Sunday, March 20, 2016

Eternal Paper Piecing Projects

I have a tendency to start projects without a plan.  Things that don't have patterns, but are interesting. And I'm ok with this!  For me, quilting is more about the process than the final result.  A few years ago, there was a talk at our knitting guild that discussed how people either are either focused on having results or feel satisfied merely by the doing.  I'm a process quilter!

Yesterday I pulled out all kinds of my 'Eternal Paper Piecing Projects'.  I don't know what motivated me, but I was ready to 'move the needle' (a phrase people use at my work!) on a few things. I was working on 5 different projects at once!! Bananas! But as long as I was paper piecing one project, might as work on others.  It's hard to alternate between 'regular' stitching and paper piecing, because it is too much to change the stitch length back and forth.


At my January retreat, I started a project that makes me question my sanity.  It's a log cabin diamond pattern from "Little Bits".  I've done 2 other patterns by them and really loved the results.  The diamond shape definitely adds a bit more difficulty! I decided to use the scraps from the many yellow and grey quilts that I've made in the last 2 years.  In the picture below, the middle diamond is from January and I started the other 2 yesterday.  There are 24 diamonds in the final pattern! I don't know what I have gotten myself into!! =O


Another project I worked on yesterday was my 'Little Ladies'.  I'm not sure exactly when I started this? 2008? (yes! I looked in my blog history!) The little ladies went missing for a bit after my move last summer. They turned up in a box that hadn't been unpacked yet.  I thought it would be fun to put them up on the design wall and see how they have progressed. I have a few more light background than I do dark, so I decided to work on a another dark background yesterday.  They look animated and fun when they are in their parts waiting for the final block assembly! =)



I've had these trees for a while.  Some of them were not 100% completed, so I finished those up.  I have patterns for quite a few more, but I don't have very much of the grey in large pieces (but I have a ton of little chunks from trimming up another quilt).  What to do?  I could try and order more of the Moda Bella that I used? I know the dye might not match up perfectly? I could make more with black? I saw a cool pattern on Pinterest that might be a fun layout, where the trees are spaced far apart with quite a bit of negative space.  For now I will let them age!



And the last eternal paper pieced project I'll share today is my micro-itty-bitty pineapples.  Of course I can't seem to find a photo of the other colors I've made.  I have quite a few others completed- 10? There was a purple and I'm pretty sure it committed suicide by falling off my design wall into the garbage!! =O  The grey has been sitting half finished for quite a long time (notice a trend!!).  This photo is still not complete-- It needs another piece on each corner. The clover clip and foot are there for an idea of scale.  These guys are super tiny!


Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.


xoxo

10 comments:

  1. Love your projects! I love the process of piecing too. But I sew with DD#4 who is all about the finished product. She is trying to get me to work on UFOs.

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  2. I think we are kindred quilting spirits! Loved reading your post and seeing your wonderful photos :)

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  3. Love all your paper piecing projects, but especially the tiny pineapples!

    For the tree dilemma I would buy more grey fabric in two or three different shades. That way the backgrounds would range from light grey to black, and you can call it a design decision rather than admitting you started a project without having all the materials needed to finish it. Not that it's ever happened to me or anything. ;)

    Andrea in St. Louis

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  4. Ohhhhh, I love those little ladies!! You have some great projects going on!!

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  5. Lots of great projects. So pretty.

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  6. I love tiny piecing! Your blocks are wonderful. Those little ladies are pretty amazing, can't wait to see more!

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  7. Kristin you are a bit crazy but in a good way! How in the world do you keep it all straight working on so many different projects at once? All those PP blocks look wonderful! You made me laugh about the purple block committing suicide with its waste basket dive. That is one itty bitty pineapple!

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  8. You have a great way of looking at things, you enjoy the journey. I especially like your little ladies and your trees.

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  9. Your diamonds are sweet! I do so admire paper piecing, but it's just not for me. The little ladies are simply adorable, too. And those trees?!!! So pretty!

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  10. I am impressed by all your projects. I am not a fan of doing paper piecing but I like the results, especially for wonky type designs. I love your ladies. Having that checkerboard background does add a lot of whimsy - certainly appealing. Your trees are also reminding me that I downloaded a forest paper piecing pattern that I am timid to start but will some day soon. I enjoyed reading your post. Thank you.

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