EPP!

Don't ever think you can't make something beautiful with a small piece of paper and fabric.  That's where EPP comes into play--That's English Paper Piecing!  Why is it called English Paper Piecing?

 Hexagon-based patterns became popular in England in the 1830s when Godey’s Lady’s Book published the first hexagon quilt pattern in 1835, it became very popular in “the Colonies”.  It was often called “English Paper Piecing” because anything British was deemed very elegant.

EPP or paper piecing doesn't necessary mean you have to use hexagons either--just search the internet and you will find all sorts of patterns that use squares, rectangles,etc. 

Here is an example of a 'smashing' look for EPP--this comes from my friend

Annette who has been working on this design for some time--she brings her

little scraps of fabric and paper to our gatherings and stitches away--

we finally saw the fruits of her labor when she threw out this

lovely garden of colors!!

We all admired the way she used the greens around her

flowers--not completely surrounded

You can see she still have some papers in the small hexagons--

time to lift them out now that she has completed the look

of walking through flowers

Another one of our gals, Judy, has been

working on her Grandmother's Flower Garden

EPP quilt for 12 years--much smaller squares though

But lovely all the same!  Here she is lifting out the paper

from her finished project--she will soon be working on the

borders--we are anxious to see the results.

Want to learn how to use this technique for your quilts--here is a tutorial.  This is definitely a
carry long project--

Holy SMokes!! Spindle CRANE??

Sheila Dixon of Hand Spinning News always has the neatest articles in her monthly newsletter!  There was this article in her March issue about Spindle Crane!  I'm like--What??  Holy Smokes!
This is something I need to investigate!  Taking a journey through the great world of the internet--I found interesting information about this innovative idea for spindle spinning from the hands of Adan Aikerman, who I found on Instagram.





Here is video of how this works!  I also found a group on Ravelry--Akerworks!  Man, the world of spindle spinning just got more creative and relaxing! This 'crane' is in testing phase now.

 "Adan got the idea to help allow spindle spinning while watching shows on the couch more relaxing. You simply place the AkerKate the edge of your coffee table or whatever is in front of you, place the spindle at the back of the pulley with the single going over the top of the pulley, give it a twirl, and draft in a position that would be similar to drafting at a wheel. The set up allows you to pull back your single and easily reach for the spindle when you need to give it another twirl or to wind on. As you spin the twist goes up and around the pulley. You can also pull the single towards you to help transition the twist if you aren’t getting the twist fast enough."  This quote from Evanita, moderator of the Ravelry.

Thanks Sheila for keeping us updated on timely matters!

Free Row By Row Quilt Pattern

Love To Make Quilts (Pat Sloan!) along with

American Patchwork and Quilting are offering

this free pattern.  This is just perfect!  I don't take

a subscription to the magazine anymore but

I did buy one issue with the beginning of the pattern

and then forgot to purchase the other issues.

Here is the solution!

The whole pattern right at their website for you

to sew!

Love the look of this quilt too!!  Nice Spring

or Summer quilt!

Are You Downloading?

Today begins 16 weeks of free--YES--FREE downloads of great audio books!

These are geared to young adults 13 + but I'm set to download them as well.

SYNC for all the details

First up is book by Oscar Wilde--what a read--

or in this instance--a listen!

Dawn Kurtagich 

presents "The Dead House"

Some of the books I'm familiar with but

others not.  

Well---BOO--To You!

Here's my latest stitching project..................

wondering what it will be?

Stay tuned to see how

Boo the Cat becomes a whole!

An Amy Bradley Design--

a project that has been years long in production

why?

Because--I'm not a purple person and

don't buy purple fabric; so I requested

purple fat quarters for my birthday exchange

awhile ago.

Onward to a finish now!!

Wool Applique

I joined a couple Wool groups--but, frankly, I don't know what I'm doing

with wool.  I'm following along with experienced folks who

give me hints on how to handle these patterns.

This one is from Buttermilk Basin's Mystery  

Live Each Season Block of the Month--it's block 4 already and

I'm just now getting to block one! I like the theme

seasons of the year, but I've really got to get more knowledge

how to get these pieces to work on my fabric

So, what is the best way to learn?  Go to Youtube

Here are instructions on using fusible web--but that didn't really work for me?  This is putting
wool to fabric, but I want to put wool to wool.
Here is one that uses freezer paper for applique--now, this might work for my projects.

This is baskets Quilts by Cheri ~ Friendship Group

on Facebook--just search for this group if you are

interested.  I tried to do this basket with paper piecing--

sort of worked--I was lazy and didn't draw off the

pattern with seam allowance.  Next basket block

I'll be not so lazy!!

Here is a free wool project from Primitive Gatherings--

very patriotic--monthly work along.

Off I go to work on my wool applique!

Place, Fuse, Flip, Sew.........................

Okay, this is Trip Around the World and all those

little pieces of squares look daunting, but

here is a cool and I do mean cool way to

save time and some frustration

when you need to piece small squares together.

Confessions of a Fabric Addict shows a perfect

way to get perfect seams without all that matching

and piecing.

Place your squares, Fuse to the background, Flip

and sew....

and there you have it!