I can check “learn how to paper piece” off of my to-do list and I LOVE it!
Paper piecing was one of my goals for 2014 along with another that we will not mention since I have failed spectacularly. When I saw that Lee Monroe of May Chappell was hosting an All Shirts Swap using the Carolyn Friedlander Shirts pattern which was paper pieced, I decided right then that it was time to step up to the plate. I struggled with the first few shirts and they took forever to do (over an hour easily) but I kept at it because I love the crisp, sharp lines that paper piecing produces plus I was making tiny shirts. All in all I ended up making 18 shirts (they do not take as long now), sending 10 to Lee, three to Alaska as a side swap and hanging on to the five that I could not bare to part with.
On a sidenote, I did not realize that this pattern was considered tiny. I just assumed that all paper piecing projects were this small. The blocks will finish at 5 1/2″ square.
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Here is my set of 18:
And here are the 13 that I received from the All Shirts Swap and my Alaska side swap:
I am super excited that I received such a great assortment of shirts. The makers had a great eye for color and pattern. I received the green on green shirt from Carolyn Friedlander and the anchor shirt from Lee Monroe! I had originally thought that I was going to do a small wall hanging, but that changed with the announcement of All Shirts Swap 2.0. Now I am not sure how they will end up.
There was such a great response to the swap that Lee is hosting Round 2! I jumped on board again and I cannot wait to start making more shirts. Have you thought about paper piecing? Have you thought about joining the All Shirts Swap? Do it!! The deadline for mailing is in far away June so you have plenty of time! Warning: they are highly addictive!
Tagged: fabric, handmade, in progress, paper piecing, Shirts, swap
andpins 
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I was so fascinated and tempted by that swap. It looks like fun and produces gorgeous results.
I am glad you are a convert to paper piecing.
Great job for beginning! This is also on my to learn list. I have a bit easier looking pattern I will try first!
They look great. I can see there are lots of things you could do with them. Well done for learning a new skill. Paper piecing is something I’ve wanted to learn for a while, just didn’t know where to start.
These look so great! I can’t believe you just learned to paper piece!! Round 2 will be epic:)