A new project for the New year

For a good few years I have started something new around the Christmas/New Year time.  After all the festivities are over, it is nice to sit around and do a little hand piecing.  Last year it was the Mrs Vigors, which became "Out of the Closet", and this year it is this hand piece block.  It does not have a name yet, but I will work on that.

Once again, it is out of my cupboard of reproduction fabrics.  Each block needs 6 different fabrics, which includes a background. I am using my scraps of shirting as background.  I had to use 2 different ones in this block, but that is fine with me.

 I cut out all the shapes using this little plastic template.  You can buy these at your quilting shop.  This one I bought at Hettie's Patch, which is the shop where I teach hand work once a month.  You could also buy pre-cut paper pieces for this block, and make it using English Paper Piecing.  With the template, I draw around the shape, then cut out on the line, and then make the 1/4" seam.  You can also use your rotary cutter, but I think that is a bit fiddly for these small pieces.

With the fabrics, I just chose these light and dark ones to get some contrast, also I love to use stripes.

 Once I cut them out, I just played around to make sure they looked good together, and I had enough.

 Some close ups of the fabrics.  Some nice old ones, and some newer.

I was hoping the centre might form a nice picture.

 One of the reasons I love to do hand work is that I can do it in my arm chair while (sort of) watching TV.  I set the pieces out on my lap.  This is my thigh/knee in the photo.  Pretty, eh?

 I use one pin, and pin through the 2 layers, in the very corner of the drawn line. At the other end I insert my needle into the corner, 2 back stitches, and a slip knot and off I go.  When I get to the point where the pin is, I take out the pin and do another 2 back stitches and a knot.  Do not sew into the seam allowance.  Cut off the thread.

 It now looks like this.  You have to insert the 3rd piece into the centre.

 Right sides together, put a pin in the centre where the two seams meet.  Start off as before, and sew along the line. When you get to the pin, do a back stitch, take out the pin, pivot

 and start stitching down the other side of the seam.  Do a back stitch, and a knot and cut off the thread.

You now have one of the units complete.  You will have to make a heap of these.

 You need 6 of the centre piece, 6 of the one with the dark point, and 12 of the outside pieces with the background.  I do not press these pieces as I make them, just finger press.  you can press the whole block when it is finished.

 Join the centre pieces and the pointed pieces, wide sides together, then put a background piece on either side.

 Here we are, all 6 pieces completed.  Does not take long.  I had them all finished before I went to bed last night.

I completed the block earlier on today.  I plan to make about 15 of these blocks, in lots of different fabrics, and join them like you would a hexagon quilt - all butting in together.

Wonder how long it will take me?  If I do one a week, then they will be done in no time at all.  Wish me luck!

Edit - pressing!  Sandy asked me about how I press the blocks, open, flat, to the dark?  Mostly I let them fall where they want, and press them flat.  You need to manipulate the joins though.  I will take a few photos of the back, and add these later today.