Monday, January 16, 2012

My First Hand Pieced Blocks...

I made my first hand pieced blocks over the weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the process. I made 6.5 inch Churn Dash blocks that will become part of a doll quilt for my someday quilt wall.

I am making the whole thing by hand. It's rewarding for me knowing I can do it and that I can sit with my family in the evening and be apart of what they are doing.

Here is a picture of the back of one of the blocks. I like seeing all of those little stitches :)

I cut out my pieces and then draw a 1/4 inch line from the edge of the fabric. That is the line I sew on.

I'm happy this process is teaching me patience which I lack at times. Only one time did I think that if I were using my machine I probably would have had all of the blocks pieced in the time it took to prep and sew 2 blocks. But the thought faded with the joy I felt from hand sewing them. I'm not sure why I find this so much more rewarding right now. I'm even thinking of a Hand Piece Along type thing. Maybe a small sampler doll quilt?! Anyone care to sew along? anyone? anyone? chirp...chirp.. :)

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow Erin! Such an achievement! Well done you!

randi--i have to say said...

pretty pretty blocks!

Mountain Home Quilts said...

Erin- you are amazing!! Plus, Urban Indigo is one of my all time favorite lines of fabric. :)

Trails of Grace said...

One day I would like to do this as well, but not anytime soon. I hardly have enough time to machine sew my quilts as it is! Your work is absolutely gorgeous! I love your color choices and you seem to really have a knack for the hand stitching! Can't wait to see it finished.

Barb said...

You are ambitious, looks great!!

Mary Jane Plemons said...

I learned to quilt in the 1980's. We were taught in our new quilt guild by a gifted quilter, and I learned to hand-piece and hand-quilt. We made a 12" block every month for a year, until we had enough for a bed-sized sampler quilt. Then, we stripped it and bordered it and quilted it. It took me a long time to finish it, but I gave it to my husband for an anniversary quilt on our 27th anniversary in 1987. We will have our 50th anniversary this summer, and we still sleep under it every night. I've made a number of quilts since then. I much prefer hand-piecing and do not even consider machine quilting. Be sure to press your seams carefully! Once, someone told me I'd never make very many quilts if I did them by hand, but that is not my object!
Mary Jane Plemons

Erin @ Why Not Sew? Quilts said...

Hi Mary Jane-
I could not reply to you through e-mail but I wanted to say that thank you for the pressing tip. I agree with your last sentence :) Congratulations on your 50th anniversary! That is such a blessing and something we can all learn from :) Take Care-
Erin

heather said...

I've been thinking about a hand piecing project lately. I've tried laying down but the though hasn't gone away. I may have to learn to hand sew,

Kris said...

By HAND!!! Wow, quite an undertaking! It is lovely. I machine pieced, but hand quilted my very first quilt. It was a crib size, and I loved the process!!

Jacque. said...

HA! You are crazy, woman! But, those blocks are looking good. And, you're right...having something to do by hand in the evening is good.

I could probably join you in a hand-sew-along if it was really a small doll quilt. {grin} You get me into so much trouble.

Char said...

I'd be happy to join you. I have an ongoing 9 patch in the works that I'm making from scraps. I take it out when I'm really missing handwork and make a few blocks.

Rebecca said...

I've made a mini-quilt by hand before and I did enjoy the process. Sometimes I almost think it is easier to match up seams when piecing by hand. And I do enjoy sewing from my couch while involved with my family.

So, maybe? You could convince me. I'll leave it at that. :)

Jean Burke said...

The blocks are just beautiful! Count me in.....I haven't hand pieced anything in a few years and I'd love to do it again......thanks!

Molly said...

Love these blocks! Hand sewing can be so satisfying. I don't do it nearly enough. But I always enjoy it when I do :)

Heather's Blog-o-rama said...

I found your blog via the Homestead Barn Hop linkup. I have this one hexagon quilt that I've been piecing entirely by hand. I'm doing it entirely on my own and not sure if it's even correct...but I love that your hand-piecing your blocks. How big are your stitches? I've tried to do multiple stitches at one time, and I've found that I"m not real good at it. So I do one stitch at a time ;) :) You blocks are so cute, and I LOVE the color choice in the fabric. Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)

Anonymous said...

I love hand stiching. It's so relaxing! And those blocks look very well made!

Francis Paul said...

I like to handpiece too. It's so relaxing :-)

MaryAnnB said...

I learned to quilt by hand piecing/quilting/applique back in the 80's also. Started to machine piece/quilt when I worked for a quilt store who needed someone to teach that method! Whether we hand piece or machine, I think whatever way gives us joy is just fine by me!
Love the fabric too!

Kelly said...

How lovely! I have really been thinking about making a small quilt for my son out of his old blue jeans. They are too small for him, but have holes in them so cannot sell them or give them away. I mess up so much on the sewing machine. I know it might take awhile, but I thought that would be so sweet.

Bek said...

i love to hand sew anything!! I would definitely be up for a sew along. I am also reading the first elm creek quilts book which has sparked some interest in hand piecing for me.

I also like to be able to sit in the lounge room with my family and enjoy their company while still being able to keep my hands busy sewing :)

susan said...

last year i hand pieced a bee block and loved it. i have been cutting apple cores for a quilt i want to hand piece. i think its much easier to be more accurate, dont you think?
love your feminine blocks

Molly said...

I love having something to work on while I'm on the couch in the evening. I started hand quilting last winter and I'm addicted. What could be better than spending time with your family in the evenings with a cozy blanket covering you?? I've been wanting to learn english paper piecing so I have a little project to take with me when I'm out. I'd love to do a project like that!

Tami said...

Hi!
I just wanted to let you know that as I type this I have the pieces for block 1 sitting next to me. I've already begun to piece it together. I too am using scraps. We'll see how it goes. :-) My little girl is 6 and itching to sew. I do believe I'm going to start with some of these blocks. I am a machine quilter but by hand....never! Loving that I'm sitting in the chair next to my sick little ones and working on a quilt block!

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