F-10, F-11. F-12. F-13

 All finished!!

This row didn't take ultra long.  I did a good bit of it by machine, and made a couple of blocks twice.  but I learn more about this every block I make.  Now for the chore of sewing them together.. I think I am going to apply them three rows at a time, so I don't wear out the first 5 rows with constant handling. 

 The last four blocks

 F-10

I completely paper pieced this block.  I fussy cut the center star from a different fabric.  It was easy.  I tried to use fabric choice to make it special

 F-11

THIS block.... this was my second attempt

 I really tried to do it the way this modified block was presented by Paperpieces.  I just guess that I don't have it in me to get those divided darts to go into sharp points.  They are done this way to make setting in the corner squares.  I just wasn't happy with it.  I didn't like my choice of light fabric.  But if it had gone together easily, I would have left it. 

 Anyway, the only way to set those squares into this area is to clip down to nothing and having it eventually coming apart.  Or to do it like Jane did, and hand piece it, with 1/4" seams and y seams.  OR  do it like I did.  APPLIQUE.  Now, I will admit, that I would like set in seams, and maybe I will try to do it on a future block, but this looks okay, and once the papers are out and it is quilted, I figure that you would have to study it to tell.  The picture above shows the steps that I took to make a dart. 

 F-12

I did the darts and triangles the exact same way.. applique, rather than try to make them with the divided pieces.  It came out fine.  That background fabric is old and it is one of my favorite prints.

F-13

This block was all applique.  I used "Perfect Circle" templates.  I probably could have used perfect leaves for the others.  Maybe I'll get some sometime.  I made my own out of mylar.  I made these before I thought of the applique paper.  I figure at least the circles done this way are better..

F-6, F-7, F-8, F-9

 F-6

The most difficult thing about this block was the applique in the center.  Otherwise, the four corner blocks were machine paper pieced and applied to card stock the block was finished with EPP

 F-7

This block was completely machine paper pieced and applied to a 4.5 paper, and finished with EPP

F-8

This block was entirely EPP.  Apparently this was a block that was supposed to be included in the Paperpieces booklet. When the pieces are laid out on the guide, it doesn't look like the borders are long enough.  I saw a correction somewhere, and just made them like they should be.. Just remember to keep the two long pieces (white) and the two short pieces (white) together and every directional piece pointing the correct way.  It WILL fit together!

 

F-9

This block was completely EPP and Applique.  Even though I put the applique on last, it STILL looks awful.  I don't care.  This was my second attempt.  When the whole quilt is together, hopefully I will be the only one that notices

Onto the last four!!

F-3, F-4, F-5

 F-3

This was an easy block.  I machine paper pieced all of it and then glued it onto 4.5 inch paper square.  

 F-4

 This was also an easy block.  I machine paper pieced this one also and glued it onto 4.5" square paper

F-5

This one was a little more difficult.  It is modified from the original for EPP.  the center red and the white pieces are all EPP and then appliqued onto the red fabric and then it was all glued to a 4.5" paper square.


At this point, I have 2 blocks to finish and I will be done with this row.  I did some out of order because of combining techniques.

I did finally break down and buy a Large package of 4 1/2 in squares  It was just easier than digging out card stock to do it.  plus, I can only get one out of an 8.5 x 11 sheet so it is also wasteful.  I know these are spot on for size.

Keep stitching,
Teri

ROW F1 AND F2

 F-1

I only made this block twice.  

The first time, I went all EPP  I thought that doing it by hand I would have better control over the points that meet in the center.  Nope.  Finally I did what I should have done in the first place and I paper pieced the center, I applied that to card stock and EPP the triangles on adding the applique by hand last.  I used the method by Jyl Poole,  APPLIQUE TECHNIQUES FOR EPP

I had never tried this before.  The only difference in what I did is I used these papers:

I've been clearing a bunch of stuff out in my sewing room and I came across these.  Kind of like a stiff interfacing, fusible on one side.  You substitute the applique papers, in this case diamonds, for this.  I drew on the design, and glued the seam allowance.  I stitched them down..  The best part is, I NEVER have to remove the papers!  They also make the piece easier to hand applique because it is thinner and more flexible. 

F-2

UGH!! Center points!!  I realize that I am a perfectionist.  the block looks fine, but I really hate the the points don't come together perfectly!  But I don't hate it enough to do it over.

As you can see, this one was also all machine paper pieced, and I applied the finished block to card stock to EPP.  If you do all EPP be aware that there are many DIRECTIONAL PIECES.  in the paper set, so mark accordingly.  

That's it.. I have a few blocks done for this row, but I am blogging in order.  Stay tuned for the next blocks in the row!

ROW F BLOCK PREP

The first thing I do is make copies of all of the blocks.. from the book and then from the booklet that comes from each packet.  Luckily, my husband has a little copier in our home office.

I cut them all to actual size and mark the color placement. If it is a modified for EPP block, I put the original image in the bag also.  Sometimes, it is possible to make the original version partially using machine paper piecing.  I include it just in case.  I then sort out the bag of pieces and put the block and the pieces into a ziploc bag with the number of the block.

I put stickers on the bag that indicate if I want to mix a technique to make the block.

If you are to this row.. a little heads up

BLOCK F-7 ALERT!  - I have notice putting this one together that a couple of the border pieces are too long.. I'll figure it out.. it is a little sawtooth star.  I may machine piece it anyway.  

BLOCK F-8  ALERT!
When you lay out the pieces matching them to the block, you will notice that a couple of the border pieces fall short.  I found a correction by Paperpieces on Facebook saying that there was an error, but that if they are laid together, they will measure out to 4.5"  this is correct.  I haven't made the block yet, but I laid out just the pieces of the border and they DID measure 4.5"  so no worries..

