First Paper Piece Block

{{{{{Mika}}}}} I'm sorry it was so frustrating for you! If it's any consolation at all, it's a really striking block! I really do like it.

Paper piecing does get easier - honest! Although, I do have to admit, the first time or two I tried it, it seemed like I was doing everything backwards, and it took me a while to adjust my brain to get it to work right.

Mika, I think your block is gorgeous! You did a great job, especially if that was your first block! Paper piecing really does get easier with practice...and you picked a difficult one to start with. Try an easy 6" block sometime before you completely write it off. :-) Good job!

Nancy in NS

That block is gorgeous!!!! I think if you watched the CD of DVD of Carol Doak showing how to paper piece, you would give it another try.

Don't feel bad. I used to feel the same way about paper piecing and couldn't figure why anyone would ever want to do that. Then I got Carol Doak's DVD. It made ALL the difference in the world. Now I have made bunches of paper-pieced blocks and haven't had too much trouble with any of them. The first couple of months with RCTQ BOM I was very frustrated with my paper pieced blocks, which is what made me to decide to purchase that DVD.

Carole in Northwest GA - Retired and loving it! Homepage -

But, but, but ..... It's gorgeous!!! How can you hate something that pretty?

I think it looks great!!!

I love it....the colors are striking!

Mika, it's great! I felt that way when I first started PP'ing, too. I felt like I was all thumbs with it. But I stuck with it and now I love it. I hope you keep at it because it does get easier!

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

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Mika, the block is beautiful ,, the colors are fantastic, and heck for being your first one , really not bad. The reason I say that is because for some paper piecing is a grand mystery, for some ( me) I just don't know any better and jump in with both feet and I forget about the sharks swimming in the pool. My very first time of paper piecing came about from a hug that I signed up for. I made a practice block, then I found out that I had to shrink the block. From a 12 inch block down to a 6 inch. Not knowing any better ( a copier would have been faster but did I go that route nope) I resized the block by hand. That particular block now lives with Karen in her hug she got awhile ago. Since then I love paper piecing though I do tend to forget about using a copier. Plus I love Carol Doaks books on paper piecing, the instructions are written great, and the Visual aids in the books help as well especially if you are a visual learner like me. Don't let the frustration of the first time get you down, think of it like riding a bike, it takes practice, swearing and a heck load of chocolate.

Dawn in Alberta

I think with PP you have to keep trying, and then it suddenly all comes together. I have some failures lying around, too. I love that block, tho. Where can I find it? And it's stunning with the way you used colors, it looks like a faceted ruby. And it would make a spectacular red quilt! I'd love to be able to pull colors together the way you did!

Mika,

It looks fabulous! You jumped in with a block that wasn't necessarily the easiest and even though you had many frogging sessions, you ROCKED that block girl!!! Give it a short rest and try again another time....

I did the same thing. I jumped in on something that was way harder than I could have imagined, and messed up many times....but I'm stubborn beyond repair and finished that daggone thing!

Dani

Mika wrote:

Another piece of advice for beginners -- cut your pieces oversized. It really helps.

The block really is striking and just look at how those points match!

L>>

But it's beautiful, Kim! May I make a suggestion? Get Carol Doak's new DVD where she teaches her *easy* methods of doing PP. Or come join her Yahoo group, where there are lots of people eager and willing to help the newbies. But I repeat: your block is beautiful!

Your block is LOVELY! Do you have or use an "add an inch" ruler? I find them CRITICAL for me in paper piecing. Like someone else mentioned I also oversize my pieces slightly

-- but with the Add-a-quarter rulers.... I trim them back so that positioning the next piece is really a piece of cake! I'd be happy to try to explain how I do it. I've taught a class or two and my students really find the manner I use to paper piece helps make it easier to get the next piece in the right position. (see the add-a-quarter ruler here...

Regardless... It's lovely ... hang in there ... it will get easier!

Kate in MI

You want the title/ ya gotta EARN it and you know HOW you earn it, don't you

Shan't be that mean and say you have to make 3--will settle for 2--only this time find one that's EASIER. I expected you to have 4 seams TOTAL for the entire block!!! For that many seams for the FIRST time ever---well-----you did much better than my first go around--even my second. Even your points make me cringe when I think of my first try.....let's just say I didn't keep it. I was fortunate enuf to catch a quilt show on TV that showed it and I taped it. Can't remember how many TIMES I watched it before I caught on. Just a bit easier than trying to teach someone how to knit that is left handed when you're right-handed.

Go back to it in a few days and try again. I'm thinking there is a site online that shows it in pix......

Butterfly

I bow to your great PP klutziness. I tried PP once myself. A simple block consisting of 4 pieces. Directions are lay the fabric piece on the paper, sew along the line on the paper, continue until block is done. Easy right? Not happening here I can tell you. Could not get the second piece sewn right no matter what I did. Gave up on it after the first frustrating hour and I will never try paper piecing again. Anything that makes me want to throw my sewing machine through the nearest window just isn't worth it. Debra in VA See my quilts at

Debra -- you really need to try again -- with directions that are a little more helpful. Please don't let one bad experience sour you on what can be an EASY way to get perfect points on challenging blocks.

I'd be happy to offer how I do it -- and I think you'll find it really isn't as horrible as you experienced....

Kate in MI

Well, it did end up absolutely fine. It might have been a simply *section*, but there is an awful lot of matching in that block. It's very pretty. FPP in sections is really not the way to start. There are all sorts of considerations with those. Could I ask you just to try one more *whole* block experiment - either to prove to yourself that you hate it! or to find there might be potential. I'm not saying this because I love it (which I do - mostly!), but because it is so very useful. Just draw a straightforward square in a square onto the FPP paper, (perhaps a square in a square in a square to make it more interesting - no more difficult). Number it from the centre, and have a go. . In message , Mika writes

But it's soooo beautiful !! Heidi from Germany ( don't like PP either ) "Mika" schrieb: