The Problem with Trying New Techniques...

Is that sometimes they do not work. frown.

While I was sick in bed last Saturday I watched some craftsy classes, because, hey! I'm all for learning and trying new things. One thing I quickly realized is that the techniques I use to paper piece are a LOT different than how other people paper piece. (I have a few different tutorials as well as you tube videos if you want to see how I do it.)

I feel like my technique has evolved quite a bit over the years and I am currently very happy with the results I get, as well as the amount of time in which I can complete a project! Quick is a very good thing when you have four young children!!

Who loves to IRON????

I DO! 

What?! I hate ironing. But I might have been won over by a little Amy Butler August Fields. Yep. I think ironing on a little bit of this:

or this:

could win anyone over. Am I right?!

I FINALLY made some new covers for my ironing boards. I've had this on my list to do for ages now and I'm so glad I finally did. I thought about Elizabeth's tutorial here using the tv tray, (I think she said to use home dec weight fabric or canvas, and I used some home dec fabric) and this tutorial here over at I have to say... (I was going to do this exact thing but my ironing board hangs from the door so that would have made it a little harder, and I don't think I have enough cording. Plus my fabric wasn't 4" wider than my board = I improvised), and then this awesome tutorial by Jenelle of Echinops & Aster at Quilter in the Gap. I kind of did use the last tutorial, following the basic idea, but then mostly did my own thing as I went along.

I have this mini ironing board that my mom had forever. I remember using it (and burning myself with the iron while using it) when we lived in Texas 18+ years ago. yikes. Anyway, it still had the same cover on it and I would put a towel over it whenever I ironed on it, because well, that's old. So I took the old cover off and basically did what Jenelle did. I used two layers of batting, but then did my home dec weight of Amy Butler. My cover extends past the batting so it looks a little different on the bottom. Plus I have NO idea how she made those perfectly mitered corners, and it was too late at night when I made it so I didn't care to go look. lol. Anyway, I'm happy with how it turned out!

Then onto my bigger ironing board. I ended up cutting out some new batting for this, but only used one layer. I cut it about the same size as my home dec weight Amy Butler fabric, which I actually didn't cut at all. It's a half yard that I didn't trim or clean up or anything. Is that awful? I think it looks fine so I don't care. ;) I did cut some of the long strings off from washing. :)

I laid the cover down on the floor, wrong side up, then the batting, then put my ironing board on it. I pulled everything up in between the bars and the board, folded and pinned. I only folded it over once, as I'm not really going to be looking at the inside and it means less bulk.

At the angled part I folded it a little so it would hold it's shape around the board. 

Then at the tip I brought the two sides together and pinned them where they overlapped. Then I folded the top down and pinned that in place. I actually pinned the whole cover around the board and then slid it off and sewed it all. I wasn't sure how it would work sewing the tip, but it actually went very nicely. I sewed up one side, sewed to the point, and went down the other side. Afterwards I went back and sewed down the sides of the flap. Sorry I don't have any pictures of the process... it was late and I didn't feel like taking pictures. You can see my seams though and hopefully that gives you an idea of what I did - in case you have an ironing board like this too.

I sewed an elastic in the middle of the board, pulling the two sides in.

For the bottom I cut off the corners so I would have a big flap to fold under to help hold it in place.

I sewed some elastic along the end of the flap, right over the selvage. I didn't stretch the elastic at all because I wanted it to remain flat. I did stop about an inch or so away from the edges of the elastic. Then I marked where the elastic would meet the sides and sewed a button hole on each side. I stuck a big quilting/basting safety pin on each end of the elastic and pushed those through the button holes! ghetto or what?!

I forgot how to make the button hole on my sewing machine, so one side of this button hole is like 3 inches long. lol. love it.

Anyway, it works and I love it! :)

Here was my old sewing board cover. yuck. I always kept a towel over it, which drove me crazy because whenever I would iron larger pieces of fabric, as I'd pull the fabric to iron the new section, the towel or the cover would come off and I was always adjusting it. This is going to be a breeze now! I am so happy! :) Plus it just looks good.

I think I just might have to go iron all this beautiful fabric now! ;) (If you don't know what this is, go check out this post by Katie over at There and Back!) :)

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

OH! I almsot forgot! I wanted to show you my beautiful new sewing table!

I finally ordered some of these...

