Blog Hop: Lion Block from The Paper Pieced Home

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:

The Paper-Pieced Home: Quilting a Household One Block at a Time

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

Playful Little Paper-Pieced Projects

I got a surprise delivery today that I thought wouldn't arrive till the new year, Playful Little Paper-Pieced Projects: 37 Graphic Designs & Tips from Top Modern Quilters.  (check out the look inside feature on Amazon for pics/text previews).

I had an email to submit a design for this ages ago- such is the way of publishing, and at the time everyone is sworn to secrecy and you don't know who else is in it.  As time has passed you start to find out and in the end if tells like it is a book full of friends, people I have worked with, written with, met in person, Flickr Bees, Instagram- amazing company to be a little part of and congratulations to Tacha Bruecher who complied and edited the book, came up with such a great concept and managed to get a CD with all the templates/patterns in as part of the publication.  This book is an introduction to different methods of paper piecing and has the best 'how to' section that I have read on the subject.  There are 12 monthly themed blocks which can be sewn individually, together to make a calendar quilt hanging and each comes with its own project ranging from aprons to bicycle baskets.  My blocks are October and December.

And my projects for these were a banner and a gift basket.

Take a look at some of the others…

Penny's of course, July block and project.  A beautiful photo too with a perfect chair to showcase a chair!

In addition to the calendar blocks, there is a further section of small projects with different block designs.  This is Ayumi's Mail Organiser- cuteness overload!  

Chase's Nutcracker and ribbon pillow- ear marked to make for next Christmas.  I fancy the ribbon as a border all around the nutcracker.

Laura Jane's ingenious indexed book bag, pockets for different sections, so, so clever!

Megan's tea themed tea towel- the milk jug is my particular favourite here, love the shaping around the handle!

And there is so much more- Lynne, Amy Friend, Leila, Joanna, Daniel, Amy L, Angela, Kylie, Charise, Caroline, Tacha, Sonja, Cheryl, Tamiko, Julianna- you can see all the contributor profiles in this link- look at the inside feature,  Playful Little Paper-Pieced Projects: 37 Graphic Designs & Tips from Top Modern Quilters.   

I have been sent a stack of copies so I have some available for sale- bargain price for UK peeps, £14 including postage.  If you are in Europe, cost is £19 including postage.  If you would like a copy email me either using the link on the right of the blog or leave a comment with contact details here.  I will need to know your paypal email address so I can invoice you.  Anyone local who wants to collect a copy gets a no postage discount so only £12!  ***edited to add only 2 copies left! ***

I may be a little biased but it is a truly lovely book and I am thrilled to be a little part of it. 

Strawberry Friends Forever...story of a quilt

You know things have been a little hard here, events since December etc etc- I am not going to bore you with the details.  For the last few months I have had many messages of support for which I am dearly grateful.  I have had cards, messages and gifts... so many gifts that I felt I couldn't keep shaing them here as it would just seem like my life was a succession of presents in the post!  But there have been so many, I have even commented to friends and it was kinda strange in a lovely way.  And then Penny told me that she wanted to Skype with me becuase she was going to send me something funny.  A box arrived and I thought Penny might have been very bad and either sent me one of her quilts or made me a blanket covered in bras and pants fabric or something funny like that!  Oh I was so wrong, it was all a ruse and they all knew, except me, that this was inside...

Twenty quilty friends had each made my Sew-Ichigo Strawberry block and a bigger version of the traditional Friendship block (I made a pillow of this block).  They used fabrics they knew I would love, fabrics we have swapped and shared, precious and collectable fabrics of my dreams.  They stitched their names and Penny put them all together used a gorgeous green sashing (Topography from Architextures and a Suzuko Koseki daisy print border and binding.  She used my new glue method so she could machine bind and I had even commented on her binding on Instagram- "Nice binding Pen, what's that quilt?"  but she fobbed me off and I believed her.  And then she sent me an invitation to the private Flickr group where they had been plotting Strawberry Fields for the last few months, including a rota where they took it in turns to send me gifts hence the constant stream of parcels!  I had no idea, not a clue!

And the back is beautiful too...

