All Points Patchwork review

Quilty Book Review by Ronni Chavez:
All Points Patchwork
by Diane Gilleland (CraftyPod)

The layout of this latest EPP book just tickles me:

front and back covers show front and back of an elaborate EPP block:)





Storey Publishing and Diane Gilleland have made complicated illustrations easy to understand, and very fun. [I know, because I drew similar illustrations for our RHQ EPP Tutorial.]
Diane describes every type of English Paper Piecing form, how each is best covered (in fabric, of course:), with several design options for all shape.
No matter what the feature; skinny points, curves, every size angle...all are covered here;)

And covered EQUALLY! Too often EPP books claim to be comprehensive, but really only focus on hexagons. This book actually is comprehensive, with every shape receiving it's own chapter comparing differing construction methods. Now you'll know when to glue EPP seam allowances, and when its best to stich through the papers.

Beginning chapters review all the different ways to make templates and cardstock forms. If you're planning to draw your own papers, you'll appreciate Diane's simplified geometry lessons for drafting. Contemporary tools like paper punches and marking pens are also included.

Best of all is the extensive in text cross referencing.  For example,
"Bet you're wondering how to xyz about now? Remember we answered that back on page 000." Makes my librarian's heart happy:)

I was inspired by the new projects in All Points Patchwork.

Some are 3-D, some are applique, all are clever and would be fun to make. 

I have always wanted to try some Apple Cores. Diane's book has the cutest design for an embroidered apple core applique dish towel. Hope I'll get to try it out, soon!

[This picture isn't it. I wouldn't post copyrighted stuff here, and ruin he book for you! This is another cool apple core design of the Apple-a-Day bloghop project from CraftyPod]

So, the moral of the Storey is, don't be afraid of EPP. If you are beginner, here is everything you need to know in one adorable, inspiring package. And if you are an expert, you'll still find advice on new EPP shapes you haven't tried yet, plus plenty of fun projects.
   What new EPP shapes are you inspired to work on?

New Quilt Formats

Inspired by @AngieQuilts :)
Once upon a time...my first FB friend sent me this WOW! thread painted postcard!!
I had never seen anything like it! I believe Angie pioneered thread-painting in this new medium.

[No worries, you too can get one of Angie's amazing creations in Angie's Textile Art Etsy Shop]

 

While I still haven't quite got the hang of thread painting and fabric printing like Angie does,

I have been playing with the magic postcard interfacing

 

and..........

 

its perfect for quilted jewelry!

 

It took many tries to work out the finishing details over the years since I received Angie's lovely Sunflower Postcard all the way from Cheadle, UK,

but here at last is Hexagon Cuff

Thank you, Angela:)



Grandmother's Garden Tote

I'm so excited to be writing a pattern, at last! And terrified too. I know it sounds silly, but there is just no time to contemplate that irony. Someday I will find where all the time goes.

We have 8 more designs in various stages of testing, so we haven't been lazy since we started this blog. Finally decided just to pick one thing and get 'er done... or else. Alex helped with chores, even cooked dinners, so I could focus on figuring this out for the President's Day weekend. I am so proud to say, Grandmother's Garden Tote has been a true family project!

Pearl helped too.

Why was this design so tricky? Because there are no seams, just piecing.

The entire tote basket is English Paper Pieced hexagons.

Yes, even the straps are pieced!

Can't wait for you to see the pattern! Our next goal is to have our pattern published by St. Patrick's Day.

It is actually an easy quilted bag (I can say that now, of course). I wanted to design a completely portable project, that is fun to sew all by hand, and here it is; Grandmother's Garden Tote, a basket from a traditional 'Grandmother's Flower Garden. '

I hope the fun you will have creating yours, equals the amount I have learned in creating mine.