A 'top tip' and a reminder from a novice quilter

If you too like the precision that paper foundation piecing can deliver, but tend to avoid it because of the sometimes tricky angles and need to think differently from ordinary piecing, this tip from Lee Heinrich (quilt maker, pattern designer, teacher, blogger) might convert you to a regular foundation piecer:

Never tear out stitches again! How to make paper-piecing easy

We all Sew, 28 December 2015

... I’m here today to give you my absolute favorite paper-piecing tip ever. It’s so beautifully simple you’ll probably think it’s too good to be true. But it’s 100% for real! ...

If you are an experienced, quilter, you might be very familiar with Lee's technique already, but this blog post by Sarah, a Martingale staff member, published in February 2014, reminds us all that we were once beginners, and we might have forgotten how easy it is to become discouraged:

Advice to seasoned quilters…from a beginner
... The authors of this book knew that their designs were simple—perhaps too simple for the seasoned quilter, except when they wanted to showcase novelty prints or whip out a quick quilt for a baby shower. But what they also knew was that non-sewists, like me, would never move past that first quilt if it wasn’t something they could complete quickly and feel good about. They knew that the tiniest boost of confidence was the most critical factor in turning a curious beginner into a full-fledged quilting addict ...

If you're still with Sarah's quilting story, here is the next instalment, from July 2014:

A girl finally becomes a quilter - thanks to YOU!

... I asked you what you wish you’d known before you started quilting, and while many helpful tips and tricks were mentioned, one resounding sentiment was shared by most of you: “I wish I’d known how much I would love it!” you cried. “If I had known that, I would have taken the leap much, much sooner” ...

How many of us would say the same?