You can find my review of Penny Layman's The Paper Pieced Home here. This post is number six on the blog hop for the book. In the interests of disclosure, Penny sent me a copy of her book and I don't offer even the slightest pretence at a lack of bias. I am totally biased, Penny is a super talented designer, I am happy to work in partnership with her in Sew-Ichigo and a to call her a friend. Taking all that into consideration, even if I barely knew her, The Paper Pieced Home is amazing and should be in every foundation piecing fan's personal library. Her designs constantly make me smile and that's what I look for in great design.
I like simplicity in paper pieced designs. I don't like over engineered blocks or hyper realistic imagery, instead I look for character, wit and humour. Paper piecing has a lot of limits- curves and Y seams are tricky to achieve and some details are better added using embroidery or appliqué rather than a tortuous number of seams. The skill when designing a block is to capture the essence of the item you are trying to represent and construct it as simply as possible: the design is taken to the bare essentials and given a twist or quirk to make you recognise and love it. Nobody likes a bulky cluster of tiny seams all coming together at one point or five sections where there could be two. The best designs have all their section lines and seams in just the right places, to enhance the design, not detract from it.
I mentioned how much I liked this lion block when I wrote my review so naturally, this was the block I chose for the hop. All the designs are avaible on a CD included with the book so no need to faff with a photocopier or scanner. This is a 10 inch block which prints on two sheets joined together. Some of the sections spread on to both sheets with an overlap to join together so I printed out both sheets and traced the design on to velum with a Pigma micron pen so that the main horizontal seam would be evenly spread between both bits of paper and avoid joining sheets of paper. It worked really well.
After that, the piecing was very straightforward. There are a lot of sections but the design flows logically and there are only four fabrics involved, and they were all either solids or ditsy prints that worked in any direction.
There are plenty of tick marks to align the seams and no seam rippers were called for! The background floral is from Ayumi's Lighthearted collection for Kokka and the orange floral is a vintage 60s fabrics found at a bootsale! I love the final block. One of my top tips for paper piecing is to make the block edge seam allowance much bigger than you need so you can trim the block down to the perfect size. I think I will make it into a sewing machine cover for my Bernina with lots of vintage style prints and some linen, although all the blocks in the 'Playtime' chapter would make a wonderful child's quilt/playmat.
You can find the book details below:
By Penny Layman
Interweave/F+W; $26.99
The publishers also have a copy of the book to giveaway- a physical copy for a USA winner or a PDF digital version for a winner outside USA. For a chance of winning, leave a comment below- how about telling me your favourite design era? 1970s, Edwardian? Whatever it is, let me know! Make sure I can contact you by email via your profile or comment. Winner will be chosen by random number generator a week today.
Enjoy the other stops on the hop!
The Paper-Pieced Home
Blog Tour Schedule
3/16 McCall’s Quilting / Sewing Machine Block
3/17 Love of Quilting / Review
3/17 Sandi Sawa Hazlewood of Crafty Planner / Watering Can Block
3/18 Quilty Pleasure (Quiltmaker blog) / Review
3/18 Imagine Gnats / Rotary Phone Block
3/20 Verykerryberry / Lion Block
3/21 Artisania / Cast-Iron Skillet Block
3/23 Where the Orchids Grow / Lamp Block
3/24 Katie Blakesley of Swim Bike Quilt / Layer Cake Block
3/24 House on Hill Road / Oven Mitt Block
3/24 Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced / BBQ Grill Block
3/26 Pink Penguin / Allie-Gator Block
3/26 A Happy Stitch / Giraffe Block
3/27 Bijou Lovely / Jar Block
3/27 Two Little Banshees / Saucepan Block
3/27 Charise Creates / Espresso Mug Block
3/30 Karen Lewis Textiles / Couch Block
3/31 Poppyprint / Clawfoot Tub Block
3/31 One Shabby Chick / Stack of Books Block
3/31 During Quiet Time / Sleeveless Dress Block
4/06 Pat Sloan The Voice of Quilting / Author Podcast Interview
Love your lion, love this book, will be flaunting my bias as well! xo.
ReplyDeleteYour lion is so cute! I like the 70's! I'd love a copy of this book!
ReplyDeletenikilsend(at)outlook(dot)com
I love this book and if I don't win I'm getting it anyway! My fav is the 70s! Your lion is beautiful by the way!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite design area are 50's and 60's in Eastern Europe. The furniture from that time are fablulous. Here's one of the examples: http://exspace.pl/articles/show/52
ReplyDeletePS. I love your lion! You always choose such a great colors and prints, always!
I love 50s and 60s style of design. Everything about that era from clothing and furniture to fabrics and household appliances just seem cuter than they are now. vkoh159 (at) mchsi (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI would pick the modern age of of bright fabrics and modern designs you find now,
ReplyDeleteOh, I love those lions! Favourite design period? Hmmm...at the moment I seem to have a love of mid-century modern combined with Scandinavian design - I think it's the simple shapes, functionality (not entirely sure I like that word, though!) and light colours which appeal, as well as the sense of space and light which it implies, something I think my house needs more of!