I love the colors and reflection in this picture. If it had a more interesting subject I could almost hang it on my wall. lol.

for this:

Check it out, it's a totally solid and sturdy table that folds up! You flip the leg around so it's laying on the table:

(see my leg holding it up for the picture? it's heavy!)

and then you fold it up some more, push the key down to lock it in place,

and viola! It's all gone! :) Nice and tidy and child proof! My dad had these made years and years ago! When we moved out of his house about 5 years ago we took two of these with us (he said we could). ;) The other one has lots of great drawers in it along with more shelves. A few years ago one of the hinges broke, so I used it on the side of the couch, but didn't end up using it very often once I took my sewing machine up to our bedroom to sew. Now it's all mine again and I'm so excited! :) Who says you should ever get rid of things?! lol. Ok, I promise I'm not a hoarder, but hey, here are a few things that have definitely lasted through the years and I'm more than happy to still have them! :) good quality rocks!


and while I'm talking about things I ordered, these finally came in the mail!

I still need to blog about this story... but that's for another day! it's one that just keeps getting better and better.

not sure how this guy snuck into my pictures. Maybe he's the one that's been calling on the telephone. Aren't those eyes scary?! can someone explain to me why they make children's toys look like that?

Sewing Basics: Paper Piecing Series: Sewing Your Blocks Together

This is a Sewing Basics Series on Paper Piecing. 

You can find all of the posts under the Sewing Basics Tab at the top of my blog. 

 Please let me know if you have any questions or something doesn't make sense!

**My instructions for this series specifically pertain to my pattern Two Stars Squared. The method will be the same for any pattern, though the details may vary.

Sewing Your Blocks Together

You should now have four completed block sections

Turn them over and you should have this

I already removed the paper from one block.

**Some patterns are easier to sew together if you leave the paper on the back. There is no right or wrong. If you prefer to leave it on, skip the next few steps.

Tear off the paper

I usually start in either of the corners. The paper comes off easier when it's not connected to more paper on the other side of the seam. Personally I think it's easier on the seams if you start from the corners, but this is just my preference.

keep going until all the paper is removed

doesn't this look cool?!

Arrange your blocks so the design is pleasing to you (this is more for when you are making a scrap block, using a wider variety of fabrics, or have directional prints).

We will be sewing two blocks at a time

Take two blocks and line up the points where they meet along one edge.

Pin right where the points meet.

go in at an angle, even more than this (it's hard to get a picture of it with one hand) to keep your blocks lined up well.

*** TIP: Pinning:

Where you are pinning is pretty thick. To help keep your fabrics in place, go in at an angle instead of straight through. If you go straight through and THEN angle your pin to come back out, the block on the bottom can shift, and thus leaving the SA for the bottom block smaller. This can also effect how your blocks line up together on the front.

NOT like this! Compare with the picture above. 

**TIP: Lining up your seams:

You can open up your blocks as you are matching them up to make sure the seams are lining up flush with one another. Notice the grey fabrics.

Now Sew 1/4" from the edges.

Slow down as you go over the seams, the bulkier fabric can cause your fabric to shift under your sewing foot.

Press the seam open. First finger press it open to make ironing easier.

Turn over your blocks and press on the front

Repeat with the other two blocks.

Piece these two blocks together. Start by lining up the center seam

 and pin on each side of it, holding the SA down flat.

Now work your way out along one side.

Come back to the middle and work your way out pinning the other side of center.

Sew with a 1/4" SA. 

Press seam open

Iron the front

And you are FINISHED!!! Wahoo! Great job!

One more TIP: Sewing your blocks together.

When you pin your points together, on ANY block style, paper pieced or not, if you want your points to match it is better to match your seams than worrying about the fabric being flat in between those seams. Sometimes when I pin my blocks together one section might have extra fabric between pins, when you are sewing those sections, hold onto the following pin, pulling your fabric taunt. As you sew it will space your fabrics evenly and everything will line up. You may have a little wave, but it won't pucker. And when you do your final press, it usually takes care of anything that is noticeable. You don't want to stretch your fabric a lot, but you can stretch it a little. A little wave is far less noticeable than seams that don't match up.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! Please leave me any feedback you might have! :) I hope this helps you feel confident to try paper piecing if you've never done it before, or hopefully you've learned something new that will help you in the future! :)

I would LOVE to see ANY paper piecing you do using this tutorial! Whether you use my Two Stars Squared pattern or not! Please share it in my flickr group, or leave a comment with a link to your blog post! :)

Good luck and have fun with your new addiction!! ;)