In 2010 I created the first original Block of the month for Aurifil and it was so much fun we've done it ever year since! 2018 is the start of my 8th year running this super fun program. Learn more about how it works at our intro of the 2018 team
We get to paper piece this month with the very talented Jo Avery! I am immensely jealous of Jo's travels that inspired her block, and you'll love meeting her! Remember that each month Aurifil picks a Thread Kit winner from the blocks posted.
DOWNLOAD the pattern at the end of the interview and come right back as I have a tip for my block!.
At the end is a wee change to how to Enter your block in the challenge.
And Now for a few tips & all 3 of my blocks at the bottom!
I don't do a ton of paper piecing, so each time I need to concentrate a bit to get in the groove again.
One of the things we all end up doing sometimes is coming short on covering the area when we sew and flip the new piece. Working upside down and backwards is how I think of paper piecing. What I've found that helps are
- I cut a generous piece of fabric. I've stopped trying to be super frugal since honestly.. i have a lot of fabric and I'd rather not be frustrated.
- the other is this little trick. Working on the fabric side, I create a crease on the bottom piece what is the 'sewing line' on the paper. I just fold it and make that crease
- Place the next fabric you will sew, right sided together with the one you creased
- Be sure you extended past that fold line.
- Turn over to the paper side
- Pin on the line
- Hold up to the light to be sure you didn't shift
- Sew on the line!
Jo's block is awesome to try for your first Paper Piecing, Just follow her numbers for the sewing order!
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I really love these blocks together! I'm seriously considering making a quilt of those dresdens with the swan in the middle.. would you change the colors for each one? Maybe a wall hanging of 9 blocks.. mmmmm
If you are interested in taking a Paper Piecing class online, I recommend this one
BUY a Craftsy Class
The Goodies I used
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Each month the Interview, download & Challenge Block entry are done at the Aurifil Website.
Read My interview with Jo, pattern at end of the interview
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Prior Block INFO
Oliso iron, I have a coupon for you! use PATSLOAN20 for 20% off + free shipping. CLICK HERE.
Oh Scrap, the Book Tour + Giveaway!
When a friend creates a book that is so spectacular you want to make everything in it, and she asks you to be part of her book tour... you can't say 'yes' fast enough! Lissa Alexander is known a 'Moda Lissa'. She is the marketing director at Moda Fabrics and I've known Lissa since I started in the business back in 1998. She may not remember meeting me, but I remember meeting her!
Over the years you've seen Lissa's creativity in the fun projects that Moda puts out into the world for us. She does lots of behind the scenes work for the company to help the quilt shops share Moda fabrics with you. You see her writing at her website and Instagram.
Lissa is not new to publishing. She has created many collaboration books called 'Moda All-Star' books where she pulls together the theme, works with the designers, selects a charity for the royalities and much more to make these books a success. Lissa also worked with Jane & I to get fabric to the quilters for The Splendid Sampler and we are so lucky that she also designed a block for our book!
She is a prolific quilter.
Seriously this woman can out quilt anyone.. if there is an Quilting category in the Olympics, I'm betting on Lissa to win gold!
With all the work she has created for the magazines, for Moda fabrics lines, and the collaboration books, she still had ideas, crazy awesome ideas, enough ideas to fill her 'Oh Scrap' book! I asked Lissa a few questions about the book.
1- When you created your block for our Splendid Sampler book, you said you wanted to create a whole quilt with it. When did you start sewing your Splendid Scraps quilt, during our event or was it later?
I was making the block in two different color ways so I had several strips cut and laid out on the design wall. Made the block color way assigned to me and sent off the block. The actual quilt was later and kind of by accident.. I had sewn several four patches together to play with color for my blocks they were pinned on my design wall. I had the additional color way block also hanging there. Little by little I made a few extra center blocks so I would be ready to share about my block when the Splendid Sampler book came out. Then I thought I would sew all the 6" blocks into a pillow or I could do this or Could do that, but I make quilts not all that other stuff so I just built off my center blocks much like you would work around the center of a log cabin.
2- When you designed Surround, it was first released in American Patchwork & Quilting and there was a huge sew along to make this quilt. I kicked myself over and over for not making my own. Since you had the opportunity to see so many versions, if you were to make a 2nd one, what colors would you use?
OH I would make a Christmas version inspired by Haley of Happinessinthemaking (see it here) . There are so very many cool options that I have a pinterest board https://www.pinterest.com/
3- Your book is about using scraps, do you have any idea of the oldest piece of fabric in your collection? If you do, will you ever use it?
I have purged, donated, pieced quilt backs, sewn charity quilt so I don't really have old pieces in my collection. Or what I would consider OLD. There was one of my favorite pieces from Sweetwater that I would use over and over. Once I got down to sewing my last little piece of it I took a pic and sent it to them to say please, please add this piece to one of your future collections. Since then I have found more of this I haven't bothered them. So yes I am a quilt designer stalker also. The oldest piece of fabric in the book is a piece in my Friendship Blues quilt. I had asked some of my quilty friends to send me a square of blue fabric. Maggi Honeyman sent me a wonderful blue fabric from the 1800's.
Taking Lissa's Splendid Scraps block, I got out a bag of small pieces that I used when making my Splendid Sampler quilt. It was late one evening when I started this but I knew I just had to make a block.
I went with All lights and pops of red for the chain.
I can really see a whole quilt of this, I've never done a whole quilt this light!
BUT....
I really could not wait for that to happen to enjoy this and all the wonderful memories that those special fabrics have.
As I cut each one I thought about the Splendid Sampler sew along and how much Lissa helped us in that project.
So made one block into a pillow to enjoy!
I think it looks fabulous with my Triangle quilt on the wall and strawberries on the couch!
Lissa and I in front of the Splendid Sampler 100 block quilt!
You will definitely want to add Lissa's book to your library, and I spotted it on sale right now
BUY 'Oh, Scrap!' you are going to love it!
NOW I have a e-book of 'Oh,Scrap!' to giveaway!
What type of Scrap quilter are you?
Everything goes, or more controlled?
or maybe you don't make scrap quilts at all!
Leave a comment by the 8pm est of 3-26- 2018.
Winner is Tanna who said "I love scrappy!! Love the name of the book!"
(no url is needed, leave it blank)
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The Band.. I mean Book... Tour, i think we need t-shirts!
CLICK to read the legal sweepstakes stuff I'm required to tell you.
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