EPP sew along

Today I pulled out a small EPP project; again one of the patterns from Katja Marek's new book called The New Hexagon.

It is made from just one block sewn down to a felt backing to use as a candle mat.

I am getting ready for the Millefiore Quilt Along that anyone can participate in!  All you need is to get your own copy of the book, and then register on Katja's web page.  She will email you instructions for a rosette each month!  The first one starts in just a few days, January!

This is a sneak peak of some of the rosettes that she has photos of posted on her instagram feed,

aren't they pretty?  The first months rosette is the largest... 

If you want to register, just go to www.katjasquiltshoppe.com/the-new-hexagon:

If you need the book, I think we have copies at the store, and more on order.  

I am really looking forward to getting started!   Hope you decide to join up!  Oh, yes, and there is an instagram tag if you want to view the progress of other participants too--- #thenewhexagonmillefiorequiltalong

Happy stitching!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Over the past few days, we've started to do a bit of Christmas decorating, 

which of course involves a ten foot tree

its a bit dark there in parts, some of the lights turned out to be ones that blink off and on, 

lots of small critters hiding in there too

Of course we need to dress up some regulars

nothing beats the red white and green

I might even get inspired to bake cookies, 

Dresden Plate Monster quilt

Well, after a concerted effort, today i finished the machine quilting on this monster... 

(You probably know that feeling where you've got so many different projects on the go that you just have to try to finish something!  It's been creeping up on me and I am going to try to get some of these projects finished off before the year end!)

I know that Ive blogged about this quilt quite a bit in the past, but its not very often that I tackle a king sized quilt, and this is the first one that I have ever done the quilting on.  it took a long time!   (plus I did it in add-on sections)

Anyway, even though there are puckers and erratic stitching, it is now ready for the last stretch, the binding.   I will need to go buy something for that, and I am thinking about going with a medium blue or that green thats used in the dresden plate locks..   It might come down to whatever is available. 

Maybe I will get this one done before Christmas! 

Progress with the EPP

As the title today declares, I am making some progress with my English Paper Piecing project from the book The New Hexagon, by Katja Marek.   So far I have stitched up twelve little blocks:

there is quite a range in terms of different combinations of fabrics and shapes from one block to another,  although I can see which colours seem to be my favorites.

I am Still pondering what to do with them

Right now they are like little jewels...

I have also been thinking about whether there might be interest in forming a paper piecing club/club in the new year.   it would be something like a once/ month time... any suggestions or feedback?  

English Paper Piecing with glue

There is a great new book out by Canadian author Katya Marek, called the New Hexagon:

it has patterns for 52 pieced hexagons for English Paper Piecing, which is a hand sewing technique wgere you bastefabrics over paper templates and then hand stitch the pieces together with a whip stitch.   Later you remove the paper templates, leaving just the pieced block.  

Making these are surprisingly relaxing.  you just photocopy the patterns on to cardstock and cut them apart to get your templates, 

the best thing I learned is that you can use this little glue pen to attach the fabrics to the paper templates.  I had seen this before with a regular glue stick, but this one is only 1/4" wide, and the glue goes on blue but dries clear so you can see where you've applied it.  (nb. apparantly Roxannes Glue Baste it does not work well for this)

I am an enthusiastic convert.  I did all these 24 pieces in 10 minutes!  If I had basted them with thread it probably would have taken a couple of hours.

i did enough templates at one sitting for several blocks that are ready to stitch together...

Im not sure yet how i will combine the blocks... the book has several ideas, but i think i will make blocks until I get tired of making them, and then see how many I have

Im just using a pile of happy bright colors from my stash.... perfect for a day thats overcast outside.

I love english Paper Piecing, and now I love it even more!