My Favorite Things
May 5, 2012Inspiration
May 7, 2012Good morning all, Mary Ellen here.
What a gorgeous morning! Had a great long walk with the dog early while the dew was still sparkling in the sun. Needed a sweatshirt but once we got moving, the temperature was perfect. This weather can stay year round, if anyone is taking a survey.
From my spot at the seminar table during our quilt show, I got a perfect view of all of our demos. We have some talented people in our guild! I watched Kelly and Jackie talk about paper piecing–two different methods, both interesting. I love to paper piece, but haven’t done much of it lately. This morning on the computer I came across this pattern for a Starburst block. Her samples in those gorgeous modern brights have motivated me to give this one a go. I mentioned doing a quilt-a-long in one of my posts at the previous home of our blog. So let’s make this our first block. (Here’s a link to a different site with the same pattern. If you couldn’t get it to print at the first one, try this one instead.)
I’m going to call this the “Loosey Goosey” Quilt-a-Long. All of the blocks for this Loosey Goosey will be stars of some sort. Very simple rules (can’t even really call them “rules” exactly, more like guidelines).
1) I will post the directions for 6 different stars. They will be done with a variety of methods-not all will be paper pieced like this first one. If you want to make any of the blocks using a different method than I describe, go right ahead.
2) You pick a batch of fabrics-your choice for colors. I’m going for scrappy, you decide what you’d like to do. Florals, civil war repros, holiday, blue/white, whatever…
3) Make the block I post. At least one of them, but as many as you like.
4) If you want to change the size of any of the blocks, again go right ahead. I plan to post 12 inch or 6 inch finished blocks so they can work together in the project at the end.
5) When I announce that the last block is posted, you make your blocks into something. I’ll offer a few ideas, which you can choose to ignore.
6) At an agreed upon guild meeting we all bring our “quilts” (could be runners, wall hangings, pillows, your name it) to “show and share” to display what we’ve done.
Are you in?
Here we go! Loosey Goosey Quilt-a-Long
•block one: Lone Starburst (pattern linked here or up above) (12 inch finished)
If you will be quilting along with us, please send me a comment with your thoughts on how much time should be between each posted block directions. Once a month? Every two weeks? Once a week? Everyday (choke!)?
Click on “like” below if you like the Quilt-a-Long idea.
0 Comments
What a fun idea! But, I have never paper pieced, would this perhaps work as one of our demos at demo night???
Good idea,timing might be every other week or once a month.
I like the Starburst but I also need some reminders for paper piecing.
I have done very little of it.
Guess what, girls?! I have lined up a demo for paper piecing at the May meeting. We are trading this out for a different demo. Good suggestion. So make sure you come to the meeting. Good things planned for that night.
Looks like fun and I’m ready to go! But I need time between blocks. How about once a month? Should make for a great meeting when we share our productions. Time to make some color selections.
Hi Lori, Did you try to print the document? Some folks can’t get it to print, but it’s working for me. Here’s the same pattern at a different site: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxW-U1pTZS1cNmE1NjQxNWItMGQwZS00ZGFkLWE4NWEtMzY3ZTliNmRkODlh/edit
You might have to copy and paste that; don’t know if this gives live links in replies!
Mary Ellen
I tried to print the template both from the internet site and saving it as a pdf file but couldn’t get it to print.
Hi Mary, The link works for me??? Here’s the same pattern at a different site: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxW-U1pTZS1cNmE1NjQxNWItMGQwZS00ZGFkLWE4NWEtMzY3ZTliNmRkODlh/edit
You might have to copy and paste that; don’t know if this gives live links in replies!
Mary Ellen
Mary Ellen, I LOVE the star pattern you found! It’s great. It should be fairly easy to do….;only 7 pieces per section. I think once a month for new patterns sounds about right, any sooner and “life” will probably get in the way.
Hi Jackie, Were you able to get it to print? Some folks yes, and some folks no. Here’s the same pattern at a different site: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxW-U1pTZS1cNmE1NjQxNWItMGQwZS00ZGFkLWE4NWEtMzY3ZTliNmRkODlh/edit
You might have to copy and paste that; don’t know if this gives live links in replies!
Mary Ellen
I wasn’t able to print it either.
I wasn’t able to print it either. i think there is a problem with the document.
The link works for me??? Here’s the same pattern at a different site: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxW-U1pTZS1cNmE1NjQxNWItMGQwZS00ZGFkLWE4NWEtMzY3ZTliNmRkODlh/edit
You might have to copy and paste that; don’t know if this gives live links in replies!
Mary Ellen
This linked worked for me today. Not sure why it didn’t yesterday but did today. Thanks ME.
I am not the best at computers, but I was able to print it. I think computers and service providers have their own minds:)
Not sure if you changed anything in the meantime, but I was also able to print from the links in your post. I did notice that it took some time to show-up so maybe the timing issue is a problem for some servers? (it just times out?) Another solution – I also just saved the PDF file with the paper-pieced template, so I can email it to anyone who needs it – than you should have no problem printing it. Marija
I would appreciate an email of the pattern. I was able to print, but only could get it at 97% size. I could not figure out how to make it 100% Thanks, Jane .
It’s Jane again, I tried the new site today and I believe that I have the correct size now. Thanks for the offer of an email.
Great news Jane! Just as a piece of information that is specially important when printing templates like this – when you click on PRINT and the dialog box appears, make sure that you look at the part where is says PAGE SCALING – and make sure that you choose NONE – that should produce the correct size of the pattern you are printing. It is very often a default “Fit to Page” or something like that and that can alter your size.
Hope this helps, Marija
Thanks Marija! I actually stumbled onto the “none” thing today when I did it!
I am now thinking about fabrics for this project. Jane
Thanks for the alternate website. I was able to print from that one. I’m using Jackie’s paper-piecing method that she demoed at the quilt show.