My daughter and I started this quilt early this year by taking a Mystery Quilt class taught by my local quilt guild The Nine Patchers. We both pieced it, I machine quilted it with my Bernina, my wonderful sister helped me get the binding started.  I began the hand stitching of the binding and my daughter finished it. 

I made a label  on my computer and stitched it to the back of the quilt. I chose a daisy fabric for the backing since Jessica loves daisies.

Now I’m ready to get started working on a Fish Quilt for my fisherman son. (he’s 10)

Happy Quilting!

PS. Ignore the date on the picture, my date is wrong.

I recently learned of a technique that has been around for hundreds of years. It’s called English Paper Piecing. This is an easy way to quilt when you’re away from home and your sewing machine because it is portable. First thing to do is buy some paper pieces from your local quilt shop or buy from this site Instant Piecing You’ll find the directions in the pattern but here are a few to get you started.
1. Cut a piece of fabric about 1/4 inch larger than your template so you can fold it over.

2. Pin the template to the Wrong side of the fabric

3. Baste the fabric to the template all the way around.

4. After you have several completed take your center hexagon
(if that is what you chose) and an outside hexagon and place them
right sides together. Take small stitches in the edge then repeat
with the rest until you have a flower.

5. Press the flower gently and repeat with the rest of the hexagons.

6. After you have several sewn together you can remove the basting stitches and reuse the paper pieces

I hope this has inspired you to try this easy, portable quilting technique.

Until next time!

Happy Quilting!

Deirdre

Tags : English Paper Piecing, portable quilting, quilting