Beginner paper piecing class- take 2

It's our new annual tradition.  I'm determined to teach to fish rather than feed for a day, if you know what I'm saying.  It's our 2nd annual beginning quilt class, charity quilt sew-a-thon, modern-day quilting bee.

I've debated long and hard about the lessons I learned last year.  Things like:
1.  don't use a pattern with multiple pieces on the first try.  (wayyy too many moving parts)
2.  don't try and teach a pattern with angles.
3.  find a couple of other people to learn how to sew it before the day, so you're not running around like a chicken with your head cut off.
4.  most people don't want handouts
5. most everyone is a visual learner.


I'm debating between a couple of different patterns....

Both of these patterns are freebies from Wombat Quilts

I like the first as a better choice for a class since there are no angles, but I love flying geese so naturally I'm drawn to the second one.  LOL  We'll see once we talk it through with our group.

So watch for updates in April!

Methodist Children's Home Quilts (Star Wars and Star)

Earlier this year I taught a newbie paper piecing class that had great response with the intention of not having to make all of our quilts for our Christmas project and they turned out great.  These are a few different pictures of the process.  A good friend did the quilting and it turned out great.

I did take on the boy version myself since I was interested in testing the patterns as well - The patterns are amazing, and they look awesome!  This star wars quilt got LOTS of attention and I've heard from a few other sources that they'd like me to expand some classes, so that may be fun for this new year!!

You can see some better closeups of the individual star wars piecings 

HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE

Star Wars! (pattern testing)

Fandom in stitches put up a call for Star Wars patterns and got a BEVY of responses.  These are the two patterns I tested, and I love them!  Plans now laid for the BOY version of our charity quilt to be donated this coming December.  (Insert happy dance here)

Light Sabers designed by Gretchen Kohlhaas

Death Star designed by Kristi Lehane

You can find these patterns HERE

The other new patterns offered (posted after release on fandominstitches.com 3/21/16)

Charity Quilts - sharing the love

I was given the opportunity to help out a project with our women's auxiliary group at church this year - with quilts!!

Each group was asked to make two quilts (twin size) 1 boy, 1 girl.

I wish I had taken more up close photos of this boy/superhero quilt - I loved the pop of the black and blue stripe with the different colored squares.

But I did get some up close shots of the girl quilt!! :)

This article was published about the project