It has been more than 6 months since I started this hand sewing project, and I still love sitting down with it almost every night, so it's time to share. I know I'm not the only sewist out there who got hooked on the Lucy Boston blocks thanks to
Alewives Fabrics, a shop in Maine. Their Instagram posts of the English paper piecing blocks and
kits drew me in, and I had to try this design out for myself. And now I can't stop.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3ILKuC1qyN_R_pTiQRdpa7oyr9bL6lq_2SpUh5lBK-uQPk7EMLp71zrsytMDx8iAeqRGZfeVv-6nB3_lElxpcHzAlYC2r_XtnUklsgkeve_gW7dHiCovNyjfL7Yh7elPA31l2D74O28/s400/IMG_1310.JPG) |
My first Lucy Boston block |
This pattern is also referred to Patchwork of the Crosses. There's a book by Linda Franz called
Lucy Boston: Patchwork of the Crosses that a lot of folks uses as a reference, but when I get an idea to try something, I want to start right away, so I didn't wait to get the book. I ordered 1" honeycomb paper templates and a coordinating acrylic honeycomb template from
Paper Pieces and starting coming up with a loose plan for fabric. Oh -- the other part of this story is that I was flying to Dallas for a week visiting a good friend and her twin babies, and I wanted a hand sewing project to take with me. So while I had enough time to order the templates, I didn't have all that much time to audition fabrics and prep it for the trip.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3_tElDz7Uz9oYFBU9mQBqwKdhAKuwZKJrUFHpDwycoEyHkjeehFjcOgGomgqJuM-65Fmjs7HKk02PX6E6LctJC2QR1jopr78ghs0XiD6wF_0Rsb2t2xrReQvxrxmsXO4gzODzHncpAw/s400/IMG_1311.JPG) |
Block #2, playing with a little fussy cutting for the pineapples |
I decided to forego the intense fussy cutting that a lot of people do for their Lucy Bostons. I don't have the patience for that, and I didn't want to delay the gratification of finished blocks. So I grabbed a stack of
Cotton + Steel fat quarters that I won in a swap with my guild (the Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild --
check us out), some low-volume neutrals, and a stack of Andover chambray fat quarters that have been waiting for just the right project.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8wQPccUw1lubUqkgReDWuDGoRgYn-2c-qM25aYIohPwHLcuys7GNMt2XF3kcbidkSSbwUEAdANkQwnDxDoxHRZQYPx9sb9fE4M9PGsOii7jYkq9_cuu6B073MriVEB8c2OyBcBcawSw/s400/IMG_2193.JPG) |
Andover chambrays |
Here's my approach to each block:
- One low-volume fabric for the center
- Two coordinating prints for the next round -- sometimes they're fussy cut, but sometimes they aren't. It just depends on the fabric design and how much I want to play with it vs. get started sewing already.
- One Andover chambray in the corners, to coordinate with the prints
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KXNDzd4DgWIwZ7lwOF8Gb5NGC0MIYClTrDdAO3M8vV-b8NdM3GOz6SDh9CwGB3rWRkAC6jcg6oUN85COa2rowBQ9vNlSPxpvb3AqT2umMTsujURMRP8Ej_UKG0flrKGC-uqqm_zpvPM/s400/IMG_1399.JPG) |
Block #3 started out with yellow corners before I switched to orange |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPL2V5NYDOwVXlWvrDihgQn25tpvxEOVxiRXHHaGpAnHIqVtC2wfZj08RWS9vcxTax2j25yHnHV1gLvLwTouZteWY2JJ0WLI_k-gUQQt7yK0Csotsr-F80V7ucn18lBiyLuj9OIRFpFc/s400/IMG_1407.JPG) |
Block #3, final |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFg44J_vEju3X03ZPBTDyN00uvFMMes8SIvgjwECam4kF7qxRJMGgi1HzgY559a1XtqufhW_WgoK9aLtEiL8Mphq6RJ1kGtcdaVqcjGs8_XQFVKcsqHnt_ZbolQt9EkzIKoqJHvLRuwcs/s400/IMG_1449.JPG) |
Block #4, when I decided to brighten things up a bit |
I started with one package of 100 paper templates. When I finish a block, I remove and reuse the papers from the center but leave them in for the outside ring, since I'll need them in place to sew the blocks together later. But then I ran out of papers. So I ordered more, but this time -- 200. I'm still working through that batch. I don't know when I'll consider the blocks done and ready to be assembled into something bigger...I have started thinking about a final layout, and I think I've landed on a plan. But with plenty of paper templates left to use, I'm not itching to work on that next step just yet. Instead, I just keep choosing fabrics, making blocks, and loving the whole process.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkZPQv9wMjN8ROv3tCVZc5lNDAAvawxGEzdUvSJ6WJ4SisxqegLj7eiW-fzu65TYnVccx-FGOms8riZTioxptS_3Blf6XMGGEBa1WU8EqcLV-ZSO8I-7yi2YicP3GSS6wQFH-f64emlQ/s400/IMG_1485.JPG) |
Block #5 |
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Here's a look at the backside of one block. I glue-baste the fabric to the papers and then use an old manicure tool to loosen the edges and pop the papers out after the block is finished. I only take the 8 papers out of the center section, leaving them in around the edges so that I can easily sew the blocks together later.
