Elise's Emeralds

Elise suggested that when producing paper piecing copies by hand, you need 4 copies, and you are using vellum to:

1. Copy in one corner of an 8.5 X 11" piece of vellum
2. Fold the vellum into quarters
3. Using a long stitch lenght, no thread, and traced side up, sew through the paper making holes along all the lines you traced.  When you are done, you have recreated the pattern on all 4 sides and it will be easy to perforate.

Foundation Paper Piecing Throwdown

I have decided to have a paper piecing throw down where I compare using:

• Copy paper
• Carol Doak Paper
• Vellum

Stay posted for more info and part I

My Sylvia Strategy

I have been thinking about what my strategy for block completion will be.  I have decided to make the Sylvia's Block of the Week through Jennifer Chiaverini's website.  Between making store samples, college visits, and my own projects, I have not had much time to work on 7 blocks.   I figure with Elise's working forward and Wendy working currently, I was just going to be adding expertise on how to not sew as well as Elise or Wendy.  Some of you had talked about working on the Blocks on the Week offered online so I thought that might be the best use of my time and yours.

So then. . .I will make a block a week and blog away starting with Churn dash.  Woo-hoo!  The week before was Lancaster Rose and seeing as how I have not taken Timi Ann's hand applique class that block is not happening yet.

Denise's Diamonds

I always like to pick Denise's brain when I have quilting questions.  She is a considerate and detail-oriented person.  I happened to be lucky today and Timi Ann (queen of applique and she has the ribbon to prove it) was with Denise so I posed the question to both of these knowledgeable women?  Bought Carol Doak's and I like it but what if you are a certified (maybe certifiable?) template tracer.  You do not trust copies. You do not trust scanners.  You do not trust light boxes.  You are low tech.  What's a low tech quilter to do?  Timi Ann and Denise thought a minute and said, "Vellum." Tears easy, you can see through it, easy to find.  There you have it. . .vellum paper.  Any questions, call the store and ask for Timi Ann or Denise.

Laura Kay's Pearls of Wisdom

I asked Laura Kay today about all the paper-piecing.  Many of us completing the blocks are fairly new to quilting and want to know, "Hey, what's up with that?"  Laura Kay suggested Carol Doak's Foundation Paper because you can copy or print on to it directly and it is very easy to tear.  The only downside is that because it is greyish some books are difficult to see through the paper if you are tracing by hand.

Carol Doak's Foundation Paper

Wendy got around this issue by "bolding" the lines in her Sylvia's book with a Sharpie but that requires a steady hand and nerves of steel.

Laura Kay says whatever method you use...measure, measure, measure before you sew and cut.

Wendy's Wonders

Top Left: 54-40 or Fight, Top Right: Album 1, Bottom Left: Amethyst, Bottom Right: Album 2

Here are 4 of Wendy's blocks. Remember she was doing 30's and a variety of backgrounds. Don't they look fabulous? Can't wait to see what new tricks she has up her sleeve.

Aunt Sukey's Choice

F-10

Arizona

G-10

Anvil

I-4

Amethyst

A-5

Album II

F-6

Album I

C-3

Are we going to sign each others album blocks?  How fun would that be?

Pearls of Wisdom from Laura Kay

Precision Trimmer 6 Ruler

Laura Kay was looking at Carol's fabulous blocks and listening to her tale of woe and suggested she use the precision trimmer a tool recommended by Harriet Hargraves (ooh! aah!) in her class.  I put the above picture in so you know what to look for.

Be looking for more pearls from Laura Kay.

54-40 or Fight!

Carol also discovered the way to a happy "54-50 or Fight!" (Who knows the history of this block and it's name?) block was to add 1/4 to 1/2 inch to the sides of the rectangle cut into B and Br.  It increases the widths of those isoceles triangles and helps with the bias skewing/skrinkage.

On the Importance of Sashing

Carol S.  brought in 3 of her blocks (stunning!) to show off.  Actually, it was to commiserate because she was having difficulty getting the block size (6.5 inches) even after paper piecing a block that the book provided templates for.  The conclusion that Carol arrived at after consulting with Martha was. . .sashing is used to make all our blocks the same size in the end.  Be of good cheer, sashing is our friend.

3 Simple Ground Rules

• Relevant - I would really like this blog to be a useful tool for us as we work through the blocks.  If you've had an "a-ha moment" and discovered a new way to complete a block, please share. 
• Encouraging - If you wouldn't say it out loud, please don't say it here.  We all have different tastes and we are here to help each other complete blocks. Even if you are new to quilting, you have an invaluable perspective because you are not tied down by the "rules" of quilting.  If you are an old hand, please share your experience in an uplifting way.   
• Fun - Let's make this journey fun for ourselves and others.