Wednesday, April 1, 2015

April - Hive 6 - Polaroid Fun!

Hi All!

I'm so excited, this is my first bee so it took me forever to decide what to do. I settled on these fun Polaroid blocks! The pattern is the first paper pieced block I've ever designed! Feel free to use and share it.

I have quite a large collection of Polaroid cameras, and until the film stopped being made, I loved taking pictures with them. The film is so iconic

This is just one of the four cameras hanging out in my office, a classic Polaroid SX-70.

To make the block I traced one of the Polaroids taken with this camera!

Here is my finished block.

Now of to the details!

Colors and Fabric:
I would love if you used grey prints or solids for the background. The "frame" should be white, either white on white patterned or solid white is great! The "image" can be any print. As you can tell, I love modern prints, Cotton and Steel, Alexander Henry, and Tula Pink are some of my favorites.

In my block, I fussy cut scraps of my favorite fabrics. Ideally, the center "photo" should be a thing (animal, person, building, etc.), but I'm open to your interpretation! What would you take a picture of?

Block Layout:
I designed the block in four pieces with four different Polaroids at different angles. Feel free to create the block using all of one type of Polaroids (just print 4 copies of the page of the pattern you like). For example, if you'd like all the Polaroids in your block to be straight, print and create four copies of only page 4.

You can also print more copies of the pattern and add more Polaroids in your block (e.g. print pages 1-4 as well as two duplicates of pages to create six "photos" instead of four).

Pattern:
Here is the pattern pdf. The pattern is six pages long, but you only need to print the pattern pages to create the block (pages 3-6). Pages 1 & 2 are just diagrams.


Once you've paper pieced at least four individual Polaroids, sew the top two and the bottom two together with a quarter inch seam. Then, sew the two sets of 2 together (again with a quarter inch seam).

Paper Piecing Tutorials: 
If you are new to paper piecing there are loads of great tutorials with different methods, just search online.

Fons and Porter has a video tutorial.

So does The Crafty Gemini.

And Wombat Quilts has the best tips and tricks for once you get started!

Finally, my question for you is: What is the best thing you've ever made? 

I'm so excited to see what you create!

Nicole

UPDATE: When I made my block it came out 11x6ish, whatever size it ends up just leave it untrimmed and send it my way! Don't worry if it's not that size. Make sure when you print the pattern you have it print at full size (not scaled to fit). Email me if you have questions! - Nicole




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