Contagion and Addiction

Those are terribly alarming words to use for a quilting post title, but allowing myself to experiment with English Paper Piecing is nothing short of an addiction or being exposed to a contagious germ. The possibilities for beautiful blocks and infinite variety abounds. I fear I will, indeed, succumb to the allure of them. Even the packaging comes with a warning.

The block I have just finished is called a Lucy Boston block or Patchwork of the Crosses - better known as POTC by those firmly established in English Paper Piecing circles.

Placed this way, on point, the cross is clearly evident. I assume as I do more of these, I will get faster. Finishing this first one was quite a bit more time-consuming than I hope future ones will take. In other words, I hope there's a learning curve as I practice.

Placing the block square on a quilt offers an equally lovely look, but the cross is not quite so evident. I think depending on the design one makes with the fussy-cut fabrics, one or the other placement would be preferable; and the quilter will just know when she sees it, I suppose.

I find that I am in that all-too-familiar place where I have so many projects vying for my attention that I am not dealing with any of them. When this occurs, I make a list. In no particular order, I have the following projects to work on.

1, 2, and 3. The Work Shirt Quilts (yes, a third has been added)
4. July UFO - 16-patch blocks
5. June UFO - Heart Wall Hanging
6. May UFO - 9-patch Strippy
7. Borders on the Blue Churn Dash
8. Begin red & white quilt project with Sharon
9. Finish Snowbird Triangles
10. Sewing Supplies Carry-All
11. Reupholster Kitchen Chair
12. More POTC blocks

There's just never enough to do.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

I Caved

Bombarding me from every direction, it's a wonder I have managed to hold out as long as I have. Quilting friends have tempted me. Pictures on Pinterest tempt me, as well. What is the temptation? English Paper Piecing. The name of these versatile blocks is Points Patchwork of the Crosses, or Lucy Boston blocks. Just do a search of those terms on Pinterest and see what gorgeousness pops up. Endless examples, each beautiful in its own way. Infinite variety.(Sorry; I had been using the wrong name; all correct now.)

Yes, those fussy little templates and the stunning blocks that result have finally broken my resolve to skip this current quilting craze. I'd been given a packet of templates and fabrics; I'd both watched and overheard impromptu tutorials by avid devotees.

It all finally just wore me down.

I took some scraps from one of the work shirts I've been using and I fussy cut some 3/4-inch hexies and stitched them together to make a wreath. I envision finishing this with a string so that it could be used as a Christmas tree ornament. I made this on Saturday evening.

After considering it for about a day and a half, I decided that I would put a center in it, also a work shirt scrap. I probably should have looked for a bigger piece for the center so I could do a better job of centering the plaid, but eh, what the heck, it's my first one; I'll work that stuff out on future efforts.

Future efforts. Sigh. Yes, I suspect there will be future efforts. I fear that I am falling  in beyond the point of no return with this technique.

Happy Quilting, Friends!