Introduce Yourself

Hello, I have never PP before but REALLY want to. I have been very taken with the Harry Potter Project but am guessing that might not be a go one to start with. I do have a habit of jumping in with both feet and that isn't always a good thing. I have a knitting project that uses two circular knitting needles at the same time to make slippers. I realized after the fact that it was for advanced knitters, that would not be me. So where do I begin with paper piecing? Any suggestions welcomed!

My first attempt at paper piecing was a Carol Doaks star (the Virginia Star) from her book 50 fabulous stars.  That is a good place to start, and I reccommend selecting a star with fewer pieces (there are some that have 120 or more}  and be sure to read the instructions thoroughly.  I had help from my sister who had done paper piecing before, so check with your quilting friends.

Thank you, I'll head to the library in the morning to see if that book is in. Thanks again.

Welcome Melody.

Carol Doak has a book called "Show Me How to Paper Piece" that might be up your alley if you're afraid of jumping in right away. I honestly think once you understand the concept you won't have trouble with the Harry Potter project. There are many simple patterns around the internet you can download and print if you don't want to purchase a book.

If you go to this group's home page you'll see some of the projects we're working on and in the blog there is a pattern I designed for the group. Some of our members have made it and a few of them had never paper pieced before. There are also many links for easy patterns and tutorials.

As always, feel free to ask questions and we'll help you on your journey.

Melody. Jump in!  I had never paper pieced before and took on the Harry Potter project. I watched a video online and then went for it.  

Melody,

Judy is correct...just start!  The Harry Potter Project of Doom is my second attempt at Paper Piecing.  The first was a single block with 7 pieces total and instructions written on two post-it notes.  I read the notes, watched an online video, and started. You WILL mess up and cut pieces too small, you WILL remove and re-do more than one seam (per block usually), and you will sew at least one piece wrong-side-out at least once a day!  It's okay...it's normal!  But it is also very addictive, and the possibilities are endless.

When I finish HP POD I doubt that I will ever make and entire quilt of Paper Pieced blocks again.  But, I have already used single blocks as accent blocks in other quilts, and made some PP projects like pillows and mug rugs. Learing to PP has opened up a whole new scope of sewing/quilting for me. 

Have fun!

Max

Melody,

If you are really smitten with the HP project, go the the 'Pages' link (just below where you click on Discussions). Then select Group Projects, then The Harry Potter Prject of Doom.  This will open the pages where you select the block you want to work on, and print out the pages you use for the pattern.  To help you get an idea of how 'hard' or 'easy' each block will be, click on the "Original Post" link below the picture of each block.  It will open a page that has a bigger picture of the block and below that picture there is a scale of five wands.  One wand means this is an easy block, Two wands is a little harder. If it is a Five Wand block you may want to wait until you have had the experience of doing some one and two wand blocks first.   Example:  Week 10 is a one-wand block, and Week 9 is a three-wand block.

Hope this helps you get started without feeling overwhelmed.

Max

Judy T, Okay, I will! I have been I have been saving fabric as I come across one. So with you all helping I will start Melody

MaxNTopeka, Thank you so much, I had not found the patterns with the numbers. I know now how to find them and won't be as intimidated. MelodyP (NLAWRENCE)

Kris thanks, I did a search on Carol Doak and found it very helpful. MelodyP

You're welcome Melody.

Welcome Melody,   have fun it can be quite addictive.

Hello,

My name is Jan, aka Janet, aka Nana.  But with all my names already used :) I simply answer to Jan G. I am from Rochester New York.  I am the mother of 3 grown children and 2 beautiful granddaughters.  I am disabled and thus at home a lot of the time.  I do volunteer in literacy for one of the granddaughter's schools.  I also sew clothing and of course quilt.  I have seen a bunch of mentions of the Harry Potter project.  Where do I get the information.  My husband is a Harry Potter lover and it sounds like a great Christmas opportunity.  I haven't had much experience in paper piecing, but for the hubby of 35 years, I am willing to give it a try. 

Thanks

Jan G

Rochester, NY.

Jan:

I have seen a bunch of mentions of the Harry Potter project.  Where do I get the information.  My husband is a Harry Potter lover and it sounds like a great Christmas opportunity

 

Jan G.  Welcome, we're glad to have you with us. Click on over to the paper piecing group and join our group. Everything you need for Harry Potter is there.

Welcome, Jan!

After you have joined the Paper Piecing Group, and you want to find the actual patterns to use for the Harry Potter Project of Doom project, go to the page where you see "Discussion" in red, on the right side of the screen.  (I think it is under a heading of Paper Piecing Group.)  Right below the Discussions link you will see Media (where we post pictures of our blocks as we finish them) and them "Pages".  Click on "Pages", then on the next screen that comes up, look to the left side of the screen. You should see Group Projects.  Under Group Projects, click on the red link that says "Harry Potter Project of Doom".  When that page opens, scroll down the page until you see pictures of the individual weekly blocks.  Below each block's picture you should see a link that says " Week ##" and "Original Post". If you click on the "Week ##" it will open up the pattern you need to print out for that week's block. They are usually 3 to 4 pages long.  When you are printing them out, be sure to set you printer option to "actual size"  or "100%" (depends on your type of printer). That will allow the pattern to print at the correct size.  The block should be 10 1/2" square when you have it sewn together. Than includes the seam allowances.  When the blocks are sewn together they will finish at 10" square.

If you click on the "Original Post" link below each picture, you will find a scale shown in wands that will give you an indication of how difficult that block will be. One wand is easy, two wands a little harder, three wands still harder, etc.  If you click on the picture of the block, it will bring up a screen showing a larger picture of the block, in more detail than the little thumbnail pic.

Kris, the group hostess and fearless leader, has opened discussion links for each set of blocks we worked on by week number.  You don't have to do them in any particular order!  But you can open those discussion links and see pictures of those blocks made by others in the PP group who are also working on HP. If you read the comments you may see some notes made about difficulties  each of us had with a particular block, so you can avoid them or at least be prepared for them! LOL!

Hope you enjoy the HP project as much as we have!  Some have finished, some are midway, others just starting, so just jump in!  If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask...we just love to offer help where we can.

Hope this helps you find what you need to get started!
Max