I'm still working on paper piecing "roses" for my latest project.
I'm not sure if the one on the far right will make it into the final quilt (at least not on the front of the quilt). It has a lot more contrast than the others which is not the look I am aiming for.
I set myself a challenge to make a quilt using a least a little bit of each of the fabrics from this group of scraps that I selected from a sale bin.
There was only one 2 1/2" strip of the dark pink on the left, so I had to combine it with the dark pink solid to make this block:
It seemed like a 2 1/2" strip of fabric that was 30 or so inches long should have been enough to create a 6 inch block, but paper piecing requires making oversized pieces to be sure you have enough to cover your seam allowances.
Here's an example of a before and after:
On the left is a finished block, and on the right are the pieces I cut to make it. Crazy, right? And just to show that I wasn't cutting pieces with a lot of extra, here is the pile of trimmings that came from making just one block:
You can see that there was not a lot of excess on any individual piece, but it all adds up.
Back to growing my garden....
These are going to be so pretty in a little quilt.
ReplyDeleteHello! I'm back on the blog after quite a hiatus, and was thrilled to see that your blog was the first on my list to read. These look great! I've known that paper piecing uses up more fabric, but seeing it like that shows just how much more! But those perfect points sure are worth it.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the waste for the perfect block you make. I think it's worth it! Your blocks are gorgeous! Love these colors!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great visual! This is exactly why paper piecing is not my favorite. Even when I cut the piece so big, something usually happens and when I turn back the new piece, it somehow doesn't cover enough. I'm loving your "roses" though. You never know, the darker one might just make things "sing." (But if I'm understanding your vision for the quilt, it may sing too loudly, or slightly off-key, right?)
ReplyDeleteWow--what a dramatic photo of the before and after. I'm thinking only the inner part of that block is too much contrast so maybe just try replacing that first if you decide the block can't go in your quilt.
ReplyDeleteLove them .the quilt is going to be so pretty .
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