This quilt is big, big enough for me to (reluctantly) share it on the sofa with D and L.  Too big to phtograph in my tiny house so I took it to show my friend Kathy and she and her son held it up for these pics and let me drape it over their couches in the sunny living room.

I couldn't take pics of every single one as it would make the longest post ever and maybe break the internet but here are a few random ones as we moved everyone out of the way on a Sunday morning at Kathy's house.

I can see Laurraine's deep dark strawberry, and Kristas's pretty siggy block

 I can identify these by fabric alone.  The colours drop hints, and the choices really do tell me who made what. Amy's bright red retro Strawberry next to Nova's Umbrella Prints raindrop strawberry.  Lynne's strawberry made from one of her favourite fabric ranges (Sandy Klopp's Punctuation) next to Leila's pastel Japanese prints

Angela's siggy block, I knew it was her fabrics straightaway!  I think the black Little Folks 'Buttoned up' Anna Maria Horner print gave her away!

Ayumi's sweet siggy which has one of my vintage fabrics in, a peek of Chase's Denyse fabric strawberry top right and Amy's siggy block below which has the Sevenberry floral that I still go nuts over.

Sonja's juicy grid strawberry, Lori's fussy cut friendship block,  Marit's strawberry in divine Kumiko Fujita sewing notions print, and Charise's vintage sewing inspired print choices.

Brioni's pretty repro fabrics and sweet embroidery.

Penny's perfect stitches and snippets of Garden Party, Amber's strawberry with the cutest leaves

 Doe's feedsack strawberry ( I swear she has the best stash ever), Megan's fussy cuts- the chicken in there makes me laugh and the scale of her prints is perfect!

A glorious picture with the sun pouring in...

Elnora's wonderful Japanese prints in her blocks- she has such great taste in fabrics. 

And then the icing on the cake,the bit that made me cry, along with the whole emotion and kindness of it all- Penny's embroidered panel, 

"more than kisses, quilts mingle souls; For thus friends absent speak"

Penny didn't know this, but John Donne, the writer of the original quote this is based on, is one of my favrouite poets.  I studied English Literature at Uni and Metaphysical poetry was my love.

The time, effort, thought, love, care, skill they poured into this project amazes me.  I have had separate conversations over the last few months with the people in this group, they have shared their own hardships and difficulties.  Quilters are an empathetic bunch and behind that often lies heartbreak, dealing with loss, health problems, family troubles, and the quilter ready to make a big warm beautiful blanket to hold and comfort those that are hurting.  Despite my best efforts I have felt so negative, ineffectual and down recently but the gesture warmth in this quilt and all those many packages has made me feel differently about myself and I feel well and truly loved.  These friendships run deep, I will be there for these women like they are there for me. Miles make no difference.

Belated Blocks

I got  behind with Bee Blocks over the summer so I am trying to do a little catch up.  First for Leila, her theme in Cocorico was 'A woman's Work'.  I had a lovely pattern by Kumiko Fujita that came from a Japanese magazine- possibly Patchwork Tsuchin.  The stove and the casserole seemed a good fit for her theme.

Leila asked for either blocks 6 1/2" square or any size- this is a bit of both, 6 1/2 x 7 1/2".  I slightly misjudged the right side of the black strip but by the time I realised it was already cut and sewn. 

In Ringo Pie, many months ago, Tamiko asked for blocks on a Magnum PI theme, an imaginative idea and one that is producing some great work and a strong sense of humour.

This block started off with a free paper piecing Hawaiian Shirt pattern by Linda Worland at Paper Panache.  I did a little tweaking- added the back collar, added a Y seam and used freezer paper template method rather than sewing through paper.  I made the pocket as I would a real one and the same with the collar pieces. The trunks owe a debt to Penny and the pants/undies she made for Monica in the Travelling Quilts bee.   I drew out the shape, the stripes were pieced first, then the shape was cut out and the strips are bias pieces of white fabric.  After extensive research of Tom Selleck in trunks, these seemed to be the most distinctive for Magnum PI.  This block cracks me up.  If I could have pieced a tiny moustache and sunnies, I would have! 

Sew-Ichigo Patterns for Sale!

At last, Sew-Ichigo's first pattern collection 'Kitchen Classics' is now on sale.

