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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Teatime Mug Rug: paper piecing experimenting

One thing I have not done a whole pile of is paper piecing. I have done some EPP, but paper piecing with freezer paper I have looked at, admired and bookmarked patterns for, but shied away from actually doing it. It looked like a whole lot of work, to be honest, in a fiddly, tiny piecing kind of way and up to now I wasn't in the place for it.

Teapot mug rug 

But oh, how things change. I bought Ayumi's book Patchwork Please and have been drooling over the patterns. And I realised I needed to tackle my paper-piecing avoidance issues if I was to have any success with making some of the gorgeous things in her book. I was also taking part in a small mug rug swap with some fellow Irish stitchers, and, knowing that my partner was a tea drinker, I wanted to make a teapot or teacup - and of course, as soon as I searched for a pattern I found Ayumi's teapot pattern. So I decided that it was a sign, and I duly printed off the pattern and set to with the roll of freezer paper.

The thing about paper piecing that intimidates me is all those teeny tiny pieces. And sewing the angles right. But I was brave :-)


I think the most tedious bit is adding the seam allowance to all the pieces on the freezer paper. Once that was done, I flew through most of the rest of it.

Teapot mug rug paper piecing


I did find it took a few seams at funny angles to really get the hang of where to match raw edges to get the seam sitting right. A couple of the early ones were unpicked multiple times as I just wasn't happy with them - with such small pieces, a few milimetres out made a difference. But once I "got" it, that was it, I was hooked and I understand now why people find it so addictive.

Teapot pieced

I love the crisp, sharp look of the piecing, and I am really pleased that my version is pretty close to Ayumi's. I see more of this in my future!

I added some embroidery to finish off the quilt top - I had a clear idea in my head of how the steam would make the words. Unfortunately drawing is not my strong point so it doesn't quite look how I thought it would but I think its still ok.

Teapot mug rug embroidery 

Some straight line quilting to emphasise the crispness of the pattern, and I was done.

Teapot mug rug quilting

All ready to be posted off to my partner tomorrow, and I hope she will like it!

21 comments:

  1. I like it! I wish I was brave enough to paper piece...I have dabbled in it only - I am such a chicken!!

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  2. I like your added touch of embroidering the 'steam'. Di x

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  3. Beautiful MR S! And well done on the PP. I find the freezer paper method much more fiddly and unnecessary! Jxo

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  4. Your teapot is beautiful! What a great job you did!!

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  5. Yay, looks like you've conquered it now!

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  6. SO ♥ pretty. I should try to make one like that...thank you for sharing and inspiring!!!

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  7. Yay - so brilliant. As a newcomer to paper piecing I am interested why you went the freezer paper route and not just the sewing the fabric straight onto the paper route? In any case it has turned out wonderfully :-)

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  8. I love it. And I think the "steam" works a treat.

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  9. It's awesome! What a super mug rug. You have one lucky partner.

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  10. Great job for your first PP, but be aware, this is addictive ;-)

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  11. It is amazing and of course your partner will love it. Who wouldn't?

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  12. It's so cute! I love your steam word, too! Well done! (It is addictive!)

    Susie

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  13. turned out absolutely perfect!

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  14. Superb - paper-piecing is so brilliant, except when you get brain freeze and start sewing all sorts the wrong way round!

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  15. Love your teapot - the embroidery is the perfect finishing touch!

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  16. Very sweet little teapot.

    I'm hoping you can provide some info for me. I am travelling to Ireland from Canada in just over a week and was wondering if you can tell me of any quilt shops or fabric stores. We will be on a bus tour but will have free time in Killarney and Dublin. Thanks for your help.

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