English Paper Piecing -

In my last post I told you I was doing an English Paper piecing block and I told you I learned a new way to do it. The old method is where you baste around the paper, right? That is still a good way to do it but I found out you can do it faster a different way and I am going to show you how....

1. Start off with a square of fabric, (you will trim this down later). I used a 2 1/2" square, you can guesstimate the size - it doesn't have to be perfect.. I am using a one inch hexagon paper piece.





You will start off at two corners of the fabric and the paper piece.
I am using black thread so you can see this better. I am also using hand quilting thread (1 strand) as it is stronger than regular thread.

I like this method because it's quicker to get my pieces ready to be stitched together and you don't have to remove any of the basting thread like you have to if you use the other method.


2. Fold down one side of the fabric to the paper piece and then fold down the side
to your left. You will be working counter-clockwise. Insert your needle (with a quilter's knot in the thread) through the corners then take a back stitch again at the same corner.


3. Continue around to each corner and take a stitch, then a backstitch all the way around. Keep going around to the beginning and take a stitch and backstitch and tie off. Below is how the block comes together. Once you have gone all the way around and tied off, then you can trim. One important thing to do after you sew your hexagons together, press them. The hexagons were appliqued to the fabric, so the pressing was important, especially for the hexagons on the outer edge. Pressing these makes the edges crisper. After that, you can just pop out the paper and leave the stitches in. You don't have to remove any stitches and this really saves alot of time. This time can be used to make more hexagons. I hope you enjoy this method.







Now, here is a picture of my finished block...I really enjoyed doing this block more this way. I hope you can follow my pictures. Til next time....

Hand Quilting and New Class

I haven't blogged in awhile. I've thought about it but I haven't been doing anything that you could see. I'm still hand quilting my little quilt and loving doing it. I'm about half way done with the quilt. I've tried several different hand held hoops in different sizes and finally found one that I like. I always thought bigger was better since I didn't have to reposition my quilt so much until I started using a 14" hoop and I have so much more control with it... I've hand quilted in the past but it's always been on my quilt frame, never with a hoop. I like quilting with a hoop as my project is portable. I don't think I will do a big quilt on the hoop but small ones are good.

I have worked on a new block for my next class. This block is an English paper piecing block. I haven't done one of those in awhile either but I sure enjoyed it. I learned a new way to do the paper piecing that's quicker. I'll take a picture of that and try to explain it later...

This new class covers hand piecing, machine piecing,hand applique or using Steam-A-Seam, hand quilting, machine quilting and working on scalloped borders. This is a 6 week class just like the last one. Some of the same ladies are in this class that were in the beginner class. We are really enjoying getting to know each other better and maybe even a little sewing group will come out of this....Til next time....

Hand Quilting

I went to class Monday night and we basted and marked our small wallhangings. I started hand quilting it. I had forgotten how soothing hand quilting really is. It's been a long time since I just sat and hand quilted. I like to see the quilt slowly come to life from the quilting. Now, if I just had better eyesite so I could really enjoy it...

I am also still doing that little redwork stitchery, almost finished with it. It has been fun too. I'm going to make a small wallhanging out of it and hand quilt that one too. Pictures to come shortly. Til next time....

Gingerbread Man Quilt with Final Border

Run, run, fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man....Here he is with his final border...(it's not a great picture, I had to take it with my phone instead of my camera.) I think it turned out pretty cute but would have been better if I had some gingerbread men in the border fabric too, I had to settle for stockings and Christmas trees, oh my!

Gotta go for now, more sewing to do....

Gingerbread Man Quilt

Woo hoo!!! Here's the Gingerbread Man Quilt I have been working on. This little quilt was fun to do...Now, back to my stitching! Til next time...

Blog -100 Post Giveaway and Craft Giveaway

Candace over at Wraggedy Patches is celebrating her 100th post by having a surprise giveaway...Go check out her blog. Great pictures, good recipes and lovely quilts...check her out. Comment on her blog and you'll be entered for her giveaway.

Cheryl at Polka Dots and Rick Rack is celebrating with her blog anniversary and a new grandbaby. Go check out her blog...


Jen over at Crafty Giveaways is having a clear out. Instead of giving her craft supplies, quilting supplies, fabric and quilt tops to the Goodwill or Garage Sale, she is having giveaways periodically. Go check out her blog and read about her goings on. She is a Mother of 5 children and loves to craft. Go check her out!

Til next time....

