New York Beauty Quilt Along Week One

I have wanted to make a quilt with lots of sharp points forever. It seems to be my husband's favorite style of quilt and I have never made a quilt for him. 

When I saw the New York Beauty Paper Piecing Quilt Along a few weeks ago, I knew this was my chance. Every Sunday, for ten weeks, starting last week, a different blog will post a tutorial for a new block.

I have also been looking for a good project to use up the batik scraps that have accumulated in my stash. To get started on the project, they found a temporary home on the sewing room floor. It is going to look like this for at least the next ten weeks. The first week is supposed to be the easiest week so that participants can get comfortable with paper piecing and decide on fabrics and colors.

Other than limiting the amount of pink in this quilt, I decided not to decide about color. Anything goes with the hopes that an awesome scrappy New York Beauty will emerge.

Since I already knew how to paper piece, I thought that the weekly tutorials would show things that I already knew. Wrong! Already, I've picked up a great tip about when to trim each piece as it is added. Love it. No matter how much I think I know, there's always something new to learn.

The blocks get more complex as we go but really, with paper piecing, it's not more difficult, it's just more pieces. Since this quilt along is EVERY week, it is going to be a challenge to keep up. My goal is to make four of each block, then mix and match them after they are all made.

I can't wait to get going on the second block when it is posted tomorrow!