What Design Should I Make?

Out of these EPP 60' Diamond shapes? I haven't worked with them before, but have so far came up with these so far. Perhaps I might end up using all three of them in a table runner or other size quilt. I am so glad that I didn't get the shape bigger than 1 3/4" as it would be too big for the mini charm fabric I want to use for these. I didn't think they would be this big as per yesterday's post I have only worked with 3/4" Hexagons, they are measured quite differently than these shapes. What would you make?

Different EPP Pieces...

Normally, I only work from hexagons for EPP (English Paper Piecing) but decided to branch out. I forgot though that the way they are measured is vastly different than all of the other shapes. I already had mini charms picked out for the two new shapes 60' diamond and coffin. The mini charms I have for the coffin shape is no longer available, and consists of mostly light cream type shirting and blue fabric. The charms only consisted of 45 pieces of fabric, where most of the newer mini charms I have gotten consist of 75. I thought I would make a table runner and have one coffin piece per fabric, as you can tell from my pictures that I will be getting probably at least 4 or 5 EPP pieces from one square of fabric. 😂

They are 1" but of course not as big as the close up even appears. I guess at least I will get end up with more coffin EPP pieces, but not sure I want to try and make a table runner since they are so small. Normally, I do not work with hexagons smaller than 3/4". My next post will be all about the diamond shapes I got. 

Christmas Gifts 2016

I made all of the Christmas gifts in 2016 and already have a head start for this year as well, which was mostly because I had quite a few problems either finishing or finding the needing items to finish other projects. I made five pillowcases and I due have two more to make (the fabric was sold out), and several knitting washcloths, and several handmade EPP ornaments.

I made the pillowcases a lot bigger, but just have them folded in the pictures.
I made two of these for my nieces which they enjoyed.

This one was for my mother who enjoys gardening.

This one was for my Dad who is a huge fan, I plan to also get similar fabrics for the other two pillowcases I still owe my sister and her husband.

I made this one for my husband who is a huge fan of the Simpsons.

This is one of the ornaments completed, I made one for each niece with their name and the year. The one with the snowmen are halfway done and it was for my sister and her husband. I made one with bears for my nephew.

Birthday Gift

I purchased these two hand/kitchen towels and made mini EPP flowers and stitch them on. It was a gift for my grandmother for her birthday. I used some of the same fabric I am putting in the lapghan I am making for her.

Black Friday

Today or yesterday to be exact once this post will be up for view, I am not shopping but spending time at home and having leftovers, watching football and working on some craft projects. Here are some of the photos of my latest progress and where I am starting today, perhaps I won't get too far but you never know.

Any Progress On Crafts Is Good

I haven't gotten too much on this cross stitch gift for my sister, but I figure any progress is better than none. Here are the pictures below from the last time I posted. I have also worked quite a bit of work done on the EPP hexagon quilt I am working on, but will post about that tomorrow.

A friend helps me with the mini flower quilt...

This is my friend that always wants to know what I am making and likes to keep me company of course. Here are the latest results of progress that I have made on this quilt. The piece is now big enough that when I add more pieces to it that the cat tries to get underneath the quilt top, I guess to to try and take a catnap, lol.

Progress, New Projects, and Organization

So this post has you can probably see from the title is a little bit about everything. After making a few EPP (English Paper Piecing) projects, I have found that for me it is easier and faster for me to put the hexies into rows before attaching them together. Here is my latest progress, I know only one small row complete, but at least it is now a complete flower (assuming you don't count the sashing).

This is a new project that I started while on retreat, it is a embroidery panel I purchased for $7.50. The panel has various flowers and baskets on it. The one thing I like about this is that they already have the colored pattern on it. I need a little bit more thread since I don't have all of the colors in my stash, but only need a few as I have most. I tried to get close up pictures, as from far away you can't really tell what work I have done since the pattern is so bright.

 In trying to get more organized I decided that I needed to go through all of the embroidery/counted cross stitch floss that I currently have. Normally what I do is get all of the thread and put it with the corresponding pattern (with copies of original and copies) in a big ziploc bag. In deciding that I needed to know what I have and needing to put thread away once I completed a project, I decided I needed to have a better idea of what thread I currently own. I already had one thread organizer box full, but quickly found out I needed to another one. I still have a big ziploc bag full of thread that I need to place on bobbins and reorganize in the boxes by number. I went on the DMC thread website and printed a free list of all their threads. I mark away the ones I own, then I know what I do not have in stock for a current project. On each box I will list on a piece of paper what numbers are in the container. I think it will help in not wasting time before starting a project by going through big ziploc bags to see if I have the correct thread or not. I still have a long way to go, but think this organization will be worth it.

EPP Project and Pillowcase Complete

A couple of weeks ago I finally completed hand piecing and hand quilting the EPP (English Paper Piecing) project I had been working on. I ended up giving this to one of my Grandmothers who is ill. I put her initials on the table runner. It is now on her nightstand by her bed.

A few years ago I had made these flying geese blocks and then I saw this cardinal fabric, and knowing my grandmother loves birds thought it would be perfect for a pillowcase to brighten her room. My mother sewed the pillow case together.

EPP Piece Complete and other things.....

I have completed my mini table runner that I am making for one of my Grandmother's. I think that I will make the background fabric be blue, but haven't decided for sure yet.  The cat Dexter loves to sleep under the recliner so I had to take a photo of him, right as I took the picture he woke up though. I have never made quiche before so I decided to make one. I had onions, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, cheese and a little bit of italian seasoning in it. It turned out good except for I needed to add more Italian seasoning.

New EPP Project

I am working on a new English Paper Piecing project for one of my Grandmothers. Her birthday is in a few months, and I wasn't sure how long it would take for me to make a table runner for her. I have quite a bit more done, almost two more flowers done, than what is in the picture. I think she will really like the colors. I think I will make this have a total of five flowers.

Another Row Finished.....

More work completed on by English Paper Piecing (EPP) table runner. This coming weekend though I plan on working a few new projects. What are you working on?

Another Row Complete

Here is my progress over last weekend. I haven't done anymore since but I am getting quite a bit done on my EPP project. I think I might make it a little bit longer, of course because it will go on a coffee table it will need to be a lot wider.

What's for dinner and more EPP

Last night I made a Taco casserole for dinner, it was pretty good, although as you can tell I got the cheese a little overdone. All that matters though is the taste.

I have gotten more completed on my English Paper Piecing project. Not included in the pictures is row five that I am adding on today, and I almost have two more rows put together as well.

Keeping English Paper Piecing Projects organized

If you have ever done English Paper Piecing you quickly realize how many pieces there are, and the need to keep them all together. My solution for part of this happened when I went to a local tool shop and got a plastic container for only $2.76, better than spending more money for the same item at a quilt shop. I organized my English Paper Pieces by color and I have enough room for needle, hexagons, fabric, scissors, thread and everything else needed in this container that fit perfectly in my purse.

Since I already have a couple of rows together I did need a bigger plastic container than the one above. I tried finding one in the tool shop that I thought would work but no such luck. So I ended up getting one at a craft store, it was on sale for $11 even though it says scrapbooking, cheaper than paying for the non-sale plastic container of the same size at the same store for $20. I keep the rows that I have already attached together in this bigger container along with quite a bit of extra fabric and the small-medium size container that fits in my purse also fits in this bigger one (that way if I want to take my whole project with me I can as well). So how do you keep everything organized?