Playful Paper Piecing with Island Batik Fabrics

Welcome and join me and the Island Batik Ambassadors for Playful Paper Piecing this month! Our project was to design something fun and playful using Paper Piecing or English Paper Piecing with lovely Island Batik fabrics.

I decided to go with English Paper Piecing as it is a lot of fun to do plus I wanted to make a project from a class that I took years ago at a quilt retreat. The teacher was Dr. Doretha Jones and she taught a great class. However, I never finished the project so this was the time to try it again! The pattern uses hexagons with a few pentagons placed here and there for a delightful outcome.

I looked at all my fabrics and decided to go with a charm pack from the Jersey Shore Collection. The 5 inch squares were just right for this project as they are small and compact and easy to manipulate. And what I was going to make was for the shore!

            

I chose colors that seemed to go with the ones found in my big backyard along the Emerald Coast! Lovely blues and greens with an occasional splash of sunrise or sunset.
 

Here is what I stitched! A little beach bag that is just "purrfect" for carrying your car keys, cell phone and suntan lotion!

 

I used the plastic top of a lemonade mix in the bottom to make it sturdy and then added lining. Nothing fancy - just whip stitched it around the top. I was going to add some gold rings inside about 1/2 inch from the top for the cord to make it close. No gold rings but found some thin silver washers in my husband's tool box that did the trick.
The base of a large plastic jar of peanut butter also works for the bottom, but it wasn't empty. Maybe I can get my husband to make some of his famous peanut butter cookies!

Here is the recipe should you need to get rid of some peanut butter. (Good snacks for the beach).

Mr. B's Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter (Peter Pan is his favorite to use)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg well beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt


Cream butter and peanut butter. Add sugar and then the egg. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Roll in little balls and press down with fork on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool and enjoy!




Now before we leave the beach, the Emergency Management side of me is taking over.  With Memorial Day right around the corner, I know many of you will be visiting beaches whether here in Florida or in other areas of the country or the world. 

Please pay attention to the information and notices at the beach as it is so very important. Water and rip currents can be very unforgiving even for strong swimmers. I want you to have a happy and a safe holiday! And remember leave only footprints behind!



Be sure and check out the Island Batik Ambassadors  as many have been sharing or will be sharing some wonderful paper piecing projects this month. 


Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful summer!


Nan