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blog tour // purr-fect patchwork by pamela jane morgan

PurrfectPatchwork_Blog_Flatlay

Do you love sewing and cats? Do you know someone who loves either of those? Yes? I thought so. And you're in the right place. Because today I'm sharing something paw-sitively delightful: The Purr-fect Patchwork Blog Tour! This brand new quilt book by Pamela Jane Morgan is filled with quilts, bags, and sewing accessories, each showing off adorable kitty cats.

Part of this blog hop is about showing off Purr-fect Patchwork, and part is about a giveaway! But before we get to the giveaway and the rest of the stops on this tour, let me show you what I made. I decided to try something a little different with one of these super cute designs, so are you ready?

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour


I pulled out some bright fabrics to stitch together a very sweet kitty. Working on this was so much fun and I loved seeing the tiny pieces come together.

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

Okay, but you know what? If we're talking about a book filled with cat-themed projects, Darcy Cat simply MUST be part of this right? Thankfully, she obliged and jumped in to a little photoshoot!

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

Just look at this helpful little kitty! She officially approves of this pattern.

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The project I chose to work with is the Tale of Two Kitties Needle Book. (Don't you just love it? And isn't that sewing machine amazing?) What's unique about this project (besides the kitty piecing) is that it's not just a needle book, but also a little sewing pouch. It's purrrrrfect for keeping with your embroidery or English paper piecing.

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

Speaking of paper piecing, the original instructions call for using foundation paper piecing to make the cat sections as well as the row of flying geese. I won't go into the details of sewing FPP, but basically it involves sewing the fabric and the paper in a way the adds precision piecing without the cutting getting to complex.

I have done foundation paper piecing exactly one time, but I have used FPP patterns to do my favorite technique: English paper piecing. Here's how that goes.

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

For this, I cut apart all the pieces from the FPP pattern. And then as soon as I did that, I realized that there were a couple pieces that I could baste without cutting the sections apart. So I recut them together.

This is one of the things that you can and should look out for when using FPP patterns for EPP.

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

Now we get into standard English paper piecing. I glued the paper pieces to the fabric...

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

...cut all the fabric...

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

...and started basting the pieces. Most of the pieces are small, so I could just stitch through the fabric. A few are larger and I stitched through the fabric and paper. If you've never done this before, you can see how I baste pieces in this video.



Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

With each new kitty piece basted, I added it in and it was like making a puzzle!

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

Also, I have to point out that these are the tiniest EPP pieces I've ever worked with. Like, tiny tiny.

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

One of the great things about tiny pieces is that they join together in a hurry! I used whip stitch for this project.



Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour
Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

Just look at these itty bitty flying geese coming together! I'm a sucker for flying geese and I've always thought they would be fun in EPP. Now I know that I can do it!

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

Now if you noticed in the background of one of those photos, I also basted these extra pieces that are the add on pieces for making the needle book. Here's where things went a little sideways in the transfer from FPP to EPP.

I based the sizes of the pieces off of what sizes were listed for these when sewing them on traditionally. But what I didn't account for was how the overall size of the sewn together EPP would expand slightly because of the thickness of the seams. When I went to sew them on, they were a "litter" bit off and the pieces just didn't match! Womp, womp.

I was left with two options: make new templates and try again or remove the EPP papers and sew them on traditionally.

At this moment, I've hit paws. But I'm leaning toward making new templates so that the whole front of the needle book is hand pieced.

Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

Darcy agrees!

Now, let's get to this giveaway. Pamela and C&T Publishing are giving away an eBook copy of Purr-fect Patchwork. To enter, leave a comment on this post and enter your info through Rafflecopter. The giveaway ends on August 29 and winners will be notified by email.

But that's just the start. Every stop on the blog tour has a giveaway for an eBook, so you have LOTS of chances to win. AND there's a grand prize giveaway for a physical copy of the book, a #catsonquilts button, and a ton of goodies from sponsors. To enter the grand prize giveaway you just need to leave a comment at every stop on the blog tour.

What are you waiting for? Start making the rounds!

Fri. August 20:
Pamela Jane Morgan | pammiejane.com/blog | IG: @pammiejane
C&T Publishing | http://www.ctpub.com/blog/ | IG: @ctpublishing
 
Sat. August 21:
Sherri Noel | https://www.rebeccamaedesigns.com/ | IG: @rebeccamaedesigns

Shannon Fraser | https://shannonfraserdesigns.com/ | IG: @shannonfraserdesigns
 
Sun. August 22:
Lorna McMahon | https://sewfreshquilts.com/blog | IG: @sewfreshquilts 
Tracy Brittain Loyek | https://www.purplekatzquilting.com/blogs/news | IG: @purplekatzquilting
 
Mon. August 23:
Natalie Santini | https://sewhungryhippie.com/blogs/tutorials | IG: @sewhungryhippie
Kaitlyn Howell | https://knotandthreaddesign.com/blog/ | IG: @knotandthread


Tue. August 24:

Audrey Mann | https://www.theclothparcel.com/blog/ | IG: @theclothparcel
Charisma Horton | https://charismascorner.com/ | IG: @charismahorton )


Wed. August 25:

Mollie Johanson (That's me!) | http://blog.molliejohanson.com/ | IG: @molliejohanson
Corinne Sovey | https://www.corinnesovey.com/home/blog/ | IG: @corinne.sovey

Thu. August 26:

Melissa Averinos | https://yummygoods.com/blogs/yummy-goods-blog | IG: @melissaaverinos
Jeni Gaston | https://woolenwillowdesigns.com/blogs/jeni-s-blog-at-woolen-willow-designs| IG: @jenifergaston 


