My Grandmother's flower garden lap quilt has been buried for over a year. There isn't much of the piecing left to do and I was looking for some hand sewing that I could pick up. I worked on it a little the last couple nights. This morning I was reading blogs and Joan at Keeping you in Stitches was showing how she was hand sewing her apple core quilt to the border. It was just what I needed because that is what I will be doing soon to finish this lap quilt.
I don't consider myself a real experienced quilter, but wanted to show how I pieced this together. At one of the first quilt shows I ever went to, I saw someone selling these paper pieces and I bought a package. I don't know if this was the same company or not, but she was sitting in her booth piecing these together and she showed me the easy way to do it.
She said to cut squares of fabric just a little bigger than the piece.
Then fold the edge of the fabric over the paper (it is similar in thickness to a 3x5 index card) and stitch the fabric at the fold. Do NOT stitch through the paper. I think some of the instructions I have seen tell you to stitch through the paper, but it isn't necessary.
See how the fabric is folded around the paper?
To sew them together, just take tiny stitches along the edge catching both sides and being sure you don't catch the paper (if you catch a little paper along the edge, that is OK).
When you have them all sewn together you can take the paper pieces out and re-use them. I will keep all the paper pieces around the edges in until ready to sew onto the border.
Also, I cut the excess points that are there because I was folding a square of fabric instead of carefully cutting out hexagons. 
I'm sure there are other ways to do these, but this is the way I do it and it seems to work for me. Be sure to visit Joan's blog to see her gorgeous quilts!BTW, APQ bloggers, I mailed my blocks today.
thats on my list of quilts I want to do....someday. I might keep my eyes out for a jelly roll or two I am madly n love with
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful and oh-so-doable with the papers. I might give it a whirl!! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat does look easier! My grandmother cut out all the little hexagons and hand stitched them together with the 1/4 inch seam. Your way is so much more efficient. Your quilt top looks great, can't wait to see it all done. Enjoy the hand stitching, I find it very relaxing.
ReplyDeleteI saw those same things at the Chicago quilt show last year. The gal in the booth swore I'd be addicted once I tried. She was wrong, but your method looks so much easier than what I was taught, I may decide someday that I do want to try it again. Thanks for showing your method!
ReplyDeleteI have those too! Mine is not nearly done- but the paper pieces are only 1/2" so there are a lot of them. I will have to see if I can dig it out to show you... :) Theri
ReplyDeleteWow this is a stunner!! Thanks for the tutorial :) Christine
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is beautiful. Appliqueing to a border will be a very nice finish for it. Thanks for the tutorial. -Joanne
ReplyDeleteI have those papers too. I made a purse with the small ones. One day I hope to do at least a lap size grandmother's flower garden.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beauty that's going to be! Your work is beautiful, both top and bottom! I can't even imagine that many stitches by hand to put it together, and then it still has to be quilted, by hand no doubt! I'll be following this one closely. The papers would seem to make it easier; thanks for sharing that! ---"Love"
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using squares, much easier to sew and one day, I may even do a GFG quilt. Your blocks are lovely, so traditional which I'm loving.
ReplyDeleteI loved the step-by-step ... always thought it was hard but you have shown so much easier. I will try.
ReplyDeletehug
I've always loved the GFG quilt and yours is no exception.
ReplyDeleteYou make it look pretty easy too!!
Great job on the tutorial! That method is so much easier than what I had seen in the past. Your choice of fabrics is lovely. Mary
ReplyDeleteIt's such a classic block design and looks wonderful. I can't wait to see your apple core quilt. Ann :-)
ReplyDeleteThose are wonderful instructions, Gladys. I'm not a quilter, but oh how I would be if I had the time. What do you mean you're not a good quilter? Nonsense, you are fabulous. This is such a fun quilting blog. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Christine
That is surely going to be one beautiful quilt when you get it finished, and would definately win some prozes. The method you are using with the paper is called the "English" paper piecing method practiced many years ago. I don't know what people call it nowadays. Your work is beautiful that you do in your quiltmaking. It's ajoy to see, and thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI tried making one of these grandmother's flower garden quilts...I got to the size of a potholder and put it away. Not that is was hard, just that my attention span didn't cooperate;)
ReplyDeleteLove what you are doing;)
Happy Quilting!!
Thanks for the tutorial. I've wanted to start one of these forever but wasnt sure how to do it.
ReplyDelete