BLOCK F-9 ALERT!
The paper pieces(leaves) for the center were actually modified for EPP  but they missed putting it into the booklet.. 

E-10, E11, E-12, E-13

E-1O

This block was fairly simple.  The background is a simple four patch block.  So I just pieced this on my machine.  I then appliqued on the two leaves and glued the whole piece onto a 4.5" piece of card stock for EPP

E-11

This block was a little more complicated.  I wasn't crazy about how the EPP pattern was done.
but you need to do it certain ways to do it that way.  I thought about it, and since I also have the EQ software, I was able to make my own pattern

 These are my fabric pieces along with the EPP pieces.. It was intended that the center was to be appliqued onto the circle then onto the 4.5 with the quarter circles appliqued onto the corners. 

 I appliqued this into the center of  a fabric square.

I then laid the blue frame over top and reverse appliqued the circle around the center part

 I also reverse appliqued the corner circles.  so instead of being appliqued on top, they are behind the blue.
It was a difficult block, I'm not totally unhappy about how it turned out.

E-12

I really dislike doing EPP triangles.  To top it off these were tiny triangles. But it is all EPP and best of all, finished!!

E-13

I made the two half square triangles using thangles and my machine then glued them onto card stock.  But otherwise, it is EPP

On the dark corner triangles, I glued 2 sides down then left the seam allowance a little longer so that I could center them and baste them to the block which is ultimately, appliqued to a larger piece that is then glued to 4.5 square card stock

Before I started hand applique, I machine hasted all of the block down so it wouldn't shift.  Worked out great.

I hope that these tips help you or at least give you ideas of your own!!


I have row F Prepped, so the next post will be about that.  As soon as I have all of the photos ready.


Keep Stitching!! You'll finish!!

E-6, E-7, E-8, E-9

 E-6

I made this one last year.  Out of order.  I just had an idea with the fabric so I did it.  Fairly straightforward, but I need to rethink using directionals. 

 E-7

this one was modified from the original for EPP.  I used Thangles to piece the HST, otherwise, EPP and applique

E-8

This block was modified for EPP.  It was tedious to make.  I tried to think of other techniques I could use to make it easier, but I didn't really come up with anything.  But it turned out okay considering all of the 1/2" squares

 E-9

This one is appropriately titled "Quilt Jail".  I make mine like the original block by combining  machine paper piecing  and EPP. I sewed together the block, then applied it to 4.5" card stock to finish by EPP

I have all but 2 of the row finished, but I made them out of order.  When I finish them up I will post the rest of the row. 

E-1-,E-2, E-3, E-4, E-5

Hi Everyone,
I have had to take a short break in the current row to get a ton of Christmas sewing done.  I still have almost the whole row finished.  I will start posting some photos.  I'm glad that the holidays are almost over aren't you?

 E-1

this is the original version  I fussy cut the leaves .  Tacked them in the middle before I appliqued them down  even then, it is hard to get them perfect.  I basted the pieces to the background to stabilize them before I appliqued them down then cut a slit in the back to remove the papers. 

 fold background and press.  this gives you placement lines to place the leaves.

leaves tacked together

 E-2

I have so much trouble with the applique pieces.  This was okay, they could have been crossed a little better, and if I had it to do over I probably would have picked a different background print. 

 E-3

This is the original version.  I used Thangles to make the HST and then combined techniques for EPP

 E-4

This one was modified from the original for EPP  Just remember that the pieces are DIRECTIONAL, so mark accordingly

 E-5

Pieced like the original, I machine paper pieced the rays and then used a PERFECT CIRCLES 
for the center applique.  The center can be cut away to reduce bulk since it will be covered anyway.   

TOP BORDER 10-11-12-13

I recently took a couple of my quilts to a long arm quilter.  I took what I had done on my DJ.  She said that it begs to be hand quilted.  And it would be difficult to long- arm quilt because of all of the stopping and starting required.  It took me a while for me to comprehend what she was saying about "the seams being pressed open, but now I get it. An EPP block is basically seams open because of the way it was pieced.  Normal machine piecing has the seams pressed to the side, so that makes it possible to stitch in the ditch on blocks like that.  It makes sense that you wouldn't want to run a big needle in the ditch in EPP blocks because it would break stitches.

I have a while to think about it, but there is no way that I would hand quilt this.  I just don't have the strength in my hands any more.  So, I think this will be one of those quilts that I will need to baste up and machine quilt myself.  Ive taken this long to piece it, I figure I can quilt a few blocks a day and eventually finish it.  But I have at least a year to go before I will get to that point, so I have a while to think about it.

Now, onto the last of the top border

  T-10

This one was a pain in the neck to make.  Many DIRECTIONAL pieces, mostly on the edges.  The most important thing is getting the points to match.  I generally do that by starting my stitching at the points and working out

T-11

I was missing many pieces out of the package for this row.  I had to make some of them.  I don't know if that is what made it so difficult to put this block together.  Obviously there are DIRECTIONAL pieces, so be aware and mark them accordingly.

T-12

This was the easiest triangle of the whole row.  Basically, just applique the leaf onto the background fabric and then glue to the background card stock.  the leaf was positioned this way, but if I had to do it over again, I would turn it so it looked like the top of the leaf is pointed to the tip of the triangle.

T-13

With this block the ovals and second row of triangles are appliqued on first.   There are directional pieces along the edge. 

So my top row of triangles are finished.  I worked on something every day and it took me about one month to finish the row and sew it together. 

Now I'm going back to do a few rows of blocks.  Row E is next.


Happy Stitching!  T