Fri. August 27:

Tonya Alexander  | http://stashlabquilts.com | IG: @stashlabquilts

Nichole Vogelsinger | https://wildboho.com/ | IG: @wildboho

Sat. August 28:

Stacey Day | http://www.staceyinstitches.com | IG: @staceyinstitches
Amanda Niederhauser | http://www.jedicraftgirl.com | IG: @jedicraftgirl



Purrfect Patchwork Blog Tour

35 comments:

  1. Those are purr-ty tiny pieces. If I had a kitty helping they would be everywhere. I think I'll leave the EPP to you. The needle book is purr-fect for travel sewing. (Sorry)

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  2. So adorable -- Love your version of this -- I've done a hexagon quilt but not sure I could EPP this - Love your Darcy -- We have had a lot of Kitties thru the years - I guess Bootsy would be my favorite - she actually disappeared for a year and came back. She was 17 when she passed

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  3. I have lots of favorite kitty cats. My real ones Prissy, Sam, Abby, Boots, Ginger. Cartoon ones - Sylvester.

    Love your needle book/pouch.

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  4. As a verified crazy cat lady I've surely been waiting my entire life for this cool book!! Love all the projects, am thinking of the many gifts I can make with them and some to keep too! Love your Darcy cat, I have 3 kitties here who love to *help* me create! Hugs from NC, KittyAnn

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  5. My current favorite cat is Buffy with Karma a close second. This book has some great patterns!

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  6. Purfect give for the quilters I know

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  7. I love my sisters cats! Thank you for sharing such cute projects!

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  8. My granddaughter's cat, Biscuit!! She's well-loved and adorable!

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  9. I have 2 favorites that love to snuggle with my on the couch, Belle and Thomas are our cats. I love how your project is coming along, how fun to switch it up to EPP.

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  10. I guess the neighbor's cat, Marshmallow, since all my kitties have crossed the rainbow bridge.

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  11. I loved my Abby cat. Such a good and sweet one.

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  12. Your work is beautiful. I don’t think I want to work that small. My favorite kitty Tigger would be trying to “help” and I would never find them all. What a great preview!

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  13. My favorite kitty was Charlie- My grandchild's cat. This book would be purrfect. My daughter and child are into all things kitty.

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  14. This literally ticks all the boxes for me! Your version is irresistible! ❤️

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  15. My favorite kitty is my orange tabby, Tigger!

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  16. Judy Valentino3:00 PM

    my babies goldie and Tabby!!!

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  17. My favorite kitty cat was a 30 pound male who was a love bug tiger stripe named Max.

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  18. Our favorite kitty cat was a Siamese named Ruby!

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  19. My favourite cats are the two Siamese sisters that we have now, Eve and Lily! Did you know that many Siamese cats like to play fetch just like a dog? Our Eve plays fetch and Lily would prefer to play alone with her toys.

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  20. oh I LOVE fabric. I have so many tiny scraps I dont dare throw away that would work perfectly with FPP and to make cat themed?!? LOVE!

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  21. My favorite kitty cat was my cat Ashes 🐈‍⬛ and my daughters would say their favorite cat character is Nature Cat from PBS Kids. Tally ho!

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  22. Deanna King7:06 PM

    My favorite kitty cat was my cat Ashes ��‍⬛ and my daughters would say their favorite cat character is Nature Cat from PBS Kids. Tally ho!

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  23. Our first kitty came home after my parents assuring us that we were NOT going to take one of those kitties they were giving away at our 4th of July celebration. Then something in my shirt MOVED! There was our scamper cat. She stayed with us through a move and then one day scampered away. (Or at least that's what I like to think. She never came back). So fun!

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  24. My 16 year old Mary Alyce. Seriously would think something was wrong if she wasn't in the middle of it all!

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  25. My sister’s cat Emily.

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  26. Julia H2:33 AM

    I love EPP and haven't tried foundation paper piecing yet, so I'd be tempted to do this as EPP as well! It looks like it'd be great for using up all the tiny scraps I save.

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    1. Julia H2:37 AM

      Oh, and my favorite cat is actually 2 cats- Ariel and Murriel, the bonded pair I adopted.

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  27. This is so stinkin' cute! I have had many cats over the years. My favorite special kitty would be Roffles. She was a ragdoll that evidently got away from somebody as she was totally declawed. :( I had her for 16 of her 17 years. She passed a year ago. Then we were blessed with 2 new kitties, Riker and Bat Masterson. Riker has adopted me. :) He is a Russian Blue. Handsome man, he is. :)

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  28. This is adorable! Those flying geese look great in tiny scale. Love it!

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  29. Who is my favorite cat? That's an impossible question since I've had cats all my life. The most interesting and lovable to me was Fred, our Siamese. He's in cat Heaven now, but Fred will never be forgotten by many people.

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  30. What a clever idea to turn an FPP into an EPP pattern! But, I get how it could mess up the final assembly. I'm sure you'll sort it out :)

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    1. And, my favorite kitty cat has to be my friend's late cat Triskit. He used to come to greet me at the door when he heard my voice, which was so cute!

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  31. My favorite kitty is our 22.5 year old cat, Tessa.

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  32. Wow, what adorable projects and fun colors! I haven't done paper piecing so these photos are super helpful. I love how tiny this work is although I'm sure it was a challenge. Also wanted to say I love the vintage machine and pretty Darcy!

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    1. Also, my favorite cat is Tucker (although it is super hard to pick and I hope the others don't know!)

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