Catch Up #1… Teaching paper piecing

Posted in Other fun stuff by wombatquilts

The first lot of news I wanted to share was that just before I left for Australia my fabulous local quilt store – Modern Domestic – asked me to teach introductory classes on paper piecing. My immediate response was YES… of course…I want to corrupt/bring to the darkside as many quilters as I can.

I love paper piecing and love the amazing results you can get from the process. It initially surprised me that so many people had not tried this technique (I wrongly thought that everyone started with paper piecing and went from there!).

So for this class I designed a 16 inch star block, which can easily be turned into a pillow.

It really is a pretty easy pattern but very effective. This sample uses some of my Liberty bits and pieces, a splash of Kona cotton and Essex linen for the background. I loved how this sample turned out… but I did not stop there. I also made…

A Pearl Bracelet version…of course.

If you are interested in the class you can find all the details on Modern Domestic’s website…JUST CLICK HERE. My first class is next week, and we plan to offer this class throughout next year.

8Dec2014

Paper Piecing Monday…the jet lagged edition

Posted in Other fun stuff by wombatquilts

After three weeks of sunshine, family and fun I am back to the cold wet reality of Portland… with jet-lag and suitecase full of Aussie sweets! It is the said “jet lag” that I am blaming for the lateness of Paper Piecing Monday…

For those of you who have not experienced the joy that is jet-lag, and in particular East Coast Australia to West Coast America jet lag it boils down to this…I want to be asleep when it is daytime and I am WIDE AWAKE at 2 am. Augh!

Enough whingeing and complaining and onto fun stuff…. this weeks block…

In my jet-lagged haze I named this one Simple Star, do not ask me why! The block is a 32 piece baby, and not really simple, but quite effective.

You can find the free paper piecing pattern for this 8 inch block here…simple star. Have fun with it.

Now that I am back home I promise that my posting will involve more than just green stars (not that there is anything wrong with green stars). A couple of months ago my laptop died and I have had to post from my husbands desktop…and for some strange reason I find writing posts in the office, surrounded by masses of Lord of the Rings Lego and Dungeons & Dragons books off-putting and un-inspiring.

But I promise to work through my discomfort and catch you up on some of the exciting things that have happened in my quilting universe in the last couple of months.

24Nov2014

Are you bored with 8 inch green stars yet?

Posted in Paper Piecing Monday by wombatquilts

I hope not, as I have another one this week….

This 8 inch star is based on a couple of patterns I have found online and in books. This 8 inch version is done for my ongoing green star quilt and you can find the PDF pattern here….Crest Star Pattern.

I am on vacation/holiday at the moment so I am keeping it short and sweet.

17Nov2014

Green with envy yet?

Posted in Paper Piecing Monday by wombatquilts

If not, give this block a look…

This block is called the Triforce star block…and if any of you know Zelda you will know where it got its name from. A little geeky I know but I love it.

The block has a few more pieces than the last couple but only a few… 28 in total. The free pattern can be downloaded here…Triforce Star.

As promised I also took a photo of the stars I have made so far….

10Nov2014

More green…

Posted in Paper Piecing Monday by wombatquilts

Surprise… I am back again with another installment of Paper Piecing Monday…. and today’s block is another nice one (though I may be a little biased!).

When I designed the pattern it reminded my of the fan block, which is why the block is called Fan Star… though when I sewed all the pieces together I must admit a better name would have been Pinwheel star. Naming the blocks is the hard part for me.

Any way you can find the PDF paper piecing pattern for this 8 inch block here….Fan star. Now I did promise a wip photo but this week kicked my butt and I have not done it yet… next week, I promise.