FooTStePS to Successful Paper Piecing

Pictoral Tutorial all about Paper-Piecing HERE.  

Featuring Avignon by Emily Taylor for Riley Blake Designs

I love this terrific "piece-by-number" method of quilting to get precision shapes in quilt blocks.  

Check out my daughter's prize-winning paper-pieced Unicorn quilt that she recently entered in the State Fair!  So cool - especially considering that they only award one blue ribbon per category.  In her category of Wall Hangings, "Sparky" won first place!  Awesome, Chelsea!!   



If you have never tried paper-piecing before, here's a FREE PATTERN for the Hot Air Balloon to try it out!  As a BONUS, here are some additional ideas and helpful hints!!

PAPERLESS Paper-Piecing??
What if you didn't actually STITCH on the line?  Instead of stitching through the paper, keep the paper FOLDED and STITCH NEXT to the line?   See my Tutorial then continue the steps as usual, using a dab of glue stick to lightly adhere the fabric to the paper after pressing each segment.  When you're done, just peel off the paper, no stitches to worry about. Glue stick will wash out of the fabric. No paper to pick out of the stitches, no mess, no fuss, still accurate, and a whole sight simpler... I've also tried this method tracing the pattern on freezer paper.  Trace on the paper side, then iron the waxy side to the fabric.  Works great!


Enlarging and Reducing...
Here's the formula if you have a pattern and you need it larger or smaller than what is printed. I keep this and other quilter's math formulas in my little purse-size Quilter's Bible. 

Formula for enlarging and reducing quilting patterns to fit:

FS ÷ OS = %

Desired or FINISHED SIZE divided by actual or ORIGINAL SIZE = PERCENTAGE for change.

Percentage answer larger than 1.0 means ENLARGEMENT, so program a 3-digit number into the enlargement program for photocopier. Percentage smaller than 1.0 means REDUCTION, so program a 2-digit number into the reduction program for photocopier.

Example: a 4" quilt block pattern (measured from side to side at widest dimensions of design) needs to be expanded to a 7" pattern. Using the formula: 7" divided by 4" = 1.75, therefore program 175% into the photocopier program.

Example: a 12" quilt block pattern needs to be scaled to a 10" block size. Using formula, 10" divided by 12" = .83333 or .84 rounded. Therefore, program 84% into the photocopier program.

  

WHEW!!  I hope you have found something fun, interesting or useful today. 

It's been a fantastic, maybe too-busy weekend that began by hanging out in the Riley Blake studio with Cindy continuing our videos for the "How to Quilt" Series, getting Make & Take projects ready for Market (see you there?), organizing some projects to make at Sewing Summit coming up, (yeah!!) and topped off with a fun visit with none other than Eleanor Burns, at the RBD warehouse!  Got her autograph on one of my favorite tools; her Triangle Square-Up ruler. :)

Then I sang my little heart out at church conference all weekend, listening to encouraging, profound and inspirational talks and messages that have buoyed up my spirit and made my soul sing.  A reminder that life "isn't a race, it's a journey"!  So now, I'm off to relax and enjoy some moments with my family.  Quilting can wait for a bit.