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a2z: The letter is "P' for Piecing

I often wonder why everyone isn't excited about piecing  a lot of small pieces of fabric into a quilt. It's much like life-something happens and you pick up the scattered hurts and patch them into something a bit different and useful.

And then I spend a few hours on a Saturday ripping out what I put together the night before and realize this is why everyone isn't piecing! It's often painful and no fun at all.
Spiral Tree Skirt someday

This tree skirt may not get finished in time for Christmas. I've had to take it apart at least 20 times.

Lutheran World Relief Quilt

 This one will get finished. I belong to a small but might group of quilters at my church. We piece together quilts that are collected and used during disaster relief and for the homeless. The idea is to use the fabric donated and just sew the blocks together. I can't. I must try and make them someone pretty. This is the one I'm working on now. It will get finished soon, but I did make it a diagonal pattern so I might be ripping it out too. 

I have a great ripper. Surgical sharp. I know. I've caught my finger with it a few times.

I like piecing and I got my love of it from my grandmother Pauline! Yep, she's a "P" and her photo is on my shelf. When I get discouraged about ripping and starting over I see her smiling face and know I'm not the first to rip, but I have a feeling she was more patient than I.

 And because I enjoy torturing myself with small pieces of fabric my next project is going to be a Dear Jane quilt. The finished blocks are 5" and the entire quilt has over 5000 pieces.
Dear Jane Block

I may need another seam ripper.

*Laury--I visit your posts, but can't seem to get my comments to work. 

for more a2z posts visit Patty Wysong!

posted by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer


  1. I read the first sentence thinking the word was "Piercing". Why would anyone get excited about putting holes in their body? (I supervise a lot of women who have done just that) Oops. LOL.

    It is a beautiful craft and good for you for sticking it out! (Pun intended)

  2. I enjoying quilting, not sure about tackling a 5,000 piece project. :) I grew up going to quilting bees with my mom. Great post!

  3. Great post! Quilt making is something I have never done, but is on my "someday" list. I have some beautiful, well preserved fabrics my grandmother had cut out but never had the chance to begin piecing. (I never met her: she died in the early 1930's.)

  4. Piecing--Excellent, Diana!! Yes, I've ripped out my fair share of seams trying to get all those very important corners to line up just right and be crisp. The end result makes it all worthwhile though! =]

  5. I have started quilts a few times but never finished one. Right now I'm embroidering some birds onto squares to put into a quilt. I like the embroidery part because I can take it with me and do in my lap while I'm chatting or watching a movie. We'll see if I can actually get the quilt part of it done!

  6. My sister does that piecing thing. Me? No, no, never. I have a hard time piecing together a decent thought half the time. Tra la la la...

  7. My mother quilts and I know that it is a very precise and beautiful work. I'd rather knit.

  8. Barbara, you made me go back and check my spelling!
    Rita, I'm a bit--no a lot unsure of tackling that Dear Jane quilt, but I want to try.
    Shelly, don't wait to long to try quilting, sign up for a class.
    Patty, you get your corners to line up? I'm impressed. :)
    Sparrow, I tried to embroider blocks --still haven't finished my son's abc quilt he's 29. :)
    Casey, you know some men do quilt... just sayin' you're teachable. :)
    Yvonne, knitting is something I'd like to do better. I know one stitch and have made a lot of scarves.

  9. I keep thinking I would LOVE to make a quilt from the multiple tubs of misc. fabric in my stash... but I don't think I have the patience!

  10. Niki, give it a try! :) Look at this post
    http://www.pencildancer.com/2010/06/creative-thursday-remember-strips.html and go to the site I mention. It makes it easy and fun.

  11. Hmm. Wow. I guess I know more about piecing/quilting than I expected. LOL. I'm with Barb though, I thought it also said Piercing and my first reaction was "um, wow?" LOL...and then I read it again. Fun stuff!

    (and wow...twenty times? I'm impressed...)

  12. Well, when you spend a lot of money on that fabric you have to make it work even if it means ripping it out 20 times, Sara. :)