I started out using a
whipstitch to sew the honeycomb pieces together, but I didn't like that my stitches were so visible, so I switched to a
flat back stitch, and I like it a lot. I just found a
different version of the whipstitch, though, where you stitch through each layer separately and alternately, and I may have to try it out.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOWpL8AaYClmZ4UNn32dOCdqeRc5xXH49Zi7ELEnCZV9jBn127dLT8ohaBLXKMqGhsq9rUwAwLLYNDME1AOGaqYH6HJU337bxTt7cumzn626bBLzbDIfj88xecM5pvSQug2jvyodQzi4/s400/IMG_1527.JPG) |
Block #6 | |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSfgOsL-yAVMF1nJVEwhGXbcohjomO8tsChsPPDJ83Yod0fYRYbvCkRGApEx163FuRyPbA9eKSFhuwwBNEIJRCYgxcW9S8f7QvJoSJSMGeHHiIsciPE1onge13SPulhhn89cgbBGvt2KQ/s400/IMG_1599.JPG) |
Block #7 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDBZ1frlTDG8MMIucIjGTgA7O8FcVjy98JZwgBtWiwEwYly7zKERJgZ_TNvtCtoSQO_DovXZalKCOPyJp1xCnQG34TemInQsx3uVlvmjyCOfugjyjOxdiR0MHeF3Nypd20eyMFx5M3nM/s400/IMG_1666.JPG) |
Block #8 - things were getting dark again, so I brightened it up with the orange |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cTBm_v2xS5IibXF6t9ntAVlHo2j3_j1Lje1V29SRMk0P9WL1IyBYuH8WDv7maWUv_Z-_mRLa4ZYB2hfCYyT28Xm8oNKxE_GJblBhb60d0H_V8WCBA0iQLXurDAAM3sI08M9Hj-KomMc/s400/IMG_1719.JPG) |
Block #9 - my friend and fellow quilter Kelly helped pick out this combination |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl4NBnTAMuyT-QH_FPtK5F5Psj4vnxKnpjy3OVZpBtikUiQIcAFQ00IppB78ba5ojUQpsOJl5n-yFMVMM3cX2SbfeNZSz5NU7sxvNnZdSJHqkdgQvr8kBRSv7v5rclzciQ__JXYcSqs_s/s400/IMG_1819.JPG) |
Block #10 - this is one of my favorites |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmh_AxXQ2d4EeoGlcSKsxJ7-khnZRgjZOkfHECOXtGRQhbGhg0uy1bioDj6_qIeDhTPKC__wNxHNv2rquGH1IbfY1Ru2STNdsIoMrHxqzDtk_bzdI0jKIujT5jRsNy8i0kFjXJ5xXIkMo/s400/IMG_1877.JPG) |
Block #11 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH3dS0-etBryD-AvehMNTtc8em7dCJBu4VNdMCk1ZfHrv31_1GrUZPFpnPj5Un77tcuZq6p8pP9QUHZBVzKlRnwkZP8YWgWkw7oOz4rOl0IlO4BhT5ZkcwvXKGZeSwOmouDLPDm07CX0/s400/IMG_2104.JPG) |
Block #12 - another favorite (the colors are hard to photograph on this one) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0GCTuCOOwNY7970hsnylbegLE2zNeY1dQEghVkjtwuCjTJqdRG9laCO-bBqNMWOVzb7p39eswFijjSRJgruBiArBdeIqDUzrhgiVtPlXeNWc9sTX81Zvmi3KTokS03nLygfuXNiGbvw/s400/IMG_2170.JPG) |
Block #13 |
So that's where my Lucy Boston project currently stands. I have to take a little break while I spend my evenings knitting a baby blanket for a friend, but I'll be back with more blocks soon!
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