Inventory

Starting with the most recent ~ 2016 National Sewing Month ~ I’m going back through my articles and creating an inventory list, a massive to-do list! These are projects I took the time to research and write about, so I want to make the time to create them! Rather than writing down on a piece of paper (to get lost on my desk), I’m listing them here!

Please, hold me accountable!

(Not in any particular order)

Nature’s Music – speaking of my desk, it’s where I keep the book, The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird. While at Thomas’s, I’m keeping my eye out on some tiny print fabrics to use in creating these 6” blocks.

T-Shirt/ Memory Quilt – I need to first gather the t-shirts to use, then wash/dry (without adding any fabric softener or dryer sheet)!

Stack and Slash – while helping out at Thomas Sewing Center over the next few days, it’s a great opportunity to select the 5 different pieces of fabric I want to use!

Mastering the Beast – now that I have the correct tools, I want to go back and finish the “Let’s Sew It” appliqué wall hanging!

Paper Piecing – I’m excited about getting back to work on the Splendid Sampler’s BOM! I know I can do paper piecing now after reading the great tutorials!

Mixed Media in some Mini Quilts – to make a cute wall hanging like the “Hippy Chick”! This should be Number 1 on my list!

Busy Busy Busy!!!

Paper Piecing

From what I can tell, there are two types of Paper Piecing – English Paper Piecing (EPP) and Foundation Paper Piecing (also simply called Paper Piecing).

Tales of Cloth gives us an example of EPP, along with a tutorial –

It’s not that I don’t want to try EPP. I just know it’s too much handwork for me.

Maybe Foundation Paper Piecing…

Ah! Sometimes it’s the only way to get precise points… like the 5-pointed star, also known around here as The Texas Star!

I’ve tried paper piecing before… a long time ago. If I remember correctly, I’m thinking the paper I used didn’t tear off nicely. I didn’t care for the way it pulled on the small stitches and left loose paper fibers I had to pick out. No. I decided then and there, there are too many “regular” piecing quilt patterns to make without adding something that totally frustrated me!

However, the focus of this month’s theme ~ Sew for the experience of it ~ is stepping outside the box, out of my comfort zone, and try again with the foundation paper piecing technique!

Over on Right Sides Together stitches & spunk, they provide this cheat sheet and lots of tips! One in particular talks about types of paper to use, with pros and cons on each one!

Back in February, I wrote about a couple of Block of the Month websites I found. One in particular, The Splendid Sampler will have 100 blocks when done! I’ve made many so far, but honestly, they started having lots of appliqué and paper piecing blocks I would just skip over! Designed by Janice Ryan, Block #15 was the first of the paper piecing I skipped!

After I test my abilities on something much simpler like this, the Texas Star!

I will then have the “experience” and confidence to go back & master Block #15!

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