New Skills and Inspiration

Foundation paper piecing has been a skill that I’ve had on my to learn list for some time.  Projects created with paper piecing have a level of detail that seemed impossible to learn without taking an instructor led course.  Little did I know that this method is insanely easy as long as you have the right tools and a great pattern.  I highly recommend the pattern I showed on the IG feed from lillyellasworld.  The beginner version will teach you how to do it even if you are clueless as of right this minute.  (I asked permission to mention it here- she knows I love it so.)  I could go on about how lovely the pattern is and how delightful the finished products look hanging up on the wall, but what I really want to do is to inspire you to tackle that project you’ve been putting off or finish up that pile of neglected WIPs.  If you follow along on my personal account on IG you’ll see that I love to begin new projects, but I also have a good amount of follow through.  I know a lot of crafty peeps let the WIP pile and to do list grow, but life is short my friends, get busy creating.  So many of us spend all of our time buying and buying fabric and patterns just to stack up in a hoard.  Cut that fabric you paid $10/FQ for and start stitching.  What is the point of all this price gouging insanity and binge buying on Etsy and desatsh if you aren’t going to use the fabric?  ($80/yard Tula raccoons, really??)  By the way, all that fabric will look much better in your living room being used by your best friend or child to snuggle up during a movie than shut away in a closet in nice neat stacks carefully guarded from sunlight.  If you love it, use it.  There will always be something new coming out next week if you run out… and we all know none of us will EVER run out of fabric! 

I have thoroughly enjoyed my week at 52quilters and I hope my IG posts were not too overwhelming.  I am not much for blogging (or reading blogs for that matter) so I’m keeping this short and simple.  I hope everyone has a fantastic week and I look forward to meeting many new quilty friends! 

Post by Elizabeth Knestrick - Week #22: 
I'm a thirty something wife and mother of two in the American Midwest. I'm a professional in the scientific/pharmaceutical field by day and a quilter/sewist any time I can squeeze it in. I've been sewing for 24 years. I enjoy trying new projects often without patterns. I love national parks, coffee, Anna Maria Horner and dark dark chocolate. @lizzymakes.