Category Archives: Paper pieced Animals

A “Love-ly” Blog Hop, FREE PATTERN, and Give-Away

February 5, 2018Blog Hop, FREE Patterns, Paper pieced Animalsfree patterns, free tutorials, made by marney, mary hertel patterns, paper pieced pattern, penguin pattern, penguins, quilting, sewingmaryhertel

Thanks for stopping by to visit! Carol from Just Let Me Quilt has done a marvelous job organizing this Blog Hop. We want to add some hearts and love to your February. So…every pattern mentioned in my blog today has a “heart”.

My FREE block is “HEARTY PENGUIN”. This paper pieced block measures 8″ x 8″ unfinished. This block would make a great pillow, potholder, or could be used in a table runner.

My intention was to share a pattern that would not only be sweet for Valentine’s Day, but would last all through winter.

This is a very easy paper pieced block, and would work well for beginners. You may download this HEARTY-PENGUIN-MERGED.pdf (2254 downloads ) block here. Keep reading…my give-away is towards the end of this post.

Instead of giving you a finished project, I thought you might want to learn paper piecing basics. So…

Let’s do a tutorial on paper piecing right now. Here are the first few steps. If you want to see a post with the entire tutorial, visit “PAPER PIECING TUTORIAL #1: SEWING A SEGMENT” and “PAPER PIECING TUTORIAL #2: SEWING SEGMENTS TOGETHER”

Set the stitch length on your sewing machine to 1.5 (that’s about 20 stitches per inch).

Step 1 : Make 3 copies of the original pattern. (I use cheap copy paper.) Cut it into the 3 segments A, B and C, shown by the red lines. I like to add 1/4″ seam allowances between the segments. This is not a necessary step, but I find it a helpful reminder as I paper piece. If you prefer, you could just make 1 copy of the pattern and cut it apart on the red lines. Just make sure you are allowing plenty of fabric along the edges for the 1/4″ seam allowance as you paper piece. I will be paper piecing Segment C.

Step 2: Pin a scrap of fabric a bit larger than, directly behind, piece #1 . The right side of the fabric should be facing away from the back of the pattern. Another way of saying this is, place the wrong side of the fabric touching the wrong side of the pattern. Holding the pattern up to a light source makes this step easy.

This is what the pattern looks like from the back.

This tutorial is continued in PAPER PIECING TUTORIAL #1 and PAPER PIECING TUTORIAL #2.

Now for the fun stuff…

I have more “heart” blocks available on Etsy and Craftsy.

This is my “SCALLOPED HEART BLOCK“. It measures 8″x 8” unfinished. I used it to make an adorable pillow. This is a challenging pattern with a lot of pieces.

The SCALLOPED HEART PILLOW pattern will be given to 1 lucky winner. To enter for a chance to win this pattern, please leave a comment after this post. Be sure to include your email address 🙂 This give-away will end on Friday, February 9. The winner will be announced on Saturday.

Of course, in my usual fashion, I couldn’t stop designing blocks with hearts. “BE-MINE PUPPY BLOCK” is for the dog lovers. I am going to make a potholder from this block.

This is “PERKY PENGUIN BLOCK“. His face is shaped like a heart! This pattern does not include directions for constructing the pillow. It is a nice, easy block for beginners!

If you like these Valentine’s patterns, you might also like to check out my brand new St. Patrick’s designs.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please visit other blogs today for even more FREE patterns. And don’t forget to LEAVE A COMMENT. Let me know which of my “heart” blocks you like the best.

February 5

Life in the Scrapatch

Freemotion by the River

Marjorie’s Busy Corner

Cynthia’s Creating Ark

February 6

Creatin’ in the Sticks

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

February 7

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

February 8

Paper Piecing Tutorial #2: Sewing Segments Together

January 28, 2018Blog Hop, FREE Patterns, Paper pieced Animalsfree patterns, free tutorials, made by marney, mary hertel, mary hertel patterns, paper pieced pattern, paper piecing tutorial, quilt patternsmaryhertel

Welcome to my paper piecing tutorial “#2: Sewing Segments Together”. My step by step directions are designed to help you use my “Made By Marney” paper pieced patterns.If you are piecing a combination block, you will have to paper piece each segment in the pattern, then sew these segments together. Watch “Tutorial #1: Paper Piecing a Segment” if you are a beginner before watching this tutorial.

The Penguin block I am using in this tutorial is a FREE download and will be available on my website starting on Tuesday, February 6.

Step 4: Bend the paper pattern out of the way and trim away any excess seam allowance beyond the 1/4″ needed.

Step 5: Flip fabric 2 in place behind piece #2 and press flat.

