new this week in the My Small World QAL 2

Hello everyone!

whoo, what a week. I've been wrestling with a bit of the "blues", it's all part of my bipolar stuff, but I had a few exciting things happen. an IG friend @smoorect sent me a homemade knitted hat and some fabric to piece into my quilt, including an adorable star. unfortunately it's a FINISHED 1" square, I need 1/2 an inch, where to get it, lol.

then, because of some ISO and offers to send me fabric, I sent out a few packages, but in giving we receive.... I received fabric from @mightymadge and @princessmaxmama.... if ya'll do an exchange, please share it with our hashtag. you just might be surprised how absolutely wonderful our little community gives.

remember, this is YOUR QAL, I want you to feel free to make suggestions, do ISOs, and provide links or tutorials for others....

talking about tutorials....

are you still daunted by the sky?  it's certainly a job not of the faint at heart, i'm loving the simplicity of sitting down and doing chainpiecing and placing those 1.5" squares into my plan, but WHOOZA  here is an amazing, amazing shortcut... some people are just BRILLIANT.... go to @dixielandcrafts feed, she came up with a strip piecing technique that STILL creates scrappy look but cuts the time immensely.  btw, she's doing her whole quilt in RedWhite&Blue. she's looking for a bald eagle to put in her quilt if you could help.

poor @jenniesthreads almost threw in the towel over her clamshells. when I read her post, I got a little lump in my throat, because, I've never done them and thought i'd be unsuccessful. but, NO, IG friends to the rescue. the best ever tutorial from @suedaleydesigns came to the rescue, you can find her link here....    http://www.busyfingerspatchwork.com/english-paper-piecing-clamshells/

 I feel like a master clamsheller.
@modquiltmom_anna suggested you check out @wendysquiltsandmore for great instructions on how to do the clam shells. she mentions @flourishingpalms who though not doing our QAL did the MSW quilt and is almost done.

lastly, I decided that the hexagons were going to be a "lay in bed" stitch day.... so I googled 1" hexagons and printed onto cardstock a mass of hexies.  I've EPP hexagons before, but never so small. Jen's hexagons are a bit tinier than 1" but i'm cool with that slight difference.

remember we are technically following:     http://verykerryberry.blogspot.com/p/my-small-world-qal.html

you can request paper piecing from Sarah at:   http://www.sewwhatsherlock.com/my-small-world-templates/   (her request is NO IG REQUESTS, use her website, it creates an easy email return...)

again, so stoked to be a part of the QAL with you.  i'm "meeting" people and LEARNING new things.  my cat adores my quilt, maybe one day i'll have a true design wall instead of a design floor.
I thought i'd be done with section 4 by now, but like I said, a bit of the blues, and "life" and bam, i'm behind my planned schedule, but.... that's ok, this is FUN.

off to sew,

yours in quilts,