English Paper Piecing & Applique Rejoice!

A few weeks ago, I found a great product on Amazon...tested it and have been using it for applique foundation. It is a wee bit "outside the box" but works great for me. I've been glue (washable children's glue stick) basting applique shapes and hand stitching them together to create all kinds of applique shapes.

Even small items are working great (can you just spy the little bird's tail in the upper left corner of this photo?). What has been really wonderful is that I've been able to use this foundation and not have to sew baste anything! No freezer paper either! Plus, no REMOVING it after the applique shapes are sewn into place...because it starts out stiff enough to fold the fabric seam allowance over nicely; THEN, softens up when it is washed! How great is that!

Just so you know...I'm NOT getting any type of kick-back for this...just wanted to share a good idea! This is designed for use in machine embroidery hoops. It comes in sheets (see above Amazon.com writeup)...and in a large roll (see below Amazon.com writeup).

Then, today...while browsing on Pinterest I stumbled across a design in English Paper Piecing that I had not really seen before. I know...it's been around for ever but I've obviously been "under a rock" as or just didn't pay attention to all of the folks excited about Lucy Boston Quilt Block posts. Check these designs out (borrowed from Pinterest; these are not my work...just so you know THAT fact up front).

So, I'm thinking..."Why not cut the foundation sheets in this shape...glue-baste the fabrics on top (with seam allowance included)...then fold the seam allowance to the back and glue-baste them down) just as though they were applique shapes? All that is needed then is to sew them together in the fashion of English Paper Piecing (but no paper to remove later!!). 

I'm cutting out my shapes...and giving this a go! Will post later next week with the results. ;)

Totally Bummed Out!

While looking for a piece of "novelty" fabric this morning...I opened a box that had been sitting at the bottom of my storage cabinet for a while...thinking it was fabric. Nope, well almost...it was my Erin Russek "Jingle" quilt blocks and fabric. 

The reason that I'm bummed out is 1) I had forgotten about this project as it had been put away "only for a few weeks" as I begin working on my books (This was way back in 2012); 2) When my external drive crashed last year ALL of my free BOM block downloads from Erin's blog were on that drive; 3) The blog and Etsy shop of Erin's don't include this older pattern. 

I've sent her an email and hope that she still has the other block patterns and will sale them to me so I can finish up this project. 

Just when I think I'm over losing so many files...I find something that I "REALLY" need. Bummer!

Basic Machine Piecing Class Happening...

I've been having a wonderful time with the Basic Machine Piecing Class that I'm teaching at the local Community Center. New quilters and quilters that have stopped...but want to get back to it have made a nice little group of six ladies...all eager to learn! We are having a great time!