know what leaders and enders are but i don't understand how this step uses leaders and enders any differently than step #1 would. and what do you mean by making pairs? is there a strategy to getting to this 7x7 that I don't understand? I would just keeping sewing them together in rows or chunks until the right size happens..... but I never learned how to quilt from anyone, so I tend to do things less efficiently than I should....
I use 2.5 squares as my leaders and enders. I just have a pile of them next to my machine and sew two together when I'm at a stopping point. Once I get a little stack of pairs I then sew them into 4 the same way. As I'm finishing a row of chain piecing for a block I use that 4square as a stopping point.
For the first clue I was making rows of 3 and then sewing each row together... I actually only have 3 done so far. It's a nice way to keep fabric under your needle and if you have a plan of what you are wanting to do it will help build a second quilt as you work on your main one.
The whole goal is to always keep fabric under your needle. That way you don't waste thread and you don't have to worry about the machine eating up the fabric when you start. Bonnie Hunter has a great explanation of the process. She gets a little more complex in her work... but I find that just making 4 patches over and over helps make fun quilts.