Pattern Testing

Back in January, Beth Helfter of EvaPaige Quilt Designs put out a request for pattern testers and I volunteered to take part.   The test block would be made in shades of teal, lime and magenta and, being a jewel tone kind of gal, I knew I wanted to play.

Beth has engineered a new way to make half square triangles with lots of variety that she calls "accordion sewn". She asked her testers to make two blocks, one using traditional methods for making half square triangles and the second one using her method.

My first block used 2 teals and two limes and looked like this:

For the second, accordian sewn block, you start with many different teals and limes and cut them into squares.

You lay them out in the order specified in the pattern and then sew them together accordion style.

Pattern testers from all over were posting their completed accordions on Beth's Facebook page.  I couldn't help but have a little fun with my photo:

After you cut apart your caterpillar accordion, you have a multitude of half square triangles, each paired with a different fabric.  Now it was time to make my second block:

Here are the two blocks, side by side.

You can see that the accordion sewn one, on the right, has a lot more variety, and, in my opinion is more lively.  I believe that was the point that Beth was trying to have us test out.

She asked us to send both blocks back to her, so she could use them as examples when she teaches her method.  As a thank you to her testers, we each got a free copy of her completed pattern after she published it.  Mine came in the mail about a month ago:

I'm not sure which block in the  cover quilt  is the one the I sent in, but I was able to find my traditional pieced block in the photo of the alternate settings:

Pattern testing turned out to be fun, especially doing it as a group, sharing photos of our blocks, and then seeing them all come together in a finished pattern that got delivered to my doorstep.  😀