Christine's Kitchen QAL {Week 2}

It's time for Week 2 of the Christine's Kitchen quilt along!

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

This week we are making blocks #3 and #4 -- the teapot and coffee kettle from row #1! We'll make these blocks and attach them to the section we made in week #1 and our first row will be completely done! Hooray! Below are also the notes to win PRIZES!

Last week I talked about general paper piecing tips, and this week I am going to talk about pattern and fabric prep.

• As I noted last week, I like to cut around my pattern pieces and leave at least some extra paper space between the dotted edge of the 1/4 inch seam and the edge of the paper. Too much paper flopping around gets in the way so I find that an extra 1/4 inch of paper around the template is a happy medium.
• If you find it helpful, shorten your stitch length. I find that my standard stitch length is usually sufficient, but a shorter stitch length does make paper removal slightly easier.
• While not necessary, I paper piece with my 1/4 inch foot on my sewing machine because I find it more convenient. I am used to lining up my line to sew on with my foot and that way when I switch gears from paper piecing sections to joining sections, my quarter inch foot is already on my machine and the needle is in the correct position.
• When working with yardage for a paper piecing project, I like to work from WOF strips. I cut my strips about a half inch wider than the widest piece that I would need in a section. An extra half inch gives you more than sufficient wiggle room for whatever piecing you might be doing. You can do the same with fat quarters as well, your strips will just start shorter (which can sometimes be easier).
• After adding a piece with from a WOF strip, I often times cut it off right away as shown in the example last week. This means that fabric isn't flopping around but it also means that you can control the angle you cut (ie, cut a square edge) which isn't possible if you don't trim again until your next seam trim.
• I save all of my fabric cut-offs throughout my paper piecing larger than an inch wide. In this project, there are lots and lots of small and narrow pieces, so it saves to save them! After I'm done with an entire section (for this project, after I complete an individual week's blocks) I will sort through and get rid of the smallest pieces in each color and save only the bigger pieces for future weeks' blocks.

Now on to this week's blocks!

Here are my prepped pieces, finished units, and blocks:

Here is my finished Row #1!

Here is Amanda's Row #1!

Now on to what you've all been waiting for...PRIZES!

This week our prize will be a bundle of four Island Batik fat quarters! To be entered to win, post a picture of your finished Row #1 on Instagram and include the hashtag #ChristinesKitchenQuilt! If you're not on Instagram you can share a picture in the Flickr group OR email me a picture at littlebunnyquilts@gmail.com! I will share the winner and their finished row next week!

March 20th: Blocks 1 and 2; sashing
March 27th: Blocks 3 and 4; building Row #1 and GIVEAWAY! (you are here!)
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 and Linky Tuesday! Also, hop on over to Quilting Mod to enter to win a set of 10 Clover brand sewing and quilting tools!