Learning to paper piece

Yesterday I decided that I wanted to learn paper piecing. I have read online tutorials and watched YouTube videos on the subject yet was still really nervous! I printed off the patterns from Quilters Cache. If you have not checked out this website - you should!! Marcia Hohn has created templates for classic and original blocks. (I really want to try Starry Web!)

Paper piecing is very difficult to explain via the internet, but it essentially entails sewing fabric to a paper template, cutting fabric with 1/4 inch seam allowances, and tearing the paper off the back. Paper piecing creates extremely precise lines and points and does not require 1/4 inch seams when sewing.

 I pulled out a huge pile of scraps, and even cut "scraps" off some of the fabrics I now have in my stash in order to create a scrappy look. My goal is to make 120 triangles, and I currently have 40 done. I am not in a hurry to finish this quilt...but I am having so much fun creating these paper pieced blocks!!

Today, i set up my machine in the basement and spread out all of my tools - creating a very large work space!! It was such a fun day crafting - a friend was creating melted crayon art inspired from Pinterest and one of the men in the house was painting his fraternity paddle. We had a great time crafting, chatting, and listening to music. Someone came into the house and told us it looked like a 5th grade art classroom. He was right!

Here are what the paper pieced triangles look from the back and the front. You can see the template with fabric stitched on the other side.

And here is a glimpse of what the finished quilt will look like!! I am obsessed! I couldn't help squealing each time I finished one of these triangles. I am just so happy with the way they look together. :)