You only sew the other quilt patch at the start or end of the chain piecing. . It really isn't for keeping the thread tangles away. You have your stack of leaders/enders ready to start the chain and end it. Thus you making a second patch other then the one you are chain piecing.

We're talking about 2 different things. If you start a patch as a leader in the middle of the patch, then it's just a scrap with only one function; stopping thread nesting or fabric bunching as you start sewing. This patch will eventually get full of thread and will be thrown away.

Bonnie developed her technique with the idea that instead of using a scrap to stop nesting/bunching, why not simply sew 2 other pieces of fabric together - fabrics you're using for another quilt instead of the one you're currently working on.

So - you piece the fabrics for quilt A. You end with a leader, but instead of it being a scrap, it's patches for quilt B. That piece (the "ender") stays in the needle until you're ready to sew again, and becomes the "leader" for your next batch of piecing. That way you're stopping the nesting/bunching; that 6-12 inches of thread is not wasted; and you're getting half the work done on quilt B as you go.

Thanks Peckish. I see from your description they are too different things. i am guessing you wouldn't have to do this for regular chain piecing because the blocks would butt up against each other, except at beginning and end?

I have a box of 2" squares that I've cut over the years from leftover scraps. I recently read about the leaders and enders concept, so I started sewing together the 2" scraps (1 color 1 neutral) as my leaders and enders. Now I've decided that I'll keep adding those scrap squares together as leaders and enders until I have enough to sew together for a scrappy Irish chain. Any that get ruined in the process are still only scraps, so I just toss them and keep working on my "real" quilt. It's just a fun (and thrifty) way to use scraps.

Yes, exactly. :)

I cut a bunch of 4" squares into triangles & sew a light & dark together as leaders & enders.Tons of patterns you can make from the squares.

I recently bought the book "Adventures with Leaders and Enders", and am excited to try this technique. I've been busy cutting scraps for weeks, lol. There are lovely patterns in the book, and I chose one to try first.

Bonnie Hunter, who is the QUEEN of scrap quilting, cuts her scraps into various sizes of strips and squares, and uses those to start and end her chain piecing. Takes a little discipline to learn to cut, and keep the scraps at arms' reach, but before you know it, you have enough pieces for a quilt top.....and not just a piece of fabric that is covered with threads that are then thrown away......try it.......

I first read about having a piece of material under your needle when you start and stop from a book by Marsha McClosky. Might have spelled her name wrong. I decided it was easier to just have charm squares or other pieces of fabric cut so I could make a quilt along with keeping my machine under control and no more wasted thread. It works beautifully and now Bonnie Hunter has written six books on this theory.

As said b y others except I call min e "leaders andfollowers" just like sheep! Sorry fortyping I've had some strokes and came outofhospital yesterday - right han d n otworking very well yet!