Surprise Reunion Quilt Winner

You are not going to believe this. You remember, I have been posting about the reunion quilt that my friends and I worked on...Judy and her husband and her family all have a family reunion and Judy has made a quilt for the last 6 years...she did not really want to give this quilt this year cause she liked it so well...As it turns out, it is coming back home with her! We finished it the day before she left for her reunion except for the binding. She had to finish the rest of the binding driving down. They had the drawing for the quilt last night.
Her husband won the quilt! This was the first year he had put his name in for a quilt and he won! He loves this quilt and wanted her to make another one for him when they came back home. See, it really pays not to be selfish, doesn't it? I am so glad he won, what fun! Til next time....

Embroidery Class on Saturday

I took an embroidery class yesterday and it was great. There were twelve students in all and we had a great time. This was a beginning embroidery class and it covered 16 different stitches. I have dabbled in embroidery in the past but never had lessons. I just read it from a book and tried to do the stitches. I have done some redwork but it was just simple stitches. The 16 stitches that we learned were all basis stitches but it is really alot better to see how the stitches are made instead of just looking at diagrams in a book. Here is a picture of the little wallhanging that I am working on. I hope to have it finished this week but I am really enjoying the stitching process. Til next time....

The Reunion Quilt

Here's a picture of the Reunion Quilt we have been working on. See, I told you it was beautiful!

Sewing with friends

The reunion quilt is quilted and partly bound. My two Judy's and I worked on the quilt last night until 11:00...Judy and Bob will be on their way later today on their vacation to the Texas coast, Judy will finish up the binding on the way in the car. We did about a fourth of the binding last night so it shouldn't take her too long to finish. The quilt turned out great! Judy has done this for 6 years now and this is the first one that she didn't really want to give away. Judy's sister, Chris and Judy's son, Jeremy are in charge of the drawing for the quilt. Chris said she's going to try to rig the drawing so she can win. She loves the quilt. I think this is going to be a big hit at the reunion. I can't wait to see pictures of their reunion. It has been alot of fun working on this project with Judy and Judy and I'm looking forward to doing my own quilt with them. Judy took pictures last night but it was too late when she got home to load them on the computer. She will send me the pictures and I'll post a picture later today or tomorrow. Til next time....

50 Post Giveaway Celebration

Go check out Maree's blog over at Farmyard Crafts. She's celebrating her 50th post, and has added a new wrinkle to the celebration. She has a winner, a runner up, and a surprise present. What fun. She has great pictures of stitchery, food, kids and quilting, what more could you ask for!

Beginner Quilt

Here's a pic of the beginner quilt I have been working on lately. We start hand quilting this one next week on Tuesday. I am really looking forward to that.
Til next time....

Gingerbread Man and Walmart

Saturday afternoon, I started working on a sample for the shop. It is a small Gingerbread Man quilt. I'm only making it with 12 blocks. I put small rick rack on the legs and arms but didn't get enough. The package had 4 yards in it and it was the last package at Joann's. I thought for sure it would be enough but I lacked about 12 inches having enough for all 12. It was late Saturday night and I knew everything was closed except Walmart, so off to town I headed. Wouldn't you know it, (I am not a very lucky person and everyday I am reminded of this) my Walmart did away with the fabric and notions last week. They don't even have a spool of thread! They still have a few crafts but not much. I had heard that Walmart was doing this but it hadn't effected me. I never go to Walmart for fabric or anything like this except for emergencies. (I guess that's why they are doing away with their fabrics and sewing section!) I know that will help the fabric stores but you're not thinking about that at 11:00 o'clock at night and wanting to finish a project!) I had to wait until yesterday to go to another Joann's to get rick rack. I can now finish my Gingerbread Man and put the last 3 together for this project. I will be doing that tonight when I go home along with cutting out some blocks for another exchange. OMG, I love sewing and quilting, I just wish I had more time to do it. I'll post a picture of this too later. Til next time....

Sewing with friends continued

Thursday night we finally put the finishing touches on the Reunion quilt top that my friends and I have been making together. Judy is now quilting it and we will bind it Wednesday or Thursday this week. None of us had our cameras so I still don't have a picture. When we do the binding, I will take a picture of us and the quilt. We do plan on doing three more of these so more fun will follow. I am looking forward to doing this with my two Judy's. We will start on these during deer hunting season as the guys go hunting. This gives us enough time to get our fabrics together. This quilt was a kit that was purchased at the Dallas Quilt show in March but the fabrics probably aren't available. It was all Moda fabric and it was from the 76 Trombones line. I have some patriotic fabric but will have to add to it. This will also give me time to finish up some more projects I have in the works now.
Til next time.....