I (now) Love Paper Piecing

I joined the Lucky Stars Block of the Month group sponsored by Don't Call Me Betsy this year.   I really am enjoying the blocks!  Elizabeth, who is organizing this, does a great job explaining how to make each block.  It's $15.00 for the year and each month you receive a PDF of that month's star.  So far we have four (one was a practice).  There is a pattern for a 6 inch or 12 inch block.  I made the 12 inch.

L to R clockwise:  Practice Star, January (Funky Star), February (Exploding Star), March (Ninja Star)

String Quilt Block Pillow

My first paper piecing project was Ashley's (Film in the Fridge) string quilt block tutorial back in 2009.   I made just one full block for a pillow swap.

Then I did a paper pieced square in a the Bee-Stitched Quilting Bee and it was so difficult for me that after doing it, I made up instructions and published a tutorial on my blog!  I didn't really get the concept back then and am sorry that I didn't do a very good job but the person who received the blocks for this quilt bee made the most amazing quilt!

Then came the parade of quilt bees that were using paper piecing star patterns, love these!

Colorwheel Geese - red and aqua

Colorwheel Geese

Indian Summer Star Pattern made into a pillow.

I also made a complex star pattern and turned it into a pillow, love this one too! 

And here's a New York Beauty block, these are really fun to do.  This quilt block is now part of a quilt that was used as a backdrop at Quiltcon this year, and donated to a children's charity.

I'm so goofy that when I spotted it on a video I was watching (I didn't attend Quiltcon) I snapped a screen shot!  Once behind Amy Butler, and another time behind Jacquie Gering.  Both amazing lectures available to watch for free on Craftsy. 

Are you or have you considered joining the Farmer's Wife Quilt?  I started it cutting out all the tiny pieces when I discovered that there was a paper piecing option!  It makes them so much more perfect.  I know am using paper piecing exclusively.  A few of the squares.

Four Winds

Farmer's Daughter

Cut Glass Dish

Century of Progress

And just for fun, before I began paper piecing, here's an idea of how many tiny pieces you cut out for these 6.5" squares.

Country Path - Before

Country Path - Finished

Farmer's Wife Blocks

Here are a few sites that I've collected about paper piecing:

Free Paper Piece Star Patterns (my favorite)
Free New York Beauty Block templates
Free Colorwheel Geese block pattern
Practice Paper Piecing

Inspired: Part 1

L to R, Ty Pennington, Amy Butler, David Butler (photo courtesy of amybutlerdesign.com)

Thanks to Craftsy, some of the Quiltcon lectures are available to watch online for FREE, how great is that?   This weekend I watched a couple and WOW.  I'll start with David and Amy Butler.  They.are.the.cutest.couple.  You must see this video.  And this one of David Butler in his booth at quilt market 2012.  (FYI, the videos I linked to in this paragraph are so worth watching!)

Amy Butler fabrics were part of what inspired me to sew again, back around 2007-2008 when I joined Etsy.  I accumulated a LOT of Amy Butler fabric then and made a LOT of things.

I don't want to say too much more but I do want to say that what inspired me about watching the Amy Butler lecture was that she is an artist, a true creative soul.  That's what I tapped into.  She follows her creative passion and it has led her to an amazing life.  Not everyone with creative passion has an amazing life but I believe it's still important to follow it, wherever it may lead.

So please watch some of the videos.

I'm really excited that Amy is coming to Colorado next month for Makerie and she'll be making an appearance at Fancy Tiger so I hope to meet her.

Here are some of the projects I have sewn with Amy Butler fabrics and Patterns, starting with aprons, except for two, most are my design.

Fabric lines:  Lotus, Belle, Nigella, Midwest Modern and Love

Clothing from cotton fabrics, I'm really looking forward to sewing with some of the new base cloth like rayon and voile.

Fabric lines Belle, Lotus, Daisy Chain and Nigella

Here are some aprons and clothing I made using Amy Butler patterns:

L to R:  Apron pattern from "In Stitches", Barcelona Skirts Apron Overlay (side 1 and side w), A-Line skirt, Anna Tunic front and back and Mini Dress, Tunic and Tops pattern, last two.

Below are some curtains and other home products I made with an enormous stash of Nigella fabric, I still love that whole line!   You can see the first pair of curtains  were in the bedroom, then moved to the living room because I made them WAY too full (photo 4), later to the kitchen (photo 5) and today they are in our new egress windows in the basement!  I kind of have decorator and home improvement ADD.

Home projects