Saturday, January 17, 2015

Paper Piecing and More

There seems to be a resurgence of paper piecing….or is it that I am just being called in that direction lately.
I always love seeing all of the wonderful BOMs that show up each January.  Try as I might to deny that I would love to do each one, there are so many tempting ones this year.  I have jumped on the bandwagon for a couple of them. 

The first one that captured my heart was the Charlie Brown BOM.  Although the patterns are already published (for FREE) at http://tweloquilting.blogspot.com, the goal is to do one a month.  This is a QAL that can be found at Bea’s blog.  January we were to make Franklin. 

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He was so much fun that I went ahead and added Peppermint Patty to my now growing gang.

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The grandkids are loving seeing these come to life and are choosing the order of appearance.  Next up is Charlie Brown.  I am hoping for a Pigpen character as that is the one they all love. 

While I am not crazy about ripping off all of the papers involved in paper piecing, I couldn’t help but start another project using the technique.  This a a Judy Niemeyer placemat pattern.  I LOVE the precision of the points with paper piecing.  I just need to quilt these up and bind them.

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I guess it is close enough to Christmas for the Christmas cactus to finally bloom.  Maybe it should be called a New Year’s cactus.  This was from a HUGE plant of my grandmothers.  When they get too big and woody I break off a piece and start a new one - or two - or......

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I’ve have had some productive yard work this past week by finally finishing the pruning of the over 100 rose bushes.  It is always such a great feeling to wrap up that job!  Hopefully, the rains we have enjoyed will make for a great display in a few months. 

If you are interested in a really fun blog hop coming up in March, check out www.sewwequilt.com for information.  If you love birds this is a great one to join and sign ups fill up quickly.  Lana is our cheerleader (organizer) of the Tree Bird hop.  If you have never participated in one you should give it a try.  They are so much fun and they have great sponsors.

31 comments:

  1. Your paper piecing makes me smile!

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  2. Love that paper piecing of yours...I don't enjoy doing it, but they look great! But Mary......those Charle Brown blocks are to die for!!!!

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  3. I love Christmas Cactus. Mine in NoCal blooms around late November and again sometime in March. Right now it has one lone stray bloom. Like you, I pinch and replant. They are so pretty when they are in full bloom.
    Cute paper piecing but too much for me. I will enjoy watching your progress.

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  4. Who doesn't love Charlie Brown? Very sweet

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  5. Oh my! Look at that Christmas Cactus!!! Simply gorgeous :) I love to paper piece and have been picking up a few projects to play with this year, like Arcadia Avenue with Sassafras Lane. I'm totally stoked for that one!!! Your Peanuts characters look so real - I would not have known they were quilt blocks if I had just looked at a picture of them. Great job!

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  6. The gang are just adorable. I really haven't done much paper piecing yet but there is a table runner pattern that has been on my wish list and I'm going to tackle it sometime this year.

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  7. I enjoyed reading this post very much. The Charlie Brown blocks are nearly unresistable. The designer did an amazing job as well the the sewer (you). I will enjoy watching them come together.

    Judy Neymeyer has done it again! Her patterns are amazing and your leaf placemats are no exception, I just love them.

    Your Christmas Cactus is also beautiful.

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  8. ohhhh i Love paper piecing...and your blocks are amazing..well done....love your cactus ...is it beautiful

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  9. I think you are right about paper piecing. I think it is making a comeback. I always have to readjust how my brain thinks when I start. But, the end result is always nice. Your pieces are wonderful!

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  10. I have been wanting to buy that leaf pattern. You did an amazing job. Was it fairly easy?

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  11. Your Peanuts gang is already adorable! And your placemats look so elegant. Love seeing the Christmas cactus in bloom regardless of the calendar !

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  12. Great paper piecing! Both projects are very different, you can do so much with it. I think it is more prevalent now and there is less applique than when I was younger? Your Christmas cactus is outside!

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  13. Love your blocks, and your Christmas cactus

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  14. Wow !!! What a great PP patterns, Mary. Charlie and Patty are so cute :)

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  15. Your Franklin and Peppermint Pattie are fantastic!!! Your embroidery on them really help bring them to life. Those placemats are phenomenal, too.
    I'm envious of your jump start on the yard work, still too cold and wet here.

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  16. Your characters are just too cute! I can't wait to see how you set them together. And the placemats are really cool. Love the leaf shape.

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  17. Your Christmas cactus is wonderful. I have a basket full, but it's full of leaves no flowers! Charlie Brown BOM are adorable Mary! Hugs Nat

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  18. Your Peanuts blocks are amazing :-) What a beautiful "Christmas Cactus"! I have lots of them too! Red, pink and white. My pink one is more of a Valentine Cactus.

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  19. Okay, your paper piecing is AMAZING! The two characters loom so life like! I'm sure your grand kids will love this quilt! I will have to check out that blog hop because I just love birds!

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  20. Oh, your placemats are stunning! Paper piecing - it has been years since I did that,and now you have me thinking too. I am running the embroidery machine next to me to try to finish off a wedding quilt for the son of a friend, and once that is finished, I can think about a new challenge.
    We may have snow tomorrow - the first for a couple of years, I think. Just the sort of weather to toast a hot cross bun and do some sewing! Diana has the most amazing job back in NZ, starting at the end of Feb. She has a national post in the Anglican Church, responsible for families and children, so she will be encouraging, teaching, guiding, inspiring churches throughout the country.The perfect job for her. She gets to choose the city she wants to live in as well. Lots of travel, and also time to carry on developing her own resources for the church. I am so proud of her, but it is a long way away, of course. xxx

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  21. Great job on your PP blocks , those Charlie Brown blocks are so cute , if I like pp I might join in . The placemats are gorgeous , love your fabric choices :-)

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  22. I dislike the paper removal part of paper piecing, too ... but your placemats are DIVINE! What's the name of that pattern, Mary? Your "New Year's" cactus is pretty spectacular, too!! :)

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  23. Oh my goodness! I love those Charlie Brown blocks.

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  24. Wonderful pp blocks! Love them. And your JN placemats are awesome!

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  25. Love the Peanuts Gang, and Pigpen, of course. I do hope there is Charlie Brown's girlfriend, the little red-haired girl! Your leave are spectacular.

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  26. Who doesn't like Charlie Brown!! You paper pieing is wonderful and the placemats are stunning!! Love them!! It is so wonderful to have the plant from your grandmother. Pruning over 100 rose bushes!! That is truly an accomplishment :)

    -Soma

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  27. Those Charlie Brown patterns really come to life with paper piecing - but those mats - stunning. I love the pointy points that PP affords. So nice!

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  28. Lovely projects! I do hope you are not going to serve messy dinners on those gorgeous placemats? Not a fan of PP because of the mess it makes afterwards. I do know that you can buy water soluble paper. Perhaps that would work better for me. Cheers!

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  29. Beautiful projects and love those placemats! I can't wait to see them finished!

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  30. 100 rose bushes? That certainly would keep you busy in pruning season! We have one rose in our new garden, planted as an experiment. We were told we would be able to grow roses because the possums would eat the flowers -- so far, so good! They don't seem to have noticed at all!

    I thought about joining in with the Peanuts paper piecing but UTS not a technique I like so I've decided to forgo. I might just do Snoopy as a special gift for my sister and that's it!

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  31. nice block(s) thanks for joining the BOM

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