Big and small blocks (and books)

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Mandolin block on the bottom, Cornflower block on top for size comparison.

Going between large and medium-sized English paper piecing blocks has been fascinating. I knew the Cornflower Quilt blocks were easy, both in the choosing of the fabrics as well as stitching those prints. But lately I have incorporated Mandolin blocks into my nightly routine and yeah. Size makes a difference.

It's the amount of time dedicated to completing a block. You could say it's like comparing a standalone novel to crafting a series, especially if the smaller quilt blocks are made from scraps or just not one theme of fabric. Which is the case for both of these EPP projects, lol. Why not find one more way quilting and writing go hand in hand, huh?

(Another post awaits for when I can't compare my fave hobbies, but for now....)

My first foray into English paper piecing was hexie flowers using 1.5" hexagons and the blocks weren't that big. Next were Mandolin blocks, way larger! Those were all made using scraps, but the ones I'm crafting now are concentrated on Art Gallery Fabrics in autumnal hues, with some of Karen Nyberg's Earth Views collection for variety, plus a few similarly coloured prints from my stash. That only matters in that currently I'm trying to not reuse a print or solid, going through all the curated fabrics before returning to mix and match. And I don't even know how many blocks I'm going to make; twelve or twenty? More blocks mean more joining pieces, ahem, meaning a long-term project, and that is FINE. English paper piecing is all about long term, sort of like writing a book series, hehehe.

Mandolin block unfettered.

I'm still revising my latest novel, and just this morning I finished a fast read-through of the first installment, investigating how far the characters have traveled, not in space, merely in decades. I'm pretty pleased with Book 1, which is great! Maybe tomorrow I'll take a stab at Book 2, to see how long the happiness lasts.

Meanwhile there are the Cornflower blocks, definitely scrappy, definitely easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy! Four shapes but I only consider three at a time when cutting fabric for them because all are bordered by diamonds in various shades of green. And the center is merely an octagon, so really all I have to plan are the eight petals, then eight squares, ba-da-bing, ba-da-BOOM! Yes I still have all the on-point squares to baste, but I have the fabrics and that will be relatively speedy. About ten blocks remain to stitch, and I've already designed four of those blocks, although the pieces have yet to be basted.

And let's not forget the Lavender quilt, or the Myrtle quilt, or the notion of starting a REALLY LONG TERM project with the grandkids with Jodi Godfrey's Ice Cream Soda quilt. About half an hour ago I finished basting kites and crowns for that adorable block, which I'll sew together this evening. And if I enjoy the process.... Then I need to chat with all four grandchildren to see if they would be interested in sewing along with me. But first things first: I need to stitch those kites and crowns, shapes I rarely use but enjoyed basting (and that has to be taken into account because EPP isn't just about stitching fabric-wrapped papers together but getting the fabric around said papers and loving that process too), to confirm that sewing them together thrills my soul. One never knows until giving it a go.

Which aligns to writing long sagas; I have wholly CLICKED with my cast, and can't wait to get Book 4 underway. It helps that these tales, while deeply intertwined, are also unique from one another. Years pass, galaxies alter, time goes backwards, certainly enough plot to keep me focused and entertained. Cliffhangers aside, these stories are each their own animal, just like EPP patterns aren't merely the same quilt over and over.  I love what I do, and I appreciate their nuances. And now it's time to wrap this up and cut more fabric!

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