Bunches of blocks

     I have not been able to get the time and concentration to work on a big quilt. My co-program chair and I held a class on paper piecing for our guild on Saturday. We took Lynne Tyler's bird and designed it as a simple paper piecing pattern with three sections and nominal pieces. We used baby rick rack for the legs to eliminate piecing. We used our new Sony Handicam and Epson Projector to show large format what was being done on the machine and cutting. I am not sure every one walked away understanding the paper piecing. Paper piecing is thinking backwards- in reflection. Some people just shut down when they see that. We were hoping to get to do the paper crane pattern (free from Hunter Design), but that did not happen. Here are my samples.
     One thing we did was print the patterns on newsprint. If you buy a newprint pad from the dollar store, cut it 8 1/2 x 11, you can run it through a laser printer, ink jet printer or copier. Makes sewing, folding and ripping out much easier.

Didn't get to sew the rick rack legs on yet.

6" block and 9" block, there is also a 3" one available

     Sapphire Stars, the Kevin the Quilter Mystery Quilt had a surprise clue, which is finished which is good because tomorrow is a new clue.

     Also, Debbie , showed her Scrappy Mountain majesty in florals and I was inspired to make a block. Oh, I want to make more!

Bursting with starts

     After finishing the three tops at the retreat, I started new ones. One of them will be a vet quilt- Red White Blue scraps- a string quilt I discovered in an older quilt book I got at a library discard sale. I am using the papers from Missouri Star- they are thin, strong, and don't wrinkle. I have 24 of the 36 string blocks I need. Kind of a cool quilt.

Here is the book I got the idea from and some sewn blocks.

One of the four zig zags needed

      Another quilt, Katie's quilt from MSQC, was started. I have all 16 patches and 4 patches done. I need the white rectangles and triangles cut and sewn yet.

The last start is one I need my head examined for. I fell in love with the quilt, Harvest Dawn, at a store and foolishly bought the pattern. It is a Judy Niemeyer one and I already have Sea Urchin that is stalled. It seemed like it was a shorter and easier one and in the heat of the fabric moment, I bit. I have all the pieces in the right bags and now have to paper piece them. I can't even tell you how long I took to piece these 4. I will just have to take one bag at a time forgetting what has to be done and chip away at it, regardless how long it takes.

Little cranes

     Two of my quilting friends, twins, had a recent birthday. We went to high school together and reconnected after many years through quilting. They taught me to paper pieces. So, when I saw this free pattern, I knew it was for their birthday. It came in three sizes, 3", 6", 9". I made the three inch. It was a little dicey. I lost the pieces twice. Next time, I will painter's tape each piece to a wall so they don't get blown or buried. I think I would like to make the larger ones.
     Long ago, I made paper cranes with the elementary school I taught at to send to a school in NYC near the world trade towers in fall 2001. We made over 1000 of them and strung them on long strings to hang in their school.

Cupcake anyone?

     My beloved daughter is a Phd Organic chemist who is teaching college chemistry part time and bakes and decorates cakes part time; sometimes on the same day. Professor in labcoat and baker in apron. Well, it is her birthday tomorrow, and of course, I would not bake her a cake. So, I make her a cupcake paper pieced as her Birthday card. I found the free pattern on Craftsy. It comes in 10 and 8". This is an 8". It fit in the mailer easier along with some dark sponge candy. Hopefully, she will remember how much her dad and I love her tomorrow as we cannot be in Meadville. 
    I made my share of errors and used the seam ripper a bunch, but I got it done. I think it is cute in a good way. I know she won't see it here as my family does not read or look at my blog.

Wish would have had more time to add some buttons or beads, but it had to get there

    Also, I added a hand dyed fabric border to the denim quilt and I really like it. Waiting for the longarm to finish it. Maybe another month. What a fun quilt!

Valentine Cards

     In preparation for Valentine's Day, I made about 30 cards. Half of them were little quilt hangings. When I got them all in envelopes, I realized I did not photo them. They were 4" crumb hearts sewing into a square. I learned that I never want to make crumb hearts again. 
     Then, I did a paper piecing card (pattern free from Carol Doak's site) which looks very nice. I finished the edges with the 401 fancy stitches, otherwise all the sewing was on the 301. I had some blank cards with windows that I used for these. I was not making more little quilts to turn inside out and add a ribbon. I hope they brighten the day for the people I sent them to. I mailed about 30.

Card when closed