New York Beauty - Block #5

 

     I finally finished the last of the five sample/test New York Beauty blocks I was experimenting with.    This last one was most challenging with two narrow curved bands to piece, and diminishing useful scraps of fabric to work with.  As you may recall from earlier posts, this is made of mostly Kaffe Fassett scraps from an earlier quilt.  

   One of the benefits of this project has been to improve the paper piecing process.  Ever frugal, I print the patterns on the back of scrap copy paper.   When I first started this project, I didn't tear off any of the paper until the entire block was completed.  This meant that I had to tear off paper in the seams, which usually ends up leaving a mess like this:

Later use of tweezers and fingernails will remove those bits! 

       I have now wised up and removed the paper before sewing the parts together.  This leads to a much cleaner back!  

      I think the three blocks are lining up a bit better as I go on, as well!

      With all the blocks done, I needed to decide what to do.  I tried setting them out as a table runner.  

Chester clearly likes this runner! 

 I am not willing to tackle that pointy edge at this point, so I tried some setting triangles, and all of a sudden, the design seemed lost.   The size was too big even for my generously sized dining room table.  

 

     

      I decided on the smaller square piece, which I can make into a wall hanging.    

The finished (but not entirely pressed) top!   

     I hope to finish this off during the upcoming month.  I had one idea in mind, but recently attended a lecture and workshop with Mark Sherman of  remarkablequilts.com and got some new ideas on what to do with this piece.  Stay tuned!  
We are finally getting some Spring weather!  Enjoy!
Take care,
Gretchen