Mary Hertel - Sew Cute & Clever Farm & Forest Friends: Mix & Match 16 Paper-Pieced Blocks, 6 Home Decor Projects

Publisher: Amy Marson Creative Director: Gailen Runge Acquisitions Editor: Roxane Cerda Managing Editor: Liz Aneloski Editor: Katie Van Amburg Technical Editor: Linda Johnson Cover/Book Designer: April Mostek Production Coordinator: Tim Manibusan Production Editor: Alice Mace Nakanishi Illustrator: Aliza Shalit Photo Assistants: Rachel Holmes and Mai Yong Vang Style photography by Kelly Burgoyne, subjects photography by Mai Yong Vang, and instructional photography by Michael Gardner of C&T Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted Published by C&T Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549 DEDICATION I dedicate this book to my six siblings: my sisters, Vivian and Sharon, and my brothers, Jim, Kevin, Tom, and Doug. They inspire me with their unique creativeness. Their support means a lot to me. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to my special friend Tom Warstler. INTRODUCTION Are you afraid to try paper piecing? Have you tried it in the past and been overwhelmed by too many tiny pieces? I suggest this: Try one of my patterns. INTRODUCTION Are you afraid to try paper piecing? Have you tried it in the past and been overwhelmed by too many tiny pieces? I suggest this: Try one of my patterns.

As a designer, I promise to create the easiest paper-pieced blocks: blocks that assemble quickly, but are still as cute as can be. Paper piecing is a very pure method of sewing an image into a quilt, yet it allows more flexibility than regular piecing. Unlike appliqu, the paper-pieced image is actually sewn into your project. Dont get me wrong, I respect appliqu and piecing, but the puzzle-like quality of putting together a paper pieced design has me hooked and Id love to get you hooked, too! I like to call it sew by number. Just follow the numbers and add each scrap of fabric in numerical order. If you can count, you can paper piece! All the seams are straight lines, so it couldnt be easier.

This book is devoted to animal blocks. What is it about animals that make them so endearing? Having grown up on a dairy farm in central Wisconsin, I was surrounded by animals. Farm, woodland, domestic, or wild I loved them all. Animals are my favorite design topic, and also the favorite of my customers. My goal is to give each animal an expression all their own. The more expressive the animal, the better.

Now for the best part all sixteen paper-pieced blocks in this book work in any of the six different projects. And thats not all. The paper-pieced blocks in any of my books work for all my projects. Thats right: all blocks are completely interchangeable in any of my books. Mix and match blocks and projects between my books as you like. PAPER-PIECING BASICS Paper piecing is a simple, straightforward method of sewing a design into a project. PAPER-PIECING BASICS Paper piecing is a simple, straightforward method of sewing a design into a project.

Perhaps you have experienced the joy and satisfaction of seeing the finished image after adding the last piece to a jigsaw puzzle. The effects of paper piecing are no different. Anyone with basic sewing skills can master paper piecing, as the approach used in this book is essentially sewing by number. Paper piecing is also a creative means of using up oddly shaped pieces of fabric that might otherwise have been relegated to the scrap pile. Tools Paper (I recommend Carol Doaks Foundation Paper by C&T Publishing.) Sharp scissors Rotary cutter and mat Ruler with an easy-to-read line (such as Add-A-Quarter ruler by CM Designs) Multiuse tool (such as Alex Andersons 4-in-1 Essential Sewing Tool by C&T Publishing) or seam ripper Flat-head straight pins Lamp or natural light source Sewing machine Iron and pressing board Things to Know STITCH LENGTH Set the stitch length at 1.5, which is about 20 stitches per inch. When paper piecing, the stitch perforations must be close together to allow the paper to rip easily, but not so close that ripping out a seam is an impossible task.

PREPARE A CONVENIENT WORK STATION Have the iron, pressing board, and cutting mat close to the sewing machine. There should be a light source handy for positioning scrap pieces on the back of the block. A window works well during the day and a lamp at night. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT After sewing a seamline, the fabric is flipped behind the numbered piece that you are currently attaching. This creates a butterfly effect, meaning that the fabric scrap needs to be lined up to the seam in such a way that it will cover the space you are sewing after it is flipped into place. If you are concerned that the size of the scrap is insufficient, pin along the seamline and try flipping the scrap into place before sewing the seam.

If the scrap does not cover the area sufficiently, you can adjust it or find a larger scrap. FOLLOW ALONG If you are new to paper piecing, practice with the Raccoon block as you read the following instructions. Preparing the Patterns Make the recommended number of color copies of the original block. (You need 2 copies for the Raccoon block.) Cut the block into the segments denoted by the capital letters, adding seam allowances along the red lines and the outside edges of the block. For the example, use 1 copy for each of the Segments A and B. Segments A and B with seam allowances all around Paper Piecing a Segment Always stitch pieces in numerical order.

Dont forget to set the stitch length to 1.5, or about 20 stitches per inch. Front side of Segment A Pin the wrong side of the Piece 1 fabric onto the unprinted side of the paper pattern. The right side of the fabric faces you (away from the paper). Bend the paper pattern and fabric along the seamline between Pieces 1 and 2. Use the side of a pencil or pressing tool (such as the presser cap on Alex Andersons 4-in-1 Essential Sewing Tool) to put a nice crease in the fabric. (This will help you align the fabric for Piece 2.)