Diamonds, Triangles, Octagons...Oh My !

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times...I hate not having projects to keep me busy in the evenings.  I'm not much of a night quilter these days, so it's important for me to keep my hands (and mind) busy at night.

Finding something to fill the hours wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Enter EPP! I never thought I would love English Paper Piecing as much as I do.  I tried something new, and liked it.  So I'll say: 'try something new'...you just never know, you may like it!

26" x 26" x 26"

With enough Denyse Schmidt 'Florence' left over, diamond stars seemed like a good use of those scraps.  I printed 1" diamonds for the stars not really knowing where I was going or what I was wanting to accomplish.  It's all about keeping my hands busy, so it really didn't matter.   

Once I had the stars finished, I stitched them together.  It still needed more.  Did I want to keep it a hexagon?  Should I make it bigger?

Bigger it is!  I had pulled out more Denyse Schmidt (Hadley) for the corner stars, and kept making those diamonds!  Not only did I run out of prints, I ran out of brown.  I wanted to take the brown around the entire triangle, but I was six diamonds short!

It worked out in the end.  I love how it came together!  And how about that back?! I'm always amazed, maybe mesmerized with the back of paper pieced projects!  Plus, it's fun popping those papers out in the end.

The real test was yet to come.  I got it this far, what the heck am I going to do now?  I pulled grey, Kona Bone and orange fabric and hoped it would be obvious. It wasn't.  I was stuck. Instagram to the rescue!  I posted a picture with my dilemma, and the response was amazing! So much help and advice!  

What did I do?  This is the scary part!  For some reason mitered corners came to mind. Mitered corners!  I've tried it unsuccessfully one time, it was not my favorite technique.  But I was determined.  Besides, this is the year to learn more techniques and new things!  

The grey is 1/4" and the orange is 1/2", all mitered and semi-perfect!

When I got to this point the next real decision was do I leave it a triangle, as a mini quilt or build around it and make it square?  It didn't take but a second to decide. It's staying as is! I liked the idea of having it be a unique shape.  Something different to keep it interesting!  

I was excited when it came time to quilt this.  Perhaps one of the first times I didn't hesitate and think about it.  Were going straight line geometric all the way! 

If you were going to start a new EPP project, what would it be?  I'm looking for more ideas... 

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Diamond Quilt Finished!

Briar Rose.  Paper Piecing.  Diamonds.  Goal Achieved.  I am so happy with this quilt! Making goals and achieving them is so rewarding!  Paper piecing has been on that 'list' for some time now.  This was the perfect pattern to hone my paper piecing skills.  I certainly highly recommend it for those who want to learn or those who want a fun block to make!

I first blogged about this Diamond quilt here:  Diamond In The Rough. You can get a good idea on the process.  This post:  Hitting A Goal has links for the pattern!

Putting the blocks together wasn't so bad.  Paper piecing is great for perfection...or nearly perfect in my case!  Regardless...I'm happy with it!

60" x 85"

I ended up making 96 blocks.  Each one 5" x 10".  Bordered with white and a spring green and finished with a white binding.  

Quilting it was challenging!  I had this idea...which failed big time!  Have you ever started quilting a quilt, but it didn't seem right?  And instead of stopping right then and there...you go a little more thinking maybe it will work?  Yep, that's exactly what I did!  Instead of only having to rip out a few lines, I had twice as many to rip out!  Lesson learned!  When you think it looks bad, it is!

I ended up doing a pretty simple diagonal diamond pattern in the end.  It fits.  It works.  Its done!

Briar Rose + Quilt = flowers!

The back is white and yellow.  I pieces some angles to mimic the diamonds.  Why the heck not?

Do you paper piece?  Do you have a favorite block or project?  I would love to do more one day.  For now I can just be happy I followed through on a goal!

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A Diamond In The Rough!

Paper piecing is so much fun!  It's so much fun to do a project (every once in a while) where its precise and requires patience!  This diamond pattern is a simple design, yes. It's building my confidence to try something a little more involved next time.

It saved me time to do a batch at a pop.  I would sew one corner on a dozen rectangles, iron, trim and repeat.  Doing it that way saved me hundreds of trips to the ironing board! 

With the last corner sewn I get to the other fun part!  Trimming the entire block!

I love pulling the paper off too!  Zip!  Off it comes!  

Not bad!  I added a small border of white and finished it off with a lovely coordinating green.  I plan on adding a white binding in the end.  Pinned and ready for the agonizing quilting...only because it takes me a while to know what I want to do!  I can't wait!!

Each block ended up being 5" x 10" (finished).  I ended up making 54 diamond blocks for this quilt.

It would be wrong of me not to show some of the cuteness of the Briar Rose fabric!   

Go ahead!  You can do it!  Swim!

Gather it up!  

Nothing better than a good 'read' after a picnic at the pond!

I am so happy with this quilt!  I adore Briar Rose and love the quality of the fabric!  I did a blog post here:  HITTING A GOAL,  where you can find a pattern for the diamonds.  You will also see that I enlarged it for these blocks.

There are a few things that I have learned making these blocks.  First of all, it hurts like heck when you get poked by a pin!  Over and over!  Second, small stitches will make your paper piecing life so much easier.  Third, print your pattern on the cheapest paper you can! The thinner the paper, the easier it is to pin.

There you have it.  This quilt is officially still 'A Diamond In The Rough'!  But not for long!

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Hitting A Goal

It happens to be a nice feeling when I actually follow through with a goal!  Foundation Paper Piecing. I've done a little here and there.  The precision of the points makes me all smiley and happy!

I was looking through Hawthorne Threads Blog the other day when I saw this post.  I saw the Totem Quilt and was intrigued.  Diamonds.  Paper Piecing.  Must try!  The pattern is available through Cloud 9 Fabrics.  

I pulled out my scraps, printed the patten and went to work!  and...I liked it!

So, it inspired me.  I decided to enlarge it.  Testing.  Testing. Testing.

And it worked!  I cannot lie.  I like the black and white!  Perhaps that will be another project for another day!

I have been 'sitting' on a stash of Briar Rose for months and months.  Always eyeing it, touching it and then putting it back on the shelf.  Well...heck with that!  I bit the bullet and decided Briar Rose and paper piecing diamonds!  Honestly, its only fabric!  

I have made six so far.  (in the bigger diamond)  My plans are still sketchy.  But I do know it will all come together in the end!  I'm just happy I have finally given in and decided this was the Briar Rose project I have been waiting my whole life for!  (dramatic)

I adore this print!  So adorable it makes me giggle!  I have many more diamonds to make.  It could take a while.  But I have time!  I'll share my progress!  

ANYTHING GOES Monday

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