Nicky, you star just pops. Keep up the good work.

Great colors Nicky!

Vanogay, thanks for the hint to go to youtube for snowy owl invasion film.

Janet My, Thanks! I tried all those things and more. Also tried changing my settings but that didn't work either. :thumbdown:

[QUOTE=PokerDiva;4864293]All I can say is join the crowd, don't stress, and just plod along. You can do it. How would you ever decide which to give up?


Thanks PDiva, and that is my life, to many good things to choose from to do and I can't give them up. I do have my pieces cut for Alaska. Not sure when I will get to sew it. I started back to college this month too. Finishing up that degree! But I don't want all these UFO's laying around, so I need to decide something....

Thank you for posting about the question on Just Takes 2 Quilt-Along! Yes, I got the name wrong in my comment, shows how scattered my brain is.

Nicky your block is lovely - the colors you chose really have some wow factor. Great work!

Yay! I just got my book; can't wait to get started. Thought I wanted a color scheme, but her examples show how pretty it would be scrappy. What to do????

[QUOTE=SheriR;4870628][QUOTE=PokerDiva;4864293]All I can say is join the crowd, don't stress, and just plod along. You can do it. How would you ever decide which to give up?

Sheri, all you can do is all you can do. Don't get yourself in a wad over stuff.
Mia's scarf is just so cute on her.
I am knitting a petal dishcloth; it's very different but should be interesting to do.

Finally done with Alaska.. I really like the looks of this star.

I looked at fabric tonight for Arizona... Not sure what I'm going to do with the colors for that one. I may just wait to see what those of you who are already done with it post pictures.

I'm finding the hardest part of these stars is picking the colors. LOL

Janet your block came out really well - I like the high contrast. Very pretty! I agree with you, picking the colors is sometimes the hard part for me too. I keep meaning to pick up a pack of colored pencils so I can play with color ideas on the blocks. Great work!

Thanks Sheila.... I'm not really good with the colors so I went very conservative. Now the next block... I'm really at a loss... the color she uses in the book just don't do anything for me... Going to have to think about it.

very pretty janet..I can't wait for tomorrow!..It's so exciting...like christmas every sunday..lol...getting to see the next state..So happy I am here. :)

I spend a lot of time selecting the colors for a block. You did a great job on this block.

I agree, What to do? A lot of the other comments here tell you that the hardest part is picking colors. Some are using solids, some are scrappy, some are using the same background to give some order to chaos. On Arizona I ripped out all the centers because they ended up with not enouh contrast and didn't show up at all. I figure that by the end of this I will have learned a lot about how to pick colors (hopefully :) ).

Everyone ready for tomorrows reveal? Color, color, color, yes I too think that is the hardest part but no ripping for me because of color. I am living with whatever it turns out to be. Everyone's blocks are just wonderful.

I just fell in love with Nicky's block and then I got to Janet's------sort of like a fickle lover, I guess,---each one has its special attraction. My book is separated and my intentions are great, but no movement yet. You all are incentives and I will make them, but guess it will be in my own time, not the calendars. In the meantime I will continue to drool over everyone's accomplishments.

Thank you Tomilu, Patrice, Ronda and Polly. Polly...come on.... get going... I want to see yours too! I really like these stars and await seeing everyone post the next one. My DH helped me pick out colors for Arizona this morning because I just couldn't decide. He only made me change 2 colors. I hope that does the trick because I really don't like the sample picture in the book. I don't know what it is that makes me feel that way... but everyone is different. OK... enough talking... Got to get that fabric ironed and ready for cutting.

What paper is everyone else using to print their blocks out on??? I have foundation paper and the 1st block I printed out on my printed just flew through the printer without a problem. I had problems with the 2nd block, but was able to get it done. Now.. for the 3rd block I can't get it to go through without jamming. This paper is too expensive to waste like I'm doing. I have another package of the paper so I may try that.

Just curious what settings everyone else uses on their printers.

Thanks

I'm just using scrap paper from my shred box. It works great. Especially if I remember to make my stitch length shorter.

