I had a really amazing New Year’s Eve!  Dinner with some wonderful friends at a great restaurant here in Hanover PA.  I long ago gave up hope of staying up much beyond 9:30 pm and true to form I was asleep by 10!  Of course, the Brooklyn Chocolate Stout (with 10% alcohol) probably helped that process along.  I do not drink much anymore, and even one or two beers or a glass of wine and I am out!

Well rested, I had a magnificent New Year’s Day.  An Instagram friend had sent me a phenomenal pattern she had developed.  Called ‘Exploding Star’, it is foundation paper piecing at it’s finest.  FPP is a very useful tool for the really intricate piecing that you would have extreme difficulty accomplishing with rotary cutting.  I am not, I repeat not, a hand piecer (those who are, I envy your patience – I tried but do not have the level of focus needed).

There are eight quandrants and after I got my groove I was running about a half hour each.  I used some Timeless Treasures Rain for the explosions, a center comprised of Michael Miller Technicolor and a background from Classic Cottons (Joann’s from a couple years ago).

It went together smoothly and I am planning another adventure on this block.  I think rather than alternating with a background fabric, I will truly let it explode and just do all the 1/4 inch strips in colors!

Happy new year!