I'm Seeing Stars

I mentioned in my last post that I had cut out some of the extra fabric I had for the sparkle punch quilt for other projects as well.

Here is one:

After all of the fun I had learning to English Paper Piece with hexagons (post here), I had to start a new EEP WIP.   I decided to make a diamond star quilt.  When the pieces all come together it should look something like this:

Of course I am not only using green. It just seems that way right now.  I still have many more greens to go...

I have several low volumes basted and ready to go as well...

 It is seriously fun watching them come together - Like a mini triumph with every block.  But considering how long they take me to make... finishing one is kind-of a real-life reason to celebrate.  lol

*I made my own paper pieces with my silhouette paper cutter and cardstock.

So many more to baste.  This is a project that is going to take me forever - I'm setting my goal for 8 years.  ;)

But I did decide I needed a quick finish from these and made a quilty friend a mugrug/mini:

 hope she likes it.


I am off to do a sewing lesson with my nieces and nephews...wish me luck!

- Katelyn

English Paper Piecing - a small project

I got two great English Paper Piecing books for my birthday back in September: Quilting on the Go and Hexi-Go-Go.  I quickly found that Quilting on the Go was a better book for beginners, as it gave the low-down on how to begin a project - template sizes, how to cut your fabric, eep basting, and the how-tos on joining your pieces.  Whereas in Hexi-Go-Go, the projects were a bit cuter. 

So I wanted to try something out - just a test with scraps to see if I could, how hard it was, etc.  It was easy.  Different steps than I was used to, but not difficult.  So I decided to make my tester piece into something.  A pillow cover for my mother.  Super small, to fit her 9x13 pillow that she uses in her chair to prop her head up.  My scraps matched her quilt after-all. 

I thought there might be a chance that I would be able to give it to her for Christmas...that was stupid. 
Then, I decided her birthday was far enough away to allow me time to finish it up.  Whoever thought that February was far a way from Christmas was a dummy (oh, right...that would be me).
All of the sudden it was two days before her birthday and I had not finished sewing all of the hexagons! 

I added at least one row that was not needed (upper left corner).  But it was really fun to see it grow.  I started out with the green flower in the middle, and decided to continue out from there.

Back view

I have been told that my stitches are tiny (or at least smaller than some of my other guild members would have sewn them).  I tried to take a couple pictures of that, but they are a bit blurry.

You will also notice that the center hexagons got cut in an actual hexagon shape, but with 1/4 inch to fold.  I learned from Quilting on the Go that I could use a square - way easier to cut. 

My hexagons were 3/4 in.  I chose that tiny size because I have a Creative Memories hexagon punch and that was the biggest size.  Easy enough.  I'm not sure I will ever go that small for a larger project, but for this it was fine.
*To make the 3/4 in hexagons I cut 2in squares*

Of course I didn't know how to quilt it...I wanted to do something complicated, where I arched around each side - but I have never done anything like that before and I was on a deadline (who am I kidding - I was almost a week past the deadline.   So I went with little loops.

I made an envelope back - easy removal for washing - used that trusty green, of which I never seem to be out.

My momma says she likes it. So woohoo for tiny gifts that took lots of time!

I have already begun a new EEP project.  Only this time it won't be small and I won't give myself any deadlines to miss. 

If you got this far...thanks for reading my EEP novel. ;)

XOXO - Katelyn