Category Archives: paper piecing

It’s Bigger On The Inside

Free TARDIS paper pieced pattern, designed by me
and tested (as shown) by the ever awesome Shae.

Oh, fandom quilting, how do I love thee?

Bigger on the inside, that’s how!

In a fit of I Am A Fan, I made this a highly detailed TARDIS. I designed this pattern to be a 6″ block, but I would recommend enlarging it even bigger to work on, just for sanity’s sake. Shae made her’s 6″ and it worked out beautifully.

TARDIS Pattern

Why is the pattern purple? No idea. I drafted it back in May of 2009 and then it got lost amongst my files. When I unearthed it a couple of weeks ago, I realized it just needed numbering and separating. My guess is I had some really good wine and thought the purple was blue…

Need more Doctor Who?

How about a Dalek quilt block?

Sample pieced by Stephanie T

Or a fandom tee?

More hardcore fan, you say?

Tardis Door Mural

Need even more DW? Check out crafty_tardis on Livejournal and the Doctor Who crafts flickr group.

Happy crafting!

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post.

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Tire for Hire

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Back in July, Katrina sent me the above image and told me she has a car enthusiast in the family.

Between my family, working, teaching, volunteering and designing patterns for my shop, my schedule has gotten pretty crazy. The result of that is that I don’t usually take many requests anymore unless it’s something I think others might be interested in making as well. Highly specialized requests fall under the category of “commission,” but from time to time, I still create freebies (like Contessa’s Canoe).

I mean, seriously, this is a tire! How many quilters out there might need a tire to throw into their auto enthusiasts quilt? At least a few is my thinking, and, Sewhooked started as a free website, and I like to keep the free content coming as much as possible.

I told Katrina about my crazy summer schedule and promised to get back to her. Last night, a glass of wine and I sat and worked it out. Thanks for your patience, Katrina, I hope the pattern works for you…and hopefully for a few of my other readers as well!

free Tire pattern

Happy Crafting!

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What A Hooty Little Haunting!

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Now, that’s what I call fun!

The owls are fussy cut from the What A Hoot line of fabric. ❤ ❤ ❤ I’m probably give the little guy floating in the door a little branch when I quilt it. Flying with your wings down is just too exhausting!

I used the alternative piece and instructions included with A Little Haunted. Pieced in ~ 3 hours. So. Much. Fun!

A Little Haunted, original version

Happy Crafting!

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Way Back Craft: Teeny Goblet of Fire

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Once Upon A Time, I entered a Challenge. It was called The Little Tiny Challenge. I was beaten soundly by a tiny fast food meal made of real food, though I did come in second (even though second was hundreds of votes from first!).

Here’s my original post made on craftser way back in April of 2006.

The Pattern:

Sewing one of the center segments. Man that’s small!

Individual segments ready to be pieced:

The block is pieced! Photo from the back!

Finished block next to the original 5″ version (pattern available at sewhooked.org )

The finished block, front & center! All 1.5″ of it!

Happy Crafting!

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Free Pattern: Contessa’s Canoe

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UPDATE: This pattern has been updated for 2013!

Click here to see the new version and to get the updated free pattern!

The following picture was posted by a friend on Facebook, along with a request for some help finding or figuring out the pattern. The photo poster, Contessa, states that she has it from a 1970s quilting magazine. She was looking for any information on the pattern, but most specifically, she really wanted to make it and didn’t know where to start!

Well, as these things sometimes do, it caught my fancy and it was a nice 15 minute project while I ate my breakfast. I took some liberties since I had no size or color information. My version makes a 6″ block, but the individual pieces would be easy to enlarge and I’m sure it’d make a gorgeous 12″ block.

Just for fun, a mock up how the pattern repeats.

Contessa’s Canoe – Free Paper Pieced Pattern

Unlike most of my patterns, this one does not include seam allowance. That was partly for time and partly so it will all fit on one page. I have a super easy way of adding seam allowance to any paper pieced pattern right here.

Huge thanks go out to Shae for testing the pattern and making the gorgeous block shown here. You rock!

Happy Crafting!