I use regular copy paper, use a#14 needle, and teeny tiny stitches, and it really isn't hard to get out. I have foundation paper, and I don't really care for it. Especially if I ever make a mistake and have to rip out the stitches. Oh heavens I never do that. Yeah right. I love my ripper, I love my ripper......LOL

Im using tracing paper cut down to copy paper size. It will go through the printer if I have a lot of paper loaded. When it gets low, the tracing paper will not go through. It works so much better for me than copy paper, which is thicker and harder to remove.

Thanks for you input about the paper. I used regular foundation papers... $14.99 a package. As I said.. it worked beautifully the 1st set of blocks... some problems with the 2nd set, but the 3rd was the killer. Must have wasted 7 sheets of that paper till I got 4 pages that were the same. I had to print them one at a time. (Caution when you do this... my book never moved in the printer but each time I copied... 3 of them came out different.. so be sure to check them all against each other. )

I do have Carol Doak's foundation paper.... maybe I'll open that package for the next block. If that jams up, I'm going to use regular copy paper. I have a ton of that... I bring scrap pages home from work by the box full.

I have to laugh... "With computers we will be a paperless society." Yeah Right... I think we use more paper now than we ever did. I have to print reports every day.... Each report spits out 6 pages of useless information sheets. These are the pages I bring home and use to print out bill receipts on. So.. looks like I'll be using that for my paper piecing from now on if the Carol Doak paper jams up in my printer too.

I'm ready to see all the beautiful blocks. I still have to take a pic of mine. Haven't even looked at fabrics for Arkansas yet. Managed to get a top ready for the longarm while at Quilts of Valor meeting today. It's one of those jelly roll quilts. Goes together well.

About how long is it taking to paper piece each block. I don't paper piece often and I am very slow at it. I have worked 4 to 5 hrs before trying to complete blocks. I watched Carol D. CDROM and it helped me a little. I've had the book for a couple of years, but seem to hate pp. I may try 1 block and see how it goes.

It is early Sunday morning in Mid-Missouri. Here is my Arizona block.

You can put one together in an afternoon...The part I don't like is picking out the fabric..It takes me forever and sometimes I just have to leave and come back to it..Mine is going to be VERY scrappy..Once I finally decide on something it's smooth sailing from there.

Arizona..could of had a little more contrast.

It is time consuming. But not hard. I am new to it and I am also slow. But speed is not important to me at this point. It is fun and the blocks come out so perfect and neat. I am having a blast with this.

Very nice!!!! Don't you love that bit of yellow!

I like your block. They don't all have to have a lot of contrast.

I was once just where you are. Took me forever; hated it. But I kept on and I really like her paper piecing method. It is very easy. Now I do like paper piecing; especially when you know how big to cut the pieces. Here is my Arizona[ATTACH=CONFIG]303300[/ATTACH]

Those are both so pretty. I'm on a little road trip to Florida. But I promise to catch up when I get home.

Beautiful blocks before me guys. Just going on 6 AM here. Here is my Arizona and it could also have used more contrast.

Wow ladies, are you all up at the crack of dawn or what? Of course, you are not all on Pacific time, I get it, but still, early birds over here!!

Love the blocks and I agree they don't all need high contrast to be beautiful. The difference in value really shows you how many variations there are when choosing fabrics. I am still working on Alaska and hope to have mine finished and posted later today - I even let my husband sleep in this morning so I could negotiate some quilting time! :)

Great work can't wait to see more!

Very pretty, good contrast!

Oh no, Florence, it is beautiful. Love it. And still love your focus fabric. Saw it at Joanns the other day, almost bought it but had promised myself I wouldn't buy anything this year unless I had a definate need for it!

Wow, I'm really liking the colors this morning. Iwillquilt, the pinks are very pretty. Wvhill, the paisley make a very subtle star with the white diamonds. Tomilu, the small print lets the pattern really show. Pokerdiva, I LOVE that print that you've used on all of them so far. Great stars!

Judy, promises are made to be broken. Especially(sp) when it comes to buying fabric. LOL.

Boy, did I have problems this morning logging in. What's up with that? Everyone's stars so far are wonderful. I'm getting ready to put piece #4 on mine.... It's a long haul, but I really like paper piecing. (Never done it before) It it time consuming, but the end result is worth it. I had a heck of a time getting the first 2 pieces on. OMG my seam ripped got lots of use last night. I'm thinking... one day I may make a whole quilt of Alaska... I really like that one so far. It's the one with 104 pieces... Yikes!!!