Step 6: Trim away the excess fabric, leaving a generous 1/2″ beyond what is needed.

Step 7: Position the fabric for piece #3. Again, I am bending the pattern on the stitching line so I can peek under the pattern to help place my fabric to allow about 1/2″ of seam allowance. (I am always generous with this seam allowance, especially for beginners.)

Above, you can see that piece #3 is stitched, pressed in place, and the excess fabric has been trimmed. Continue to add pieces in numerical order.

Above you can see that section C is now completed.

Trim the seam allowance 1/4″ from the red line. Segment C will be sewn to Segments A and B along the red lines.

Step 8: This a close up showing how I match the seam lines for segments A and B. Poke a straight pin through the seam line of segment A and match it with the seam line on segment B.

Pin the segments together. Sew on the seam line.

Rip off the paper that is in the seam allowance on each side.

Press the seam to one side. Here is segment A and B sewn together and pressed.

If you need any further assistance, contact me at maryannhertel@gmail.com

Paper Piecing Tutorial #1: Paper Piecing a Segment

January 28, 2018Blog Hop, FREE Patterns, Paper pieced Animals, Uncategorizedfree patterns, how to paper piece, made by marney, mary hertel patterns, paper pieced pattern, paper piecing tutorial, penguin pattern, tutorialsmaryhertel

My step by step directions are designed to help you use my “Made By Marney” paper pieced patterns. Tutorial #1 gets you started on paper piecing a segment. I cannot fit all of the photos in one post, so Tutorial #2 shows how to finish the segment and sew it to a second segment. The pattern I am using can be found as a FREE download on this website starting Tuesday, February 6.

Let’s do a tutorial on paper piecing right now. Set the stitch length on your sewing machine to 1.5 (that’s about 20 stitches per inch).

Step 2: Pin a scrap of fabric behind piece #1. Hold the pattern up to a light source so you can position the piece behind piece #1 on the pattern. The right side of the fabric is facing away from the back of the pattern. Note that the scrap is larger than piece #1 to allow for seam allowances.

Step 3: I am now ready to position the fabric for piece #2. In the first photo I am pointing at the

line I will be stitching. In the second photo I am bending piece 2 back along the stitching line to help me position the fabric. Note that the fabrics are right sides together. I am allowing for about a 1/2″ of fabric beyond the stitching line. You can see I am working with a large scrap for fabric 2. I like to trim my fabric AFTER stitching it in place.

Notice, I start sewing 1/4″ before my stitching line, and will stop stitching 1/4″ after my stitching line. No backtacking is necessary.

Step 4: Bend the paper pattern out of the way and trim away any excess seam allowance beyond the 1/4″ needed.

If you have found this post helpful, visit my next post “Paper Piecing Tutorial #2: Sewing Segments Together”.

Linking today with:

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

Stitch All The Things

Free Motion By The River

Quilts My Way

Needle and Thread Network

Sew Fresh Quilts

So Scrappy

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off The Wall Friday

3 Cats and 1 Dog With A Bone AND my interview by Pat Sloan

November 26, 2017Paper pieced Animals, Paper Pieced Table Toppers, Quilts with Animals, Uncategorizedcatsndogs, made by marney, mary hertel patterns, paper piece patterns, paper pieced pattern, quilt patterns, sewingmaryhertel

I’m having fun designing more cats and dogs. Animals are my favorite subject matter.

This is “3 Cats and 1 Dog With A Bone” table runner.

Shaggy Cat

Brown Cat

Cute Calico Cat

And Dog With A Bone.

This pattern is a nice mix of beginner blocks and intermediate blocks. For paper piecing directions and tips watch my free tutorials on my Video and Tutorial page right here on the website.

Please listen to my interview with Pat Sloan on her

American Patchwork and Quilting Magazines Talk Show/Podcast Show

Airing Monday, December 4.

All of Pat Sloan’s podcasts can be found here.

Linking with: Kathy’sQuilts Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework, Quilts My Way

Stitch ALL The Things

Free Motion By The River

Needle and Thread Network

Silly Mama Quilts

Em’s Scrap Bag

Adorable Paper Pieced Christmas Animals

October 10, 2017Paper pieced Animals, Paper Pieced Quilts, Paper Pieced Table Toppers, Uncategorizedcatsndogs, made by marney, mary hertel, mary hertel patterns, paper pieced pattern, paper pieced quilts, paper piecing, paperpiecedcats, quilt patterns, sewingmaryhertel

Cute as can be and just in time for Christmas, this table runner sports “3 Dogs and 1 Sassy Cat“. Animal lovers will enjoy this sweet holiday project. It’s easy to make, and the borders resemble a “scallop”, but is pieced. So easy!