Learning Paper Piecing...

Earlier this year I joined a QAL...Quilt ALong to make quilt blocks from a book titled "Farmers Wife".  Donna of Brynwood Needleworks graciously offered to hostess this project and offer any help possible. When I signed up I confessed that I have never quilted and didn't know how to quilt, however Donna was certain I would do just fine so she allowed me to join the group.  I soon found that I am not very good at tedious and precise little pieces of fabric and templates and stitching them together.  Further...some of the blocks have no acrylic templates that do make it easier than using little paper templates.  So Donna offered to create paper piecing templates for those blocks.  What?  I have never paper pieced either.  Here is block #1 Attic Windows.  I selected it due to its "simplicity".  I purchased the preferred Carol Doak Foundation paper.  I watched tutorial videos.  I was ready to tackle this.

 My very first two little seams with three little pieces of fabric failed.  This is like signing your name via a mirror.  I am horrible at puzzles and not an engineer in any way.  Going backwards forwards is just not me.
So I print out another sheet to begin again...

 This time I made more progress.  I am really glad I am using fabric scraps from my recent triangle thread catcher project instead of my good FW fabrics which are very limited in quantity.

  However when I examined on closer approval holding my work up to the kitchen under cabinet lighting I see I had failed early on piece 2 again...I missed covering the corner...again.  I also had a serious bulge in the beige piece.  Ack.......

 This time I precut my pieces even larger.  Now I set up my iron next to my sewing machine instead of going from room to room.  I print another foundation sheet.  This makes 3 if you are counting.  Luckily I bought a package of 100!  How did they know I would need so many?

 Mr. C has a saying about "needing every tool he owns to do a job...no matter what the job is".  Now I can honestly relate.  I dug out my light box and set it up on the chair next to my sewing machine.  Much easier than running upstairs to the kitchen.  Now I can actually see before I stitch if my fabric is large enough or shaped to correct direction for the piece necessary.  I see lots of waste in this paper piecing method so far.

 Here is my finished block all pressed and stitched.  I am feeling a little more confident...I am ready for the reveal.

Here I am tearing off all of the paper.  It is working just right.  No residue or remains on my fabrics.
I am really liking the back of this block.

Here is my practice block all completed.  I truly like it.  Lets see...it only took me two days and 4 sheets of foundation paper and copious amounts of fabric scraps and lots of cutting and stitching and ironing and patience to create this little 6" block.
Thank you Donna for your patience and help when I emailed you with my cries for help.  The time and effort you put forth in answering my emails and writing out instructions and being supportive were invaluable to me as is your friendship dear.
Now to get busy with my real FW QAL fabrics I am using in my wall hanging project.  I spent a couple of hours organizing my FW project as it had gotten quite out of control.  Email copies, templates, fabric scraps and such are now better organized for my access.  It is time for me to get serious once again about making  blocks for my wall hanging.  Thank goodness I am not making a California King quilt.
Our weather has seriously cooled off.  At night it is downright cold after all the wonderful warm summer weather we have experienced this year.  Sadly we have had 0, none, zero, zilch, nada rain at all.  We desperately need rain.  I have never seen so many brown dying or dead trees and bushes in this area.  I have no idea what winter will hold for us this year.  Only Mother Nature knows for sure.
Falling into Autumn Bliss and getting back to being creative.  May you each enjoy your bliss...