Some days…..

In one of my previous posts I mentioned about my Christmas quilt and the pattern I was thinking I would use.  Well, here is block #1":

I was going to use a gold trees on white print:

The background is more of a creamy color than white, but what made me decide against the gold trees was that it is a directional fabric and I was already working with the wording on the red.

I feel I’m pretty good at paper piecing with minimal waste….. ummm, not today.   The segments of the sides of the center triangle pieces was a bear to get the right size.  Here’s my first try:

Needless to say, that’s way too much waste for me – even if it does mean scraps!  And I didn’t like that the wording was ‘crooked’ (see the picture of the completed block – the bottom segment).  Well, due to the beauty of EQ, I printed out the templates, cut out about ½” larger, traced that onto a piece of foam board and there was my rotary cutting template:

and now my wording (see top segment) is more horizontal!  And a whole lot less waste…..

Once I managed to get the template thing figured out, it did not take long to make this block.  Once sewing the four sides on like I was adding a mitered border, the “Y” seams were a breeze:

A lot easier folding that small center block in half diagonally then a whole quilt when you’re doing a mitered border!  Now to get designs for the center squares embroidered and I’ll be ready to sit and do more paper piecing.

And remember, I told you about my desk?  I am so please with it.  It sure dresses up the sewing room. 

It has so much space in it.  I have really old, really large computer accessories that they take up a whole lot more space than I’d like, but I won’t replace them until I have to.  I’ll show a picture later when I get everything settled in…..

‘til next time……

Katie