Have you ever tried foundation paper piecing? Years ago, I attempted a small paper piecing project with a friend, and we both really struggled. (We didn’t come to tears, but there may have been some cursing!) I had a hard time wrapping my brain around aligning pieces of fabric on the underside of paper and hoping that everything would come out as intended. But that was decades ago, before the advent of YouTube tutorials and Instagram reels. I recently plucked up my courage and gave it another go . . . with success and enjoyment this time!
The block I’m sharing with you today is the Vintage Milkmaid’s Star, as designed by Lori Holt and It’s Sew Emma. Fat Quarter Shop recently hosted a foundation paper piecing challenge focused on this block, and they kindly sent me two paper packs (6” size) so that I could give it a whirl. This time around, I was armed with a resource I didn’t have years ago . . . an excellent “how to” video that I could play, pause, and replay until I began to feel comfortable with the technique. Many thanks to Kimberly Jolly for her excellent YouTube tutorial!
I pulled a selection of fabrics from my stash to get started. Most of the blues are left over from my Gumdrops quilt, with red added in for a vibrant pop. I bordered my block with chambray, just for fun. I am tempted to quilt this block and use it as a candle or mini plant mat, but I know the real reward would be to take my time creating more blocks from this fabric pull. I bet I have enough fabric to make a large pillow or table runner!
In her YouTube video, Kimberly lists all the supplies she used, including a lighted mat for those of you hard core paper piecers! Fat Quarter Shop also offer’s Kimberly’s exclusive Foundation Paper Piecing Starter Kit that you may want to check out. I didn’t have every tool on hand, but I did have these two tools which I found super helpful:
Add A Quarter 6” PLUS ruler (with a straight edge for cutting and a tapered edge for folding; there is also a 12″ version)
Sew Easy Tweezers by Elisa’s Back Porch (for picking out bits of paper that don’t tear away easily)
And of course you’ll need the foundation paper packs. In addition to the Vintage Milkmaid’s Star, I have two others on my “must try” list: the Vintage Kite and the Woven Star.
Kimberly’s YouTube tutorial is fabulous, and of course there are instructions printed on the inside cover of the foundation paper packs. Still, I thought I’d share a few of my own tips with you. If any of you are beginners like me, you may find these helpful:
- Avoid directional fabric.
- Write your fabric selections directly on the piece of paper. Even though there are instructions for labeling your fabrics to match the labels on the paper, that wasn’t enough for my brain. So, on my paper quadrants, I wrote little notes such as blue floral, red, white floral, white paisley, blue multi.
- Kimberly kept the paper on until after she had all four quadrants sewn together and the whole block was done. But I had a very difficult time removing the paper in some of the seams. So, I unsewed the four quadrants, removed the paper from each, and then sewed the four quadrants back together. (Note: Kimberly was sewing the larger sized block, so maybe if you are doing that, you won’t run into the same issue that I did with the smaller block.)
- I didn’t have a roller presser and finger pressing wasn’t providing enough flatness. So, I carefully used my iron on medium heat. I didn’t burn any paper or start the sewing room on fire, so no worries there!
- When sewing the four quadrants together, I pin matched the seams and pressed open to have a nice flat block.
Foundation paper piecing isn’t a speedy or easy process, but I know the challenge is good for my brain and my creativity. And it was rewarding to see the block turn out so well. I love the different angles that this method can produce. Many thanks to Fat Quarter Shop for including me in their latest foundation paper piecing challenge. Quilting friends, I encourage you to give it a go as well!
Take care and get carried away quilting!
~Taunja
