Nellie"s Needles

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Playing with Paper Piecing

I had a few days between my last big project (more about that later) and getting ready to move north for the summer so I dug into my scrap bags and played with this idea I had recently come across at this link.
Making my own pattern for the diamond shapes that create these wonky spider webs based on a Victorian motif was easy. Watching it grow on my design wall was fun ...
At this point, it began to be a bit more work to figure out which scraps to use where ...
Further along, I began to think about how in the world all these diamond shapes would be sewn together ... and could see no other way except with "Y" seams. So I finished up with a plan to use this as the center motif for a larger project.

Sewing the "Y" seams was not as bad as I had anticipated. The biggest trick for success is to not stitch into the seam allowances. Also, to backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam ... and each side of the diamond is a separate seam. In these two photos you can see the sequence of my getting those diamonds sewn together.

Here it is all stitched together ... front and back.
As you can see, I marked key diamonds on the paper clad backside so I wouldn't mess up the spider web patterns. The paper was torn away from the seam allowances so they could be pressed before I trimmed the whole piece to size and square it up in preparation for it to be used as the center motif in a future bed quilt.

Last evening I dug through my stash of fabric pieces that had been cut for other projects but had ended up not being used. Among my finds were a baggy full of red hued squares and the cut strips of the striped fabric. Both of those look good with the spider web piece. Ricky Tim's "dancing square" patterning is the perfect wonkiness for working those squares into a border. The same goes for that irregular striped fabric.
It's time to put all this away ... maybe I'll pack it up to finish designing and piecing sometime this summer.

Now to get busy so I can get back to creating in my Studio North.




14 comments:

Sujata Shah said...

Wow! This is awesome! I love your modern take on this pattern. Bright and cheery. I love the borders you are working on too. Can't wait to see it progress.

Terri Stegmiller said...

I LOVE this!!! It looks like fun and something I should try very hard to remember.

Kay said...

Love the way you've made the dark ring. It will be fun to see how this shapes up..

West Michigan Quilter said...

Love this block. I've just learned to love PP. Thanks for the link to the instructions.

June Calender said...

Gorgeous! I'm currently making a paper-pieced quilt of hexagons. I've made others and love the look, don't enjoy the Y seams but, as you point out, they're do-able. I like the wonkiness and the bright scrappiness.

p said...

i like the border very cool and alive!

Barbara Strobel Lardon said...

Love the colors, the red centers, and the possible borders. Terrific.

Still cold at night but getting a wee bit warmer during the day.

MulticoloredPieces said...

Hi, Nellie. Loved the way the scarf quilts turned out--fun, unusual and gorgeous! And your spider web quilt is stunning--great mix of colors and beautiful design as usual. My afternoon at your home (rather, art gallery) was memorable--I'm looking forward to writing a post about it all. I feel blessed to have met you and Alicia.
best, nadia

Colleen Kole said...

I love this -all of it! Ready to have you back-safe travels and packing-ugh all the packing is no fun but the lake awaits your return.

Browndirtcottage said...

Good stuff Nellie! I too am working on the spider webs I saw on Sajata's blog. It is so amazing to see how different the same pattern can turn out so different.
I liked seeing how you put yours together. The last 2 days I have been trying to decide if mine is the size I want AND how I will piece it all together. Run over and have a look-see of mine. So far I have only posted one photo. Mine is A WHOLE lot larger than the photo as of today!

Yours...I.LIKE.

Elaine Adair said...

Wow - now THAT's my idea of a good quilt pattern! LOVE it.

Browndirtcottage said...

Hi Nellie! I am proud to say I have finished my spider web top and have just now posted it. Come have a look-see.

I also left a link to your blog so everyone can see yours too!!

faun, stitch@bonewits.com said...

I found your blog surfing starting from pinterest
and i wandered back in time -
i love the exploring you do,
you color choices resemble and onld antique wool quilt i tore out of a magazine ages ago that's taped up on my wall.

back around april I decide to do the spider web pattern also, instead of paper I did it on fabric trangles that i sewed together.
"http://www.flickr.com/photos/faunhaert/7084180409/i\"

next time i'd drawn some on fabric to cut up
but i left them uncut and pieced it log cabin style
starting on one and and working over braiding them.
i was gont to do a large bit then stopped at just a table runner cutting the extra triangles off.

"http://www.flickr.com/photos/faunhaert/6994781856/"

the more recent views are up at flicker if you're interested,

Carli The Quilter said...

Oh my this diamond shape is one I found a few years ago and then I stumbled on your blog. I love your choice of colors!!