Free Pattern: Simple Kites

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Four Patch Kite

One of my most rewarding past times is volunteering for The Linus Connection, so when a friend asked me to design a simple paper pieced kite that would be easy to incorporate into quilts for Linus, I eagerly accepted.

Simple Kite

Of course, I couldn’t create just one pattern! Having more adds variety. When I was done, I had the Four Patch Kite and it’s reverse and the Simple Kite and it’s reverse. Each block prints at 6″ x 8″, so it’s easy to make a nice large block by adding sashing, or, keep it as is and sprinkle a kite here and there through your quilt!

Please do take print these patterns and use them for your own non-profit group, or make a sweet summer quilt for a child that you love!

Shop Sewhooked and help keep the free patterns free!

Add your Sewhooked-related photos (that includes my patterns posted to Fandom In Stitches!) to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

Happy stitching!

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Floating Mariner

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The Floating Mariner, by Jennifer Ofenstein (hey, that’s me!)

It’s always fun for a quilt designer to play with a traditional block. I really enjoy stars and Mariner’s Compass is an all-time favorite for it’s striking geometric design.

A number of students in a class I taught earlier this year urged me to add a Mariner’s Compass to my class rotation. I loved the idea and decided that if I was going to include a Mariner’s Compass, I had to go all the way and create my own version to share with my students!

When I started drafting my pattern, I was unsure what direction I wanted to take with such a traditional block. After some trial and error, the Floating Mariner emerged. I love how the smaller stars echo the center motif. Taken singly, the block is a stunning 16″ wall-hanging. Combined with more Floating Mariners, a stunning quilt layout emerges.

Detail of Floating Mariner, with echo quilting…my favorite!

Use it as a single block for a wall hanging, or make multiple blocks for a breathtaking quilt!

The Floating Mariner is now available in the Sewhooked Shop for just $6 as an instant PDF download with PayPal payment – completely secure shopping through E-junkie!

4 blocks x 4 blocks, using The Floating Mariner

approximately 62″ x 62″

The PDF download includes paper pieced patterns and piecing instructions for the Floating Mariner block. The block is simple enough for an advanced beginner to tackle, but rewarding for quilters of all skill levels!

Now available through the Sewhooked Shop as an instant PDF download with PayPal payment (completely secure shopping through E-junkie!).

$6 – PDF Instant Download

E-junkie Shopping Cart and Digital Delivery

Want to learn to paper piece? Check out my free paper piecing resources and text tutorial!

Shop Sewhooked and help keep the free patterns free!

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

Happy crafting!

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Wordless Wednesday

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5 Minutes of Paper Piecing

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On July 10, 2010, shaebay5 posted a video that was 5 minutes of real time cross-stitch. Her idea was inspired by the crafty Penny Nickels who said:

I think I’m going to start another Tumblr blog and all it’s going to be is 5 minute videos of me or other people weaving, knitting, spinning, embroidering, sewing… whatever. If you can’t sit through 5 minutes of mind-numbingly boring ass handwork, then you don’t get to whine about how much it costs. Because we have to do this shit for hours and hours and hours and hours. Not even like 6 hours, more like 50 to 100+ hours. And really, it’s just as boring for me as it is for the viewer. It really is.

Granted, my video is not handwork, but paper piecing is still a very tedious process. I love it, and I love the results, but it takes time. Lots of time. Over the years, I’ve been asked for quotes on how much I’d sell this or that quilt for. To date, not one person has taken me up on the amount quoted. Craftiness takes a lot of time. Skill is worth paying and getting paid for.

Post your own 5 Minutes of Video and show everyone some real time action of you crafting!

Happy crafting!

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Challenge Winner

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I don’t usually double post from Harry Potter Paper Piecing to the sewhooked blog, but today is not an ordinary day! Today, I had the pleasure of announcing the Harry Potter Paper Piecing Complete Your Quilt Top Challenge Winner (say that five times fast!), Jennifer Tanner, hpfan_poa, and also a Guest Designer on sewhooked.

If you missed the challenge poll, you have to go see. The quilts were absolutely amazing and I’m proud of this little Livejournal community that I created, which is populated by talented and caring quilters. Many of the community members have become close and trusted friends, and my life would definitely not be the same without it!

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

Happy crafting!

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