Getting Closer

So work continues on the Doctor Who quilt top, I have had intense negotiations with my son and it turns out he thought my original design would be too small...so I have bordered each block with a 2 1/2" sash and the quilt now measures 64" x 80"...
 I struggled to get a true to color picture as the top gets larger...

Here is a closer view of the Kaufman Royal and Navy Quilter's Linen (not actual linen, it's a cotton quilting fabric but it has a nice printed texture and compliments the colors used in the quilt) used for borders.  Dare I say it looks "Tardis-y"...I had originally bought this yardage with the thought to make a TARDIS quilt from the Navy...maybe someday.

The boy says it is still not big enough so an outer border is now planned...for now I am tearing off paper and trying not to disrupt any of those tiny seams as I do!!

As a sidenote:  a few friends have asked that I post some paper piecing tips I have learned as I completed these blocks...keep in mind that you can get better instruction from those more adept than I at paper piecing (my blocks are far from perfect).  A good place to look would be any of these designers in this post's suggested websites, but here are some of my humble suggestions...

1. Use yardage not scraps...really, it is so frustrating to try to make do and piece those tiny scraps to try and make a piece large enough to cover the area once you get to the 30th or 50th piece!!
2.  Use a thin, strong thread (I use Aurifil) it makes your seams stronger and less bulky.
3. I have had good luck using Carol Doak's Foundation paper for this project and loved that it helped make the seams less bulky and it is tearing away fairly easily.  A cheaper buy would be to get newsprint and trim to size to fit your printer.
3. Baste most joins and peek at the effect before you shorten your stitches for the final join.
4. Go slow...unpicking always takes longer, ask me how I know!
5.Make something you love so that you feel the smile as the image forms before your eyes...it makes the process more joyful.
6. Go ahead, make your seam-ripper your bff...you will be seeing each other a lot if you are anything like me. 

Second sidenote...as I began the process of removing the paper from the blocks last night, I was watching a PBS Nature show featuring penguins.  Guess who was narrating? David Tennant!!  Totally cracked my son and I up...we had to watch the credits at the end to be sure, but his name was there.  Nice to have a wink from Ten as we get close to the finish line.