I'm supposed to be making samples for my Trip Around the World quilt patterns. Who is going to buy my patterns with only the computer-generated images? Thankfully, a few visionaries. Here's what I'm doing instead:
The murder mystery quilt is a monthly subscription club that reads a mystery together and stitches up a quilt to find clues and solve a murder. For 2023, my first year of participating, it's The Murder of the Viking, and I love it.
What you get if you subscribe:
First, let me say I have no affiliation with this business other than participating and loving it. Each month, we get a chapter to read, and a block to make. If we make the block before the next block is released, we earn a bonus clue. The blocks are typically traditionally pieced, but we do get instructions for foundation paper piecing, which I wanted to learn, so I'm making all my blocks with the foundation paper piecing method. You also get access to a "How to quilt" video tutorial, membership in a Facebook group of other participants which is more fun than you can imagine, and also some quilt patterns. The how to quilt series has quilt blocks with video instructions, so you get patterns for each of those blocks, and for 2023 we also had access to an advent calendar quilt pattern. The how to quilt series is excellent, I plan to work my way through all the lessons. I've never had formal lessons in quilting, I just picked it up from family and friends, and I always have something to learn. I did complete lesson 18, on foundation paper piecing, which led me to attempt my first foundation paper pieced block in January.
Foundation Paper Piecing
All four blocks pictured above were pieced with the foundation paper piecing technique. This involves sewing fabric to paper, the paper is marked with the stitching lines. The pattern template is one you print out on foundation piecing paper, and a critical step is assuring your printed pattern is the correct size. The patterns are marked with a grid for checking the size. If the pattern does not print the size correctly, your printer has adjusted the document to fit your printer's settings, and you will need to adjust your print settings or paper size. There were instructions loaded to my Facebook group on how to adjust printer settings for different size papers. I'm in the Odin Clue Crew, with around 600 other enthusiastic quilters.
Always verify that the design printed at the correct size on the foundation piecing paper.
Accuracy
The foundation paper piecing offers one distinct advantage over traditional piecing methods, and that is accuracy. Because you sew on printed lines, complex shapes and sizes are possible with a high level of accuracy. The foundation paper also provides some stability to the piece, so that blocks don't get stretched out of shape as you work. The paper foundation is removed once the whole top is pieced together.
I bought so much fabric!
I had a significant amount of angst around choosing fabrics because I don't know what we would be making. The fabric guide was published in November for an early January start date, which told us what colors we needed, and how much. Large prints were discouraged, but small prints were acceptable. I bought so much fabric! I found an Alison Glass fabric line, Between, that had selections in every color I needed, so I chose that fabric line. Then I found additional Alison Glass fabric lines from previous years, that went well with what I had selected so I bought those. Then she came out with her 2023 collection, which also plays well with many of the fabrics I had purchased so I bought those. I am now the proud owner of a fabulous stash of Alison Glass fabrics. I particularly like the fabric called "Hopscotch". I purchased this in "powder" for the background of my quilt, our instructions were to purchase "seaglass". The design in Hopscotch reminds me of runes. And did you know there is a large selection of Guicy Guice fabrics that look great with the Alison Glass collections? Well, I have some of those also.
One of the most fun things is when everyone posts their photos, and you get to see how the designs play out in different fabrics.
Over-committed
I have 10 Trip around the World quilt patterns for sale in my Etsy Store, so far, I've completed 2 samples - the 6 color and the 12 color. I've purchased jellyrolls, I'm auditioning the strips in sets, and I've got a 7-color ready to quilt, just one block. Which brings me to my next over-commitment: I purchased a long arm and need to learn how to use it. I hope to blog about that in the future.
Check back often:
It really is taking me longer to launch this pattern business than I imagined. Thanks so much for your support. You can reach me at info@tripquilts.com.