Step away from the sewing machine!

The sun is out and shining here in Kansas, it's a perfect day if you were at The Masters which hubby surely wishes he was. So while he reminisces about his time there several years ago, and relives every hole one by one, I am sewing! 

 Or trying to sew. Notice the rather large pile of fabric scraps and ruined paper templates on my cutting board, the unhappy face on my pin cushion. I have always wanted to learn paper piecing, and this weeks beautiful Splendid Sampler block #15 by Janice Ryan was just that, paper pieced! 

And so I printed out all the templates and then read through the directions, yet my brain just did not want to make sense of this technique. I watched 2 videos on paper piecing which really did not sink in either. By now I am practically banging my head up and down on my cutting mat and crying... this is when a little voice says.. step away from the sewing machine, just step away now. 

 Maybe all the fumes from the painting hubby has been doing these past few weeks have gone to my head.
He's doing a great job though isn't he! Daisy is supervising, she's soooo funny!

So back to my story, I took a little break, nibbled on some chocolate bunny, and watched another video on paper piecing. This one was by Alyssa Thomas, one of the sampler block designers. She has been sewing along with everyone and made a video of sewing the actual block. Once I saw how the 1st section was done, it all clicked! Yes it did! Yay!! Full steam ahead I finished the block, it's not perfect but I'm okay with it for a 1st try. This is exactly what I have been enjoying about sewing along with the sampler, the variety of techniques used, there is always something new to learn! 

We are getting ready for company. My girlfriend from Buffalo New York is coming to visit next weekend, with her hubby. We met in Buffalo about 40 years ago at Home Bureau, a large group of woman who got together every week to sew and craft. They even had a nursery who my little one, it was great! Although I have been gone from Buffalo 30 years now, we still visit back and forth as much as possible. Such friends are so very special and we are really excited for their visit!