Traditional Quilting - Off the Wall Friday

So the couple of weeks, I've gotten back to my roots and have been working on a block of the month quilt.  No matter how much art quilting I do, I still love traditional quilting.  It might be because it always reminds me of the first years when I learned to quilt and how excited I was to have finally found my passion.  Or it might be that it has its roots so solidly in American history.  Or it might be that it usually doesn't take a lot of brain power to make something beautiful.

Well usually. . . . . but maybe not this time.  I've been working on block of the month quilt that I got

This is what is suppose to look like when finished!!

for my birthday last summer from Craftsy.  It was such a super deal (and its even gone cheaper now- $53 for the material kit, pattern AND class) that I couldn't resist it.   One of the things that drew me to the quilt is that it contained some techniques that I wanted to hone so I could use them in my own work.  This quilt has a TON of them.

The first one is paper piecing.  Now, I know how to paper piece and even draft my own patterns.  But, it always takes a lot of brain power to get it just right.  The first part of the quilt is the center medallion with a lot of sharp precisely paper pieced points (say that three times fast!).

First thing I learned - Paper Piecing Sheets are worth the money

I love how they easily sew up and how easily they rip off.

Also if you need to rip out, they can be easily sewn again

 

The quilt comes with its own craftsy class to help guide you through the quilt.  The camera work is

excellent so you can really tell what he is doing and watching how he gets all his points so sharp.  The teacher also teaches you how to keep your paper piecing nice and neat.

Second thing I learned - Fold and Cut Seam allowance

You fold along the seam line and trim a quarter inch seam.

This makes your paper piecing as neat or neater than traditional piecing

plus helps you piece your points just right

With all the paper pieces blocks done, I'm now sewing them together.  With this I'm remembering something that I've seemed to have forgotten.

Getting all your points to match is not as easy as it looks

Ohhh yeah, I knew there was a reason I don't do a ton of traditional quilting.  I've spent a lot of time ripping out and getting the points just right because with this quilt it makes a big difference.  

Still  I'm having a lot of fun doing this and it reminds me why I fell in love with quilting in the first place.  Still after I ripped out the same seam - 4 - yes - 4 times I was reminded of Jenny's comment to me last week. . . . .

"Sometimes you just need to sew somewhat mindlessly to get back in the groove."

Ohhhhh yeah......that's right mindless........sighhhhhhhhh 

I'm Linking to  Finish or Not Friday

So What Have You Been Up to Creatively?