I have been SO bad about posting – I am SO sorry!  I get busy and then, poof!  too much time has passed!  I have been quite busy at work, but I have found time to do some stamping, cooking, and even sewing and it is about time that I shared!

Last year, at Alamo Craft Company in San Antonio, I learned how to do English Paper Piecing and I loved that I could do it in my lap with very little space needed.  However, my hands weren’t too happy about it: carpal syndrome!  I don’t give up easily, though, and since I have changed my diet to paleo, my hands are better: not perfect, but better.  And good enough to pick up this fun project.

I started by making one flower and then decided to make a small lap quilt for Mom.  She is in a nursing home and is always chilly and I hope this works for her.  If it were me, I would put it on my lap and check out the new Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog, but sadly, Mom is mostly blind.  When I mail the quilt, the catalog will be for my dear sister.

With English Paper Piecing, you wrap a small piece of fabric around the paper shape and tack the corners.  Then the pieces are hand-sewn together to make the top.  The templates I used for this quilt are 1-1/2″ on a side, but for my next project, I wanted to use the more traditional, 1″ shapes.  And I found the best tool to help out! I punched hundreds of shapes from retired Stampin’ Up! designer paper – aren’t they pretty?

Here is a link (affiliate link) to the punch on Amazon:

I’m not sure yet what my next project will be, but I’m thinking something for Christmas: mug rugs, placements, or a table runner, maybe.  If you have an idea, feel free to leave a comment below.