I confess. I love hand piecing. In fact, you could say I’m pretty much a hand piecing snob. My relationship with my sewing machine is not what it used to be. Of course, this could be because when I walk into my sewing room lately and see all the cleanup that needs to be done before I can sew, it’s easier to turn back around and sit in the recliner with my feet up and some hand piecing in my hands.
Did I mention I love hand piecing? However, for the sake of proving it can be done, last week I machine pieced an Inklingo Star.
Can you pick out the machine pieced one?
I am loving these Inklingo Star blocks! They are such fun to stitch. Even by machine.
On Machine Piecing Day, things would have gone much smoother had this guy remained all nicely curled up on this quilt. Sleeping. And not helping. Fat chance.
Things started out well. I had my wonderful instructions from the Inklingo Star collection printed and near the machine so I could follow along as I stitched.
I learned I could even chain piece while doing inset seams! And things rolled along quite smoothly.
Until The Helper decided he wanted in on the action. Not sure if he was sniffing the star at this point or considering taking a bite out of it. Probably he was contemplating how far he could get if he grabbed it and ran off.
And as is always the case, he had to chew on Mom’s fingers a bit too. I know this picture looks like I have him by the head. Do not be fooled. He is in total control here. And I’m about to have holes in my thumb.
I managed to get him to move and I added the kites and the outer pieces to my fabulous star.
Only to have him turn up in a new location to help, just as I was stitching the last seams together. And I use the term help quite loosely.
But I prevailed! And this is my first machine pieced Inklingo Star. I am quite pleased with the results!
Later it was time to print some more kite shapes……
And I discovered this layout that really uses my fabric to its best advantage!
I have to confess that one of my favorite parts of this whole process is watching the sheets of matching kites roll out of the printer.
What is there about seeing them feed out of the printer that is so fun and makes me snap pic after pic?
And I also must confess that I hold my breath until all 8 of them successfully slide out. Not sure why I hold my breath as I haven’t had a single problem! But still. There’s always that worry that one of the sheets will decide to not behave itself. Or a little orange kitty will jump up and stick his paw in the printer and totally mess things up.
It’s been known to happen. The kitty helping with his paw, I mean. But so far he hasn’t succeeded in messing anything up.
Ahhhhhhh….. there’s just nothing like seeing 8 perfectly printed sets of kites. And knowing there are many pleasurable days of hand stitching ahead.
Because hand piecing is still my first love. After all, I really am a hand piecing snob.
Cathi is posting her Morse Stars on her blog today too. Be sure to head over there and check them out. Remember how she threw down the gauntlet and got me started on this project? And I totally had planned to just make a couple blocks after her challenge. But they are too fun to stop!
This quilt might just keep growing and growing and growing! And Pappy will definitely tell everyone that he helped.
Hugs,
Barb
