36. Sandy Varley – Quick Strip Paper Piecing
Evening
Create spinning stars using an assembly-line approach to paper foundation piecing that goes lickety-split. If you’ve found “normal” paper-piecing confusing or frustrating, you will love this method. Class includes master pattern for blocks and borders and enough vellum foundations to get you started. Or, you may choose a block from one of Peggy Martin’s books.
Skill level: All
Book “Quick Strip Paper Piecing or Paper Piecing the Quick Strip Way is recommended, but not required.
Pattern Fee: none
BSK
The following fabric requirements are for one block of the quilt. My quilt is bed-sized. It takes approx. 5 1/2 yards of background fabric and 1 yard of pinwheel fabric. The stars are cut from a variety of fabrics. If you choose to make a quilt from one of Peggy’s books instead, please refer to her instructions for yardage. Do not use my cutting instructions if you are making one of her blocks. Just bring the fabric and we will cut it in class.This technique does not work with all paper piecing patterns, so plan on making either mine or one of Peggy’s.
Fabric Requirements and Cutting Instructions:
Background fabric: Cut one 5 ¼” strip WOF and one 3 ½” strip WOF
Star points: You need two fabrics that coordinate with each other. I used a batik “solid” and a batik print in a matching color. They should be approx. the same value. Cut a 2 ½” strip WOF of each one.
Star Ring: Should contrast with the star points—a much lighter or much darker value of the star point color, or something that contrasts well with it. Cut a 1 ½” strip WOF.
Pinwheel fabric (corners of the block): Choose a fabric that contrasts with the stars and the background. Cut a 2 ½” strip WOF.
Note: Fat quarters do NOT work well for this method because you need more length for chain piecing.