Hi friends!
Today in our Exploring the Basics series, Tammy and I are chatting about paper piecing quilt blocks!
Paper Piecing Quilt Blocks
Paper piecing seems to be one of those techniques people feel very strongly about. Back in 2018, when Tammy and I were first starting to post blog posts together, we covered paper piecing.
I even called the post, Paper Piecing Quilt – Love it or Hate it?
It is a techniques Tammy loves. And she designs a lot of patterns that require paper piecing quilt blocks. You can design really intricate patterns if you plan to paper piece them!
I do paper piece sometimes; it is just not something I do a lot. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure it was something I wanted to do. I tried a few methods and it wasn’t until I found the method I use now that I really embraced paper piecing quilt blocks.
Do you have a favorite method?
Patterns using Paper Piecing
One of my patterns, called Spiral Galaxy, is a paper piecing pattern. Sometimes it just makes sewing the block easier. This is a great beginner class as the pieces are large and easy to make.
I have taught this pattern for guilds and besides being a great one to show paper piecing, it is a really fun block!
Block Challenges
Of course, what is so funny is that I have been participating in a block challenge on Instagram with a bunch of other talented designers. Another brainchild idea of mine and Tammy’s! As if we don’t already have enough blocks and quilts to make!
Anyway, last month the challenge was to take the basic Snowball Block and reimagine it. And guess what?
I paper pieced my changed up version!
Here are 4 blocks made into a mini quilt.
This is what a 16 block quilt would look like.
This month, the block is Rail Fence and guess how I making piecing my version of the block? Yup. Paper piecing. I can’t show you my version of that block yet, just my fabrics. The big block reveal is March 29 on Instagram.
You will get to see it here as well since Tammy and I are going to explore the Rail Fence block on our blogs March 31st!
If you want to try my method to paper piece quilt blocks, I have a free quilt block pattern on my website you can use.
BUT, first, click here for my blog post on paper piecing where I explain my method and then, click here for the free block pattern.
Then, you can click here for Tammy’s post; I am guessing she will share a lot of great patterns using paper piecing!
Next week in our A Quilter’s Alphabet series, Tammy and I are up to the letter O!
happy quilting!
Kate