Paper Piecing at WonderFil Threaducation Centre

I'll be teaching a paper piecing class at the WonderFil Threaducation Centre Saturday, April 9.  I'm excited as I don't teach this class often and as a result, I don't paper piece very often.  I do like to paper piece, I just find that I get sidetracked and do other things and leave paper piecing alone for a while.

There are many methods of paper piecing, but my favourite is a combination of a few methods. I`ll be teaching this super easy method at the class.  You won`t need any extra tools other than regular rotary cutting tools and thread snips.  I am essentially a lazy and impatient person, so I am always looking for a faster and easier way to do ALL things in my life.  I`ll share all my little tricks and tips with you in the class.

I'll be teaching students how to PAPER PIECE while you  work on a project of your choice. We are promoting the class using The Jungle Abstractions Quilt: THE LION by Violet Craft, but students are welcome to choose a pattern we have at the Threaducation Centre or bring along your own.  I have a few that will be available.

This is the Wild & Goosey block from Bonnie Hunter.  The blocks finish at 3" each.  Sew 4 together and you'll have 6" blocks.  These are super easy and unfortunately, hardly make a dent in your scraps.  If you come to class and choose to make these blocks, bring plenty of scraps and we'll share! 

This is pineapple block.  It finishes at 7 1/2".  An odd size I know, but I was going for the largest size block I could print on my printer.  By sewing the blocks in alternating colour ways, you will end up with diagonal lines and circles.  I call the pattern Xs and Os.  Don`t see the Xs and Os`?  Squint as you look at the picture.  The effect will be much clearer with more blocks.

The next 4 quilts are supper mini Woven Geese.  This is a pattern I wrote many years ago and still enjoy challenging myself to sew the tiny, tiny blocks occasionally.

The largest blocks are 3" in 6 shades of blue hand dyed fabrics.

The 2nd quilt is made up of  2 1/2" blocks.  I used 6 colours of the colour wheel - Purple, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue.

  

Quilt #3 used 2" blocks in a hand dyed fabric gradation from Red to Blue

And finally the very mini's blocks are 1 1/2" in another hand dyed gradation from green to pink.

As I was preparing for the class, I decided to pull ideas from my saved files and found this Circle of Geese pattern.  I've always wanted to do this as a 12 step colour wheel on a black background.  As I didn't have any black fabric at home, I choose some Batik pre-cut 5" squares and repeated the 3 fabrics around the circle. 

  

I need to continue to work on the Lion.  This is a big project: 60" square, but it is going together well.  I hope to see you at the class.

Farmer's Wife 1930's Sampler Quilt Sew Along, .......Long overdue post

September 29.  SEPTEMBER 29.....can you believe that I haven't really done anything on this quilt since my last post!!!!

Actually, I've sewn a few blocks, but not enough to brag about.  Thought I'd share a bit of my plans to maybe not get completely caught up, but well on the way.

The logical thing in my mind would be to sew each block in order.  The lovely folks at Gnome Angel are setting the schedule.  So, to keep from getting confused, I've put a little line to the right of each block that has been released as per the schedule. Some of those blocks have a cross hatch meaning I've sewn that block....Woot Woot!  AND I've put a "P" to the left of each block that I've printed to paper piece.   I'm starting to think that Paper Piecing may be a more efficient way for me to sew these blocks.

My first paper pieced block was Autumn. I printed the paper pattern and trimmed each section down.

From experience I've found that keeping the paper attached to the block until each edge is stitched to something else, keep the block from stretching the seams from coming undone.

I'm using the setting from the book, but I want to make a large queen size quilt.  I don't really want to make more than the 100 blocks, so I'm going to add a narrow sashing strip between the block rows. As I complete each block I'm going to sew them together into strip sets.  The idea is that once the blocks are done, the quilt will be done too!

I've printed up a number of blocks and will soon sit down (I hope) and stitch these up.

I may never get caught up, but I'll plod along anyway.