It’s raining… it’s pouring…

Okay it actually isn’t today, but it was the other day. And I’m sure it will again soon. Especially as I have mountains of washing to get done.

So due to all this rain (and sick kids) and having a few home days of late… I have made a few more little paper pieced umbrellas. I have all 9 of them now ready for my mini!



Oh look the orange one got smudged in the photo. Suspecting that’s a 2 year old sized finger print on the camera lens. But what a funny coincidence it’s right over the orange umbrella that caused me so much trouble. Hehe.

I think this needs sashing. I took it to Quilt Group yesterday and the general consensus was black or dark grey. I’m leaning towards the dark grey. The sashing will help hide the fact that my seams don’t like up perfectly from each block. As I’ve just pointed out a fatal flaw in these blocks, I’ll also mention they are only 4” each so when you’re working with fiddly pieces like that, I guess it’s bound to happen.

So as I have made 9 of these 4” blocks, I decided I should try the pattern at its actual size – an 8” block.


I love it! Okay maybe Half Moon Modern wasn’t the best choice of fabric (second time I’ve done that while paper piecing – will I never learn?) with the big white polka dots that kind of blend into the background but still. I love it!. I have no idea what to do with this block now. Added to my orphan block pile. Are you starting to see why I felt the need for a blog hop focusing on rehoming orphan paper pieced blocks? Speaking of: dates are set for the Practically Paper Piecing Blog Hop. It’ll start the 1st August right here and run the whole month. It’s going to be fab!

While we’re still talking paper piecing… thanks so much for your interest in my blocks I have shared of late! I am having the patterns tested and will be making them available for sale through Craftsy in the near future. I listed my little helicopter and plane today!



And here is Juliet from Tartan Kiwi’s tester version of the helicopter. She even included a little female pilot!


And of course the plane! Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts tested this one for me.


Still to come! The umbrella block and the songbird. They are with my lovely pattern testers right now and will be ready to share soon!


Thank you lovely girls who have volunteered to test my patterns (and a special mention to Erin of Missy Mac Creations for putting up with a gazillion emails!! I so appreciate your help. And thank you lovely readers for your encouragement with my paper piecing.