Paper Piecing -- Mistakes I Made
 

Bellaboo was right -- it is hard to learn paper piecing from a book.

1.My first mistake was ordering a used Carol Doak book online that was missing the CD -- after all I can read!
However I failed to notice that she wrote "after making copies of sections A and B, cut the triangles 0NE HALF inch from the outside line." I made ALL my outside lines also 1/4". (I am such a creature of habit.....)

2. When I went to sew the segments together, I wound up with less than 1/8" seams in some places and even wound up with only a few threads in other places.

3. To remedy this, I decided to try using some fray block but the tube was dried up.
Okay .... then decided I would try Fray Check. Planned to dab it on sparingly with q-tip then discovered I was out of them too. Mind you, this was in the middle of a bad snowstorm so couldn't get to the mall.

4. Of course, the fray check was slightly noticeable on the right side so resorted to using a Sharpie pen to remedy that. Still worrying the seams might come loose, I used small pieces of lightwt. fusible interfacing for re-enforcement.

5. Also should have pressed some of my seams open and wound up with lumpy centers so took a mallet and clapper to those.

6. Had planned to SID around the star segments but broke several needles trying to penetrate some of the thick seams. Free motioned it instead with my Viking 1+.

With a great deal of regret (over not prewashing) and trepidation, I finally lucked out and not one fabric bled -- not even the black or reds.
Sorry this post was so long.
Now if my luck will just hold out one more time I will try to post a picture...........

Sure came out pretty! I have the Carol Doak book and CD. What I like about the the software is that you can print to the size you need.

it's gorgeous!

I bought this book. I just dont know that paper piecing is for me. I have had about the same experience. Only you have a quilt.

Hard lessons learned, but look how beautiful!! Look at your learning experience this way-Now you know for next time! Your story reminds me of middle school. All students are given a test the first day:
Question #1 Read every question before writing anything on this paper.
Question #20 Do not write anything on this paper except your name.
You can imagine how many filled in all the answers and turned in papers with eraser marks. Can't tell you how many times I have missed the little important stuff on a pattern and wondered why it isn't working out.

When I learned to paper piece, I watched tutorials online. Then I took blocks from quilterscache and learned to do it. It all made sense. No book for me to learn from. But I have done Carol's patterns since. The trick is to do every step in order. Every time.

Your quilting experiences sound so much like mine but your results are so much better!
Looks really good; I really hope it holds up for you.

After all the problems, it came out beautiful. Good job!

it's such a beautiful quilt! congrats on the finish

Your quilt is absolutely gorgeous! You did an outstanding job in spite of your problems. I am doing the paper piecing Craftsy BOM. The blocks look so simple when compared to yours. My first day of working on the blocks, I made so many mistakes. I did not enjoy it. Today, everything went smoothly, no mistakes. I actually enjoyed the paper piecing today.

It's beautiful