Addicted to Paper Piecing? I think I might be!

It all started off so innocently.

Being asked to make a string quilt block using this tutorial.

When I first saw it I was horrified. Paper Piecing!! But the reality wasn't as bad as I'd anticipated and in the end the block turned out OK.

I then promptly forgot about it until I was Flickr-hopping looking for some inspiration for a couple of Halloween swap projects. I then stumbled upon Artisania and decided to take the plunge and use her Pumpkin/Jack-O-Lantern and Cat patterns.

I attempted the cat first and found out pretty quickly that these were going to a bit trickier than the string block to say the least!! It was all that back-to-front and upside down palaver that foxed me and my stitch ripper came into a bit of use I can tell you! But suddenly it all clicked, and I got them finished. I don't think it helped that I wanted to keep the backgrounds patchy and random but I am proud of how they look finished.

So with Christmas looming and another swap needed, it was back to Flickr-land where I stumbed upon Sewhooked. Jennifer has designed a whole heap of fabulous paper pieced patterns and I found the perfect ones to use.

Each individual block finished at @ 4" so some of the pieces were tiny which was a real challenge and with practice I'm sure that I'll be able to match the sections together much better.

I'm about to make another of Jennifer's blocks for her Batiks in Black Drawing. I'm using some brightly coloured batiks that I was kindly given by Flossyblossy.

UPDATE: The Batik block is finished!!

I have a Valentine Swap to make for so I may be getting the paper out again!!

A New Year - and a New Start.

As the more observant of you can see my blog has been a little neglected of late. It's not that I've not been busy - in fact I was still sewing on Christmas Eve - it's just that I couldn't see the point in blogging about any of it!

Reflecting on this, I came to the conclussion that it doesn't matter if I don't get any visitors or comments left, I should just use my blog as I think it should be used - as an on-line record of my crafty outcomes and achievements, with a bit of family life thrown in for good measure. Something to look back on in my old age which believe me is not that far away!

Over the past year I feel that I have grown quite a lot as a crafter. My first Quilting Bee - SC3 will be coming to an end in a couple of months (mine being the last one!!), and because I've enjoyed the experience and especially the commeraderie built up between us - I've joined another 3!!

I've taken part in numerous swaps - mostly organised by some wonderful quilters on Flickr - and I hope to continue to participate in 2010.

Other bright ideas I have are:

a) sorting and organising my craft room - but I have to visit Ikea first for a table

b) make sure I link my blog entries to my uploads on Flickr

c) getting my own website - or at least opening one or more online shops (e.g. Folksy, MISI)

d) actually turning some of the mountains of fabric I have into something beautiful/usable etc.

e) learn to quilt in something other than a straight line

and f) those perennial favourites - lose weight and get fitter!!

I'll leave you all for now with a picture of the kids wrapped up in the quilts I managed to sew together just in time for Santa's visit (but they still need quilting!) but I promise I will be back shortly to show what I got up to over the last couple of months of 2009.

Happy Crafting.