Friday, July 5, 2013

New Paper Piecing Pattern - Hexi Lotus


Here is a brand new pattern for you to enjoy.  I drafted this up last month and have made it in three colorways for current BOM's that I am working on.  I hope you enjoy it and please post your photos to our group in either Ipernity or Flickr.  I will put links to both below.

The pattern can be found by clicking on the button at the side of the blog titled Perfect Paper Piecing Patterns.  Please excuse the rough draft of this pattern.  There are three templates.  A-B-C  Make 2 copies of each template.  Yes I just reversed the one template and the numbers are difficult to read as they are backwards.  Just take a pencil and mark your numbers.  



Some notes about putting this block together
1.   Basic instructions for paper piecing can be found on the page where the links for the patterns are listed.  Just click on the button to the right of this blog.

2.  This block looks complicated but it's not.  You will be surprised.  Make all your pieces at the same time.  Cut all your #1's and glue them down, cut all your #2's and piece all of them at the same time and so forth. You will find that if you get in the habit of doing your paper piecing this way, you will quickly have a block.  Repetition helps move things along.  Making the same fold, cutting the same seam, stitching the same piece, rather than going one segment at a time.

3.  BEFORE YOU STITCH YOUR SEGMENTS TOGETHER: 
Lay your segments out on the table and make sure they are in the proper places.  You will sew an A, B and C segment together, pressing the seams OPEN as you sew each one.  We you have two segments together, carefully tear out ONLY the seam allowance portion of the paper at the very center of the block.  This will help you avoid buckling, bunching and distortion as you sew the next pieces together.

4.   Each segment of this block contains a flying geese.  The corners of these geese are where you want to match up your blocks before stitching.  Put a pin through the corner where the seams meet and match it up to the same part on the next segment.  Keep your pin perpendicular and carefully place a pin elsewhere in the block to secure or scotch tape the edge.  We will go over this in class, but for those that are joining us online, I will try to work up a little video this weekend to demonstrate. 

5.  When you have completed two halves of your block, you will line them up with a pin in the center and a pin at each tip of the flying geese just as described above.  Secure with pins or tape and sew.  Press the seam open.

For those of you who want to do fussy cuts:

Make a template of that portion of the pattern that you want to focus on.  I use Vellum, or template plastic or what every I have that will work to that end.  It should be something that will hold it's shape and be translucent enough for you to see your quilt pattern.  Make sure you add a generous 1/2 inch around your template.  Yes the seams are only 1/4 inch but you will want to have some wiggle room to adjust your fussy cut.  



Find your design that you want to replicate and then place your template over that.  Draw on the template with a pencil some of the features of the design, this will let you match it up perfectly as you move the template around the fabric to cut additional pieces.  You can see this illustrated in the block above, all the flying geese were fussy cuts to create a "scalloped" effect.  And you can see it in the center star of the block below, using a zebra print and lining up the design so that the lines would meet in the middle.



I hope you will enjoy this pattern.  Be sure when you print it out to make sure that you set your printer to print exact size.  Do not print fit to page.  The block should finish out at 12.5 inches which will finish at 12 inches in a quilt.  

Share photos of what you have created!  You can share them at http://www.flickr.com/groups/paperpiecingperfection/

And as always, if you have questions or need help, drop me a line I am happy to assist.

I haven't gotten much accomplished since our last class.  John had to go back into the hospital for emergency surgery on his eye again last Monday night at 11:30.  I got him back home Wednesday and he is resting comfortably.  It's been a challenging week, but we are never given a challenge that we are not capable of meeting with the help of the Lord.  I am grateful to all of my friends and family, here in Foresthill, around the state and those of you that are my online friends and family.  Grateful to my boss and my co-workers that covered for me on Tuesday.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers and your kindness.  

We were greeted by my son Andrew, who came down from Squaw Valley, when we arrive home and he fixed us an amazing BBQ with ribs, corn on the cob, cold slaw, macaroni salad, it was lovely!  While the BBQ was going, we made some homemade vanilla ice cream for desert.  Next morning he fixed us buttermilk waffles, bacon and orange juice before he left.  I feel amazingly blessed to have him as my son.  He is always thoughtful and kind.

I am working on the next PPP installment.  I think you will enjoy it!

Hey, I just saw this tonight and want to share it with you.  If you like prairie points on your quilt, this is quick and easy!  I think you will enjoy this little video tutorial.

   












2 comments:

  1. Wow you are busy! I hope John heals quickly and can I borrow your son? I would love that cooking ;)

    ReplyDelete