When I first shared these paper pieced pompom blocks last month in the monthly bees and BOMs round up, many of you were rather impressed, for which I thank you! But they’re really not the tricky -all I did was use the very popular paper pieced flying geese pattern. If you look carefully, you can see that the lighter solid is actually the flying geese part of the pattern. I then used corresponding Sketch or Painter’s Canvas and a darker solid to fill in the spaces between.
What you will need
The Circle Of Geese pattern
Assorted scraps in one colour family – light solid, matching textured solid in mid-range, darker solid
Neutral scraps for background
1. Download the pattern and print at half size (50%) so that each block section finishes at 3″ – each pompom block finishes at 6″. Print 4 copies of the clockwise pattern. When you cut the template out, make sure to leave a 1/4″ seam allowance around the outside. As you have shrunk the pattern, the provided 1/4″ seam allowance is now 1/8″!
2. Mark each segment using 3 different textas/pencils/crayons to plan your block so that you know what colour goes where – segments 1, 4 and 7 are the lighter solid, 3 and 6 are the textured solid and 9 is the dark solid. Use a light neutral for the background (segments 2, 5 and 8).
3. Paper piece your block, making sure your fabric covers each section with at least a 1/4″ seam allowance around each segment and around the outside edge as mentioned in step 1. The Sometimes Crafter has a great step-by-step tutorial for this pattern.
A few tips:
– you can easily use normal computer printer paper, just shorten your stitch length and backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam
– trim down to your 1/4″ seam allowance after each segment to reduce bulk and create a neat back of your block
– once you’ve finished each block, keep the paper on to help piece the rows together with an accurate 1/4″ seam
4. Arrange your 4 blocks and piece together – sew along the solid line. Carefully tear off the paper and voila! One paper pieced pompom block. Use different colour families with the same light solid, mid-textured solid and dark solid pattern to create the same look.
Lisa in Port Hope says
Very clever. I can also see it with red background nd sparkly whites to make a snowflake effect, but I never could see that in the ‘normal’ pattern.
BaublesBubblesBags says
The finished product looks complicated, but the actual pattern looks easy enough to do…not like I would attempt to do it of course. Was it easy?
Actually Amy says
They look great! I have never tried paper piecing but I have been stumbling upon it everywhere lately. I really should give it a go!
Bobbie Hanlon says
Paper piecing looks hard, but it’s really easy once you learn to do it… My daughter loves it better than regular quilting.
Anita says
Love it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jess says
You’re a clever cookie Alyce – genius idea!
Janice says
I agree, you are very clever and you made the block entirely new! I love it!
Cynthia says
The Pom poms are gorgeous! I’m looking forward to making some myself 🙂
Lynn Moore says
So am I. My granddaughters are in cheerleaders and I think they would live to have pom pop pillows or wall hangings in there room. Possibly a quilt of there colors
Deborah says
These look so effective – I really like them 🙂
Gina says
Way to think outside the box Alyce! Great spin on this block and so fun looking!
legato1958 says
AWESOME! I have used that block (with just one color and white.)
You showed me how the same block can be so different with use of different colors! Thanks!
Susie
Flying Blind... says
Oh Alyce, I love it! Pinned and downloaded already!! xxx
Dino Candelaria says
Very clever, I thought I went to the wrong pattern but the change in the fabric layout is remarkable. Can’t wait to try it both ways, as a circle of geese and a star/pompom
Alyce says
Haha! Thanks 🙂
Kate Cos says
This looks like fun. I am a recent foundation piecing convert. Thank you. I shall give it a go. Here at the Wollongong MQG we get together to make quilts for foster kids and I can see this making a small child happy.
Alyce says
Ahhh, you shall never look back! It’s so good!
Cindy says
Never could find a pattern to print! Darn! Looked like a fun pattern to share with my paper piecing group. Guess I’ll just enlarge the diagram I could print and see if I can make it work!
Alyce says
You can now find it in her Etsy shop here.