Paper piecing

I did the traditional hexies years ago, - before children!- and made a cushion cover. I may still have it somewher, who knows? Anyway, Leila put up a block to be made with EPP, as one of the latest skill builder blocks, and as so much of it is hand sewing, and I was so busy with other things, it took a while to get around to it. But now I have. ( No, that is not English, but it says what I want it to say.) And I quite enjoyed it. And then this evening I decided I was doing something for me, so I appliqued it onto some left over azure, using ribbon for the stem, and using some of my lovely rainbow King Tut round the flower. Well, I didn't want to change thread for each one!

So there it is. Rainbow flower hexies.

I am looking forward to the next one, which is a particularly lovely star, just to choose the fabrics, and I can get it going.

Sorry, you can go away now, if you like, but I need to put more garden pictures in for DD1, as she cannot see them in person, and I think she likes to be kept in touch!

yellow flag iris

We shall have strawberries- unless Mr Blackbird has them first!

 Love the clash of colour here!

Bourbon, just look at the colour of that!

Starry Night finish!

need I say more?

Well, yes actually, the four quarters were lightly starched before I removed the paper, and then went together just the way they ought. Matched effortlessly, and sewed a dream!

Now if I could work out how to do it without paper piecing, I may have another project....

Starry night block

This is the next block for the skill builder. Or perhaps it is the patience builder. I am just ripping out my third seam. Because, with great care being taken, my pieces are still not quite covering the way they ought. HUMPH.
Looks fine right upuntil it gets ironed. Then it reveals that it just will not do. Contrary. so I am ripping out again.

But, Tip of the week, I think ripping out on paper piecing is easier if you cut between the paper and the fabric, rather than between the two layers of fabric. Not sure why, but it is working for me! First Quarter of this block,
  Looks really crisp and smart. You really cannot see the frustration levels here.
So despite the frustration of the first three quarters all requiring multiple rippings out, I now have four quarters of the block. The final one made up perfectly. Perhaps because it happened after a good night's sleep, and I have been fighting off a lurgy, which my DD2 donated to the cause, but feel a bit brighter today.

I will makethe block up according to instructions. BUT, playing with them, there are loads of possibilities. Now I want a non paper piecing method of putting these together, so I can make loads, I really see a whole quilt with this block, and it is exciting!

this is the suggested layout, for this block, a whole load of these would give this second pattern  which looks great, and also this one,

but this modern twist also looks good   and this isn't bad either  or

 this one
or this    I love the modern feel to these. As a traditional lass, this is a strange thing to say. What do you think?

Back again!

I have had some frustration this week. All of a sudden the computer couldn't find google. it would accept emails, and if I knew where something was, I could get to that. But I couldn't sign in to google. Nor would it find bing, or yahoo search engines. And we didn't know why.
Luckily my son came home on Friday, and took 10 minutes to sort us out, so now I can write here again.
What have I been doing?
I took Thursday off work and went to make fabric origami Christmas decorations. They are very pretty, so I better show you what is there.

this was the first one we made, obviously they may be as decorative or as simple as you wish, but a good contrast of fabrics is helpful. The first three were designed on a circle, then one on a square and one on an octagon.






 

                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

I am really struggling to get these pictures where I want them, so you will have to excuse that, for the moment... 

I have also had a few tries at the next FMQ design. This is pine needles. I have to say, I quite enjoyed it. That doesn't mean it looks particularly good, just that I felt reasonably relaxed with it. I forgot to changethe colour of cotton, ok, I couldn't be bothered to change the cotton, so the result doesn't really show up, but this is the result

front of first try,

second attempt

and the backs.. 

yes, I ought to have clipped the tails, but I hadn't. Now I can visit the others who have been doing this too, via Fluffy sheep  and see how they fare.

And I also made a hat. For the Knave of Hearts, though I expect it is too big, but will take some tucks as required. 

I think it will do the job. 

And now I will go attempt Leila's next block. It is more paper piecing, which doesn't thrill, but the finished block looks lovely.