I made two more purple blocks this last week,
to add to the ones I made the week before.
Furthermore, I've been struggling with paper piecing one of the blocks in the 1930's Farmer's Wife, which I'm making along with a group of other (much better!) quilters at my LQS, QuiltersPalet in The Hague. I've wasted so much fabric trying to keep the outside edges of the block straight on the fabric grain. I wonder if it's really necessary when I'm stitching to paper anyway. What do you think? Keep the edges on the straight of grain at all costs, or not?
I've also managed to appliqué a circle each day for the Quilty 365 project. It's becoming difficult to find fabrics I haven't used already. I'll be posting more about this project next Friday.
This weekend I'll be linking up to
and to 
For more scrappy fun click the buttons above on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Happy sewing
Marly.
19 comments:
Love these pretty purple blocks Marly.... I think purple is a really beautiful colour and I know you like it too... these fabrics are lovely. As far as the paper piecing and keeping the pieces straight with the grain of the fabric, I don't think you should worry too much when paper piecing. A lot of times you would use scraps of fabric for this technique and may not even be able to tell the grain of the fabric. Why not just try one without matching the grain of the fabric and see if it stretches out of shape or not. Good luck! Have a very happy Easter! Christine x
I don't worry about grain lines at all with paper piecing, just keep the papers on as long as possible and everything will stay nice and straight. Love the bear's paw blocks!
Love the BearPaw blocks! When it comes to paper piecing, Direction of fabric doesn't matter. Just DON't take the paper off until your blocks are all sewn together. Good luck.
These bear paw blocks will make a beautiful rainbow quilt. Don't worry about the grain when doing paper piecing. The paper will help to keep evething straight. Happy weekend.
I really love your Bear Paw blocks, and I'm really really looking forward to the eventual quilt!
I don't have any paper-piecing advice to offer, since I haven't done any, but what I've read about it agrees with the previous commenters' advice. Go for it!
Love all your black and whites in the Bear's Paw blocks! I wouldn't worry about the grainlines too much. They become such a hodge-podge within the block that the edges ultimately won't matter. Just keep the paper on until they're joined together and they should be fine. Also, a little spray starch once it's together never hurts!
I've tried paper piecing only once and didn't fell in love with the process as I was wasting a lot of fabric too. So I can't help you there. Your bear paws blocks are just gorgeous. Love them. Good luck with the PP project. ;^)
I wish I could verbally walk you through how to do it easily... straight grain on edges is important when you tear the paper off. However if you sew blocks together before removing paper they'll be protected except on the outsides. Maybe I should do a wee video... LeeAnna
Pretty blocks! Good advise on paper piecing. Another thing - when pressing wait for it to cool before sewing again. Your block will come out too small if you sew again while hot.
Beautiful bear blocks. I have tried paper piecing and didn't care for it Especially noting how I wasted so much fabric to make a block.
Keep those scrappy Bear Paw blocks coming. I love them all!!!
You've got some great advice here, so hang in there! I'm envious of your collection of b/w fabrics.
Good to Take advantage of what other people know about paper piecing, so it was fun to read all of the comments! When I have done a big paper piecing project, I have left the paper on until all of the blocks were done, so guess I was on the right track. Still loving your bear paw blocks, too!
I love your double Bear Paw blocks...I see two bear paws within the block, no? Very cool. This was the first block I learned how to do (pre-rotary cutter) when I got dragged into making a quilt block by my then-10-year-old daughter! Grain lines drives me nuts with pp too, but starch is your friend, and no steam, just a gentle press. I now do paperless pp (I know! but it's awesome) and so I have started to enjoy the process more. I did leave it for several years because of fabric wastage.
I love these blocks and look forward to seeing them all together in a quilt. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
The Bear Paw blocks are beautiful. I like the two rows of black and white you added to the sides. I don't worry about grain line when I'm paper piecing, sometimes it's just no possible to keep up with where each piece needs to go when you cut them out.
Bear Paw is a good choice for RSC blocks. So far I've just been doing string blocks because I can't settle on a particular block I want to do with my scraps.
BTW, thanks for stopping by my blog today.
I like the idea of quilt of bear paws done in different colours. Yours look wonderful!! I have never paid any attention to the fabric grain while paper piecing and never had any problem. I say don’t worry about it. Keep the paper on as long as possible.
-Soma
Yourd black and white fabrics look perfect with your purples and I love Bear Paw with all the squares in the centre "pad".
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