ReplyDeleteI love the Arts and Crafts designs, but their curves are probably better suited to inspiring quilting patterns than paper piecing patterns.
ReplyDeleteLove your lion. I like the 50's era.
ReplyDeleteBeing a member of a Modern Quilt guild, I am, for the moment sewing pieces of fabric together to make new fabric. Using up a lot of my scraps.
ReplyDeletefavourite design era?. Really have never thought about that. I do enjoy art nouveau/art deco. Lovely lion.
ReplyDeleteArt Deco and Greek revival !
ReplyDeleteHI, love the Early American-Colonial deco;especially the quilts!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
msstitcher1214@gmail.com
I love designs from the 50's and earlier. Although it is hard to pin my favourites on any one time period.
ReplyDeleteI like mid century modern.
ReplyDeleteI belong to a traditional quilt guild and a modern quilt guild. Guess I could say I am somewhere in between.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit to loving the 30's, 40's and 70's best of all :)
ReplyDeleteI love modern age quilt and fabrics designs like Carolyn Friedlander.
ReplyDeleteOh Kerry that lion is adorable! Definitely partial to 30s designs and then the more modern floral/polka
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable block! Great job!
ReplyDeleteI like a variety of styles from a variety of eras. Sometimes I even surprise myself at what appeals to me at any given moment!
ReplyDeleteMy (2) favorite design eras are Art Nouveau and Art Deco - to me they summarize all that is good about the curved line and the straight line! I do enjoy the 1920's - and a tongue-in-cheek version of the 1940's too!
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the 39's, but then I thought no maybe the colonial era. I think that right now is the best era!! Thirties style mixed with the very modern yet retro fabrics available to today! We've got it all!
ReplyDeleteI like mid century modern the best. I love the lion block you did.
ReplyDeleteIt is a cute block. I have never done any foundation piecing but need to do one for my next block of my loyal Union sampler. I've downloaded a craftsy class and am trying to find out lots of info first. I got lost at your use of vellum - did you sew over that instead of paper? An thanks for the chance to win - I don't have a favourite era. I like everything including Victorian, Edwardian civil war etc. it's nice to really appreciate and see the beauty in all of them.
ReplyDeleteI"m loving the simple lines of mid-century modern. I'm more of a minimalist.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be the 20s.
ReplyDeleteI love art nouveau. The flowing lines and natural feeling is just so beautiful. I don't know why that design era didn't last so much longer than it did. Thank you for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteLove your lions! I love the art deco style!
ReplyDeleteFabulous, they remind me of Parsley!
ReplyDelete1940's: I love the clothes of that era!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite design era is now!! Love it :-)
ReplyDeleteI haven't really thought in terms of a specific era...hmmm...I think modern, the historic modern: Warhol, etc. But I'm generally a pretty contemporary girl. :-)
ReplyDeleteI started my stash with 1930's Reproduction prints - I love all the bubble gum pinks and the other pastels. I am also a big fan of Tammis Keefe's designs - 1940's and 50's art deco. Thanks for the chance to win! jacklynnsteven at netzero dot com
ReplyDeleteNice lion block - love the yellow version. Art Nouveau style appeals to me.
ReplyDeleteI love now because anything goes! Love the paper pieced lion.
ReplyDeletejodylovering@cox.net
Favourite design era? That's a tricky one - never having really studied anything of the kind. But I do think all those retro 50s housewife-y things look crisp & lovely!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to choose an era; I seem to like most of them but I am drawn to the '30s fabrics. They seem so bright and cheerful. The colors play well with each other.
ReplyDeleteanndunn24(at)gmail.com
What a sweet little lion! It's Art Nouveau for me - all that beautiful pattern and design. Thanks off the lovely give away :-)
ReplyDeleteThe Victorian era is so enticing like the Downton Abbey decor and costumes plus don't forget those charming quilts on the beds.
ReplyDeleteI live outside of San Francisco, and love the Victorian homes we have. They have such neat detail that we often don't see these days. Thanks for sharing the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThat's a cute lion block. I'd go with Art Deco for favorite design era. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI like the 50s. This book looks awesome. Such cool blocks I've seen so far.
ReplyDeleteWell, the 70's were certainly unique! They had gold appliances and mint green bathtubs. I still have the bathtub in my house. Thank you, peterstankovich@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteI think I love the current design era! I love how it pulls from so many earlier eras and combines them in unique ways. And, I love your lion block! I really do enjoy paper piecing, and this book looks like it would be a fun addition to my craft library!
ReplyDeleteAdorable lion block..great fabric choices!! I enjoy the 50s design era.
ReplyDeletecwayons(at)yahoo(dot)com