Leap into PAPER-piecing!!

Kathleen and her amazing paper piecing!!

So many options... so many directions to take this method...

Beautiful points... time and again!

Thanks Kathleen for a sharing your love of paper-piecing.  Some of her favorite patterns and aides come from Carol Doak, Peggy Martin, and Alicia's Attic.

Many times the unit that you start out with looks nothing like the finished block combination!

The most important thing that Kathleen told us... if you learn nothing else from this recap... is this

Printed side= Sewing side  

Blank side= Fabric side

Ok, just let that sit with you for a bit... let it settle in

Another way to use paper piecing methods-- is Foundation fabric!!!  Then you don't have to pick out all those pesky pieces of fuzzy paper. (just pretend that you can see that fabric I am holding up is the foundation for this great "Hunter's Star" quilt)

A lovely, complicated-looking quilt, made much easier using foundation piecing!!  Paper piecing can be done with many of the tools you use for regular piecing.  If you have scissors, a ruler, a rotary cutter and a sewing machine, you will be off to a great start!  Kathleen finds that the "add-a-quarter" ruler is a great help when trimming up your seam allowances.  I am sure that we will have plenty of time at the Sew day on March 24, to try some paper piecing.... some one will help you get started on the right path!  Remember: Printed side= Sewing side, Blank side= Fabric side----- Oh Yea!

Isn't it magical how 10 short minutes can change these, ho-hum, brown paper SWAP bags in to -----

This beautiful assortment of RED goodies?!

Kesch got a WHOLE mess of Bee blocks back!  They looked so pretty out there on the table, I swear I DID NOT put the missing ones in to my camera bag--- even though I really LOVE that Moda cross weave... nope, NOT in my bag!

On to SHOW AND TELL:  ONE POUND CHALLENGE!!

A few of our members got together in October and decided to collect a pound of one color and then swap our half of that with a partner--- the results so far have been AMAZING!!!

Kesch vs. Agnes!

and they are hiding--- but that is Deanna and Wanda!!  I declare them all winners!!  Because they each finished a quilt!! (someday Jessica, someday!)

WAIT-- I did finish something!!  This little Doll Quilt that I started in 2010.  My husband said it looked Southwestern, and I just couldn't look at it after that.

(Me and my Southwestern Beauty!)

(Me and my Southwestern Beauty!)

Pat taught herself to applique with this Bunny Hill Designs pattern-- those squirrels are SO cute!

Wanda was on FIRE with another quilt finish-- a commissioned grey/black/yellow combo with a sweet pillow!

Kelly called this one "Simple and Finished is best!"

And it certainly was beautiful with it the addition of the BIG hand stitched squares in the owl blocks.

Another scrappy finish--- I just love that peachy pink in the alternate squares

so 1930's!

Denise brought in a colorful scrap quilt... I wonder if her scrap bins are getting empty yet?

Agnes shared her experience with a miracle potion.  She bought this quilt from a Designer... and the first time she washed it the reds and oranges gave off huge color halos in the white.  Broken hearted, Agnes went to her friendly neighborhood quilt store and was told that Synthrapol was just what she needed to turn her frown, back to a smile

Sure enough it did-- and now she's a believer!

Jen finished a quilt top designed by our own Katie Aaberg.  A fun block design that you can turn this way and that to get a fun quilt top for a little one.

Kesch was in super sassy mode, because she made not 1 BUT 2 awesome bags this past month (the superman one is so awesome that it blurred my shot!!)

She also finished a Super bowl -- jellyroll race quilt.  It looks pretty fun and I am sure that this activity will come back to play with us on an up coming SEW DAY!

Judy, with only ONE guild meeting under her belt, came back this month having finished 6 projects this month!!!  GO JUDY GO!!! This one, a lovely bag.

And this a beautiful rainbow rail fence variation!

WHAT A MONTH!!!   Great enthusiasm people!!  I needed to get together.  I loved seeing all that you made and getting a creative boost to LEAP me in to March!
Thanks again to Kathleen for the paper piecing demo!!

--Jessica