Christine's Kitchen QAL {Week 1}

Welcome to Week 1 of the Christine's Kitchen QAL!

Update: The QAL Is now over and the entire pattern is now available for purchase.

This week we are making blocks #1 and #2 and I'll be giving some basic paper piecing tips for paper piecing newbies. If you're quilting along with us, don't forget to use the hashtags #ChristinesKitchenQuilt and #HBDpatterns on Instagram!

As a reminder, here are the general fabric requirements:

Background: 2 yards
Various prints for piecing: 1 1/4-1 1/2 yards total (about 1/3 yard of this is for your border)
      Add extra if you like extra wiggle room for your paper piecing!
Binding: 1/3 yard
Backing and batting: 1 1/4 yard
Fusible web pieces

Here is my fabric pull:
I am using a cream and tan Island Batik print for my background and then various shades of green for my kitchen items. 

Some general tips:

• When prepping paper piecing patterns, I like to cut around my paper piecing template sections and leave at least a 1/4 inch of paper beyond the quarter inch seam marking. This reduces some paper bulk, but also gives you enough room around your piece to help you keep track of if you have enough fabric for each section.

• After I cut my pieces out, I like to arrange the units in the places where they need to go in the final block. I also like to look at each block and determine what order I should piece the units -- most of the time I attempt to piece blocks with the largest pieces of fabric first, so that I can use any cut-offs in units with smaller pieces.

• Remember that the pattern is opposite of what your final unit will look like -- we've included the tiny version of the finished block on the pattern page, so you can always use that as your reference.
• Sometimes I find it is helpful to pin or lightly glue the first piece of fabric to the foundation for stability. You'll quickly get in the paper piecing rhythm: Align fabric, sew on the line, fold paper, trim seam, press fabric, repeat

• If you are a new paper piecer, don't be afraid to waste a little bit of fabric! You are much better off to work with larger seams and then trim them than to have skimpy seams that might pull apart. 

Here are my cut out units for blocks #1 and #2:

Here's a good example of a time when knowing where the edge is can help you. My strip of green extended far beyond the template and I cut slightly beyond the edge to reduce the amount of fabric flopping around. I did this before adding the final background pieces because it would have actually wasted more fabric otherwise.

When you have to add a strip at an angle, I cannot emphasize enough: be willing to waste a little bit of fabric! I cut a strip about three times wider than was necessary in this example and made sure it covered the entire section and seam allowance before I did any trimming.

Here are my finished units for blocks #1 and #2 as well as my finished blocks!

Cut your sashing pieces from the background and sew together!

Amanda is making her quilt with white and grey dishes and a floral aqua background, here are her two blocks joined together:

I can't wait to see what you make! Feel free to share your finished blocks in the Flickr group and we will have a link-up (with PRIZES) once we finish our first row!

March 20th: Blocks 1 and 2; sashing (you are here!)
March 27th: Blocks 3 and 4; sashing
April 3rd: Block 5; sashing 
April 10th: Blocks 6 and 7
April 17th: Blocks 8 and 9; sashing
April 24th: Blocks 10 and 11; sashing 
May 1st: Block 12; sashing
May 8th: Applique blocks
May 15th: Setting 
May 22nd: Border and finishing
May 29th: Memorial Day break
June 5th: Show off your quilt! (And grand finale prizes!)

Sharing at Tips and Tutorials Tuesday!