More Paper Piecing

Ya know, I am now on the fence about this paper piecing way of putting a block together.  I am not sure I like the process of getting to the finished block, but I know I like the finished end result.  Here are some conclusions (at least in my mind) of what I think about the paper piecing gig:


These three are some of the simple blocks they are starting with in this sew along.  This type of block is a easy rotary cut, pieces sewn together, and bam, you're done.  Not so with paper piecing. It is very time consuming.  Maybe it is part of the learning curve for me, but I still would imagine it will take longer than a more traditional way.  It also takes more fabric.  You have to have almost double the size piece of fabric to stitch and ensures it over covers the portion of the block you are piecing.  Believe me I tried using an exact shaped piece (with seam allowances included) and somehow it didn't work well.  So I over cut a piece of fabric sew it onto the paper and then I have to cut it down after each seam and when the block is finished.

Now, here is where the paper piecing leans towards the good side of things.  These blocks are a few that I have done on my own, outside of the sew along.  I feel two blocks a week is too slow of a pace, so I went ahead and started at the beginning and made several this week.  

This block gets a little more detailed, but I gotta tell you, no way would by "flying geese" pieces ever look this good doing a block the traditional way!  

This block has some acute isoseceles triangles and trapezoids, which are harder types of pieces to normally sew together, but paper piecing makes them come together and fit perfectly.

Now the real charm of paper piecing happens with this block.  Third one in, of doing them on my own, and wow.  This is a block with a lot of tiny pieces.  And when I sat a lot of pieces, I mean 53 pieces to be exact!  Think about that for a minute, 53 pieces in a 6 1/2 inch block!!  When I said earlier that paper piecing takes longer, well this block took me two evenings to complete, or about 4 hours.  That's is an investment of time to be spending on one block, but the pieces are so small, that I would't be able to get it sewn, much less with this kind of accuracy.  

I have only done 7 blocks in the two week since the start of this sew along, and have 92 more to go, making it kinda of daunting to think of the time that will be spent in getting this project across the finish line.  

So in review, while I have some cons about paper piecing, there are more important pros that want to keep me plowing ahead and through this sew along.

Warmest...