You can find out all the details here and purchase here.  Our pattern testers were a great help and they are sharing their blocks on Flickr and blogs-Amy's post is here, Leila's post is here and Ayumi's is here- and there are more to come and a few giveaways too.   Penny and I can't thank them enough for taking the time to try our blocks out and check through the pattern details.  So enjoy!  And this is just the first pattern set, Penny and I chatted today and we know what is coming next and then next after that!  

Best in Show

This block was for Megan in Cocorico bee. Her theme was 'Country Fair'.  I dallied with the idea of pigs but they started to look more like dogs in my sketches so I chose rabbits.  I had to do two, I think of rabbits in multiples, it must be their breeding habits!  And the "Best in Show" idea was rattling around my overcooked imagination from the start.  The sitting rabbit as from 318 Patchwork, Kumiko Fujita-(you know already that it is, of course, out of print).  I played around with that pattern for the standing rabbit and pushed myself to fit a  total of 5 inset Y seams just into that one rabbit- that was fun!  Both bunnies are freezer paper pieced and the ribbon was foundation pieced. The ribbon was adapted from  Carol Doak's free Pink Ribbon pattern.

The tails were needle turn appliqued on with the straight edge sewn into the seam.  The noses and eyes were wool felt cut with a paper hole puncher and hand stitched on.  For the stamping, I always use Versacraft ink.  I like to live life on the edge, the stamping was added at the very end of the block.
Fabrics
Green- Sweet on NYC for Timeless Treasures
Ripple Ribbon-Anna Griffin
Pink large polkas-Lecien
Pink tiny dot-my stash
Yellow prints- Picnics and Fairgrounds, Denyse Schmidt
Aurifil thread for piecing and Superior needles- my new favourite piecing needle, love them!

Happy House, Happy Two Years

So tomorrow is the official date for my second blog birthday, I am jumping a gun the little today but hey, who is going to stop me?  Blogging has bought me such great friendships and opportunities, I could not love it more!  So to celebrate, as many of you guessed, a little house block for anyone who wants to make one!

I made mine as little gifts to a couple of kind people.   The block is 4.5" unfinished, 4"finished, perfect size for lavender bags (as below) or pincushions or a for sewing on a bigger scale to make quilt block houses.

All the pieces are a perfect size for scraps so I went for a mix of vintage and modern and used some of my tiniest pieces.  The tiniest of all was the little ducky- it was an umbrella rather than a noose, no ducks were harmed in the making of this lavender bag.

For both houses  I used the freezer paper template method for piecing and Y seams for the roof chimney area.  The square blocks were rounded off and I added a light woven interfacing to make the blocks suitable for lavender bags.  

Now I know some of you fear the Yseams or prefer to foundation rather than freezer paper piece, so I have a multi option pattern for you.  If you want more details on how to paper piece, check out my paper piecing page for lots of online resources, and if you want to learn the very basics of foundation paper piecing where you stitch through a paper pattern, visit Katy's Foundation Paper Piecing for the Terrified Quilt-a-long

 Click on your choice below for your piecing preference! Both freezer paper pattens could be hand sewn- a great way to learn a Y seam- as well as machine sewn.  And when you have made your creation, please add to my Flickr group so I can see it!  I fancy nine little happy houses sewn together to make the centre of a cushion!

 *******************
Freezer Paper {no Y seams} PDF
Freezer Paper {with Y seams} PDF
Foundation Paper PDF

 

Sharing

This is ending up being a bit of a lost week, I am under the weather so not much is happening here, sewing progress is slow and most of the time is spent unpicking mistakes- let's draw a veil over that and instead I would like to share the work of a couple of friends.

Looking for a quick scrappy project?  After a gentle nudge from Penny, Leila has her first pattern for sale

You can buy it here .  

And, if you are feeling  like a little more paper piecing, Amy has made her stunning Vintage Skier block into a pattern on sale here

Amy has great attention to detail in this pattern with notes on suitable fabrics and the most wonderful shaping that makes the skier jump out at you!

And Julianna kicked off the Sew Out Loud Quilt a long with this stunning graphic block

 

Details and free pattern are found here. You can join this quilt a long at any time, dip in, dip out whatever you fancy- Flickr group here

Proud of my talented friends!  Back when normal service resumes here x