Sep 12, 2012

Dots on Dots Blog Hop and Tutorial




Hi everyone, I am participating in the "Dots on Dots Blog Hop", sponsored by Quilt Taffy.  
The challenge was to make a 12" block, but you had to use one or more polka dot fabrics. 
I went to my fabric stash and learned something about myself, I love polka dots!!!
 I wanted to try something new, so I went to Pinterest and looked at my Quilt Blocks board.
I really liked the Rocky Road to Kansas quilt block.
It is paper pieced, and I have never tried that technique before.
There was a great tutorial by Fresh Lemon Quilts.
Here is the photo tutorial of my block.

I printed the template from Fresh Lemon Quilts, very easy!
I wanted a scrappy star, so I cut all my polka dots strips to sew together.


I arranged the polka dot fabrics strips in the order I liked them best.


Then I sewed each stack together.


You set your stitch length to a low number so that the stitches are really small, and the paper will rip away from the stitches really easily.  You just sew along the line on the pattern.


This is what it looks like on the back.


The yellow fabric is pressed back, all while keeping the paper pattern intact.


The paper pattern is meant to put on a light box so that you can place the fabric with a l/4" seam allowance.


You sew the fabric pieces on in order, starting with attaching 2 to 1 and 3 to 1, and so on.


This is sewing piece number 3 to piece number 1, while watching the tutorial on my ipad.


After the piece is sewn on, you trim the seam allowance to l/4".


Finally, piece number 4 is sewn onto piece number 1.


All the pieces are sewn together and pressed, now it is time to trim.


Trimming is so easy, you just cut along the outside lines.


It is so easy!  The inner line is the sewing line.


My square is complete, just need to make 3 more.  For each square, you will need a paper pattern.


Since the square is complete, it is time to rip off the paper pattern.


I am thrilled, my square looks perfect!


Here is my unfinished 12 l/2" square.  
Paper piecing was fun, I am going to make some more projects using this method!


I added a l l/2" border to my square.


I tried "pebble" quilting, and it looks like polka dots!


Since this block was so little, it was perfect to try a new quilting design.


A scrappy Road to Kansas Star looks great with a scrappy binding.


It's all finished, do you like it?  It is a 14" decoration for my tabletop.


Even the back is dotty :)


These are the rest of the blogs who are on the blog hop today.
Thanks for visiting mine, now if you want to be dotty, take a look at all the others.

September 12th










If you want to visit all of the blogs on their respective days, just click on my dots to dots button on the right of my blog.

112 comments:

  1. Cynthia. Allow me to be the first to comment on your fabulous block and your great step by step tutorial on paper piecing. Rocky Road to Kansas is a wonderful traditional block and using your dots like that updates it to a contemporary look. And the pebbles quilting? Awesome. A perfect use of that stitch and you executed everything beautifully - right down to the binding. Thanks for sharing,
    Debby from Northern VA

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  2. I love your Road to Kansas in dots. It is so wonderful and in the same time funny. And your quilting is awesome.
    Thanks for sharing

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  3. Oooh its lovely - I love your pebble quilting and the fabrics are all wonderful too. Great tutorial - thanks for sharing.

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  4. I have to try paper piecing! Love your reds!! and the block is really great!

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  5. Good Morning Cynthia...you had me with the red, and then the white and black and cream background, and your photos and tut is perfect...love great photos...and now for your block...DOT-I-FUL, yep, not a word, but most deserving of....well you will have to go and see...wink...hope to see YOU again...with all of your lovely creations...

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  6. So creative and unique. Great use of your dots.

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  7. Great tutorial, love your block. Your quilting is fabulous, love the pebbles!

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  8. The block is great and thanks for the tut. The pebble quilting really set it off.

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  9. Very nice tut - thanks for sharing.

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  10. Wonderful block with such great fabric choices. Well done!

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  11. Love the dotty block! I've saved the template for this block months ago....haven't had the guts to try it yet....now I definately will! Thanks!

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  12. Wonderful block and great tutorial. I love your choice of fabrics. Judy C

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  13. I loved watching the process -- and I love the way it turned out!

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  14. you block is very beautiful. the red fabric are wonderful and the quilting... wow love i can do that!

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  15. Nice job showing the steps in making this! Enjoyed seeing your process!

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  16. I think that this would be an awesome way for me to try something new!

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  17. Thanks for sharing how you put the block together. Paper piecing still freaks me out a little, but this block seems like I could handle it. Maybe I'll give it a try! Great dots!

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  18. What a well written tut. I love the block. Your pebble quilting is perfect.

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  19. I never liked paper piecing because I could never line up the sewing. But with your help and the ideal of the light box I can see how much easier it will be now! thanks! i love your block and how it turned out. Thanks again!

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  20. Gorgeous red dotty block. Thanks for sharing.

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  21. I think I'll try to paper piece now after reading your tutorial. Thank you for sharing.

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  22. A great block! thank you! and I love your pebble quilting!

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  23. I love doing paper piecing and totally enjoyed seeing your process to make this beautiful block. Very nice! Thanks for hopping with us today. :O)

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  24. I love paper piecing pattern.You did a great block and your quilting is just wonderful!

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  25. I am a fan of paper piecing and you did a fabulous job on your Road to Kansas Star block! Your pebble quilting looks fantastic too! Thanks for sharing!

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  26. I'm loving that pattern!! Your block is adorable!!

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  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  28. Beautiful paper piecing and love the pebbling you did, looks perfect! Thanks for sharing!

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  29. I came to your blog through the blog hop, I am so glad I did! I love what you did and all the pics which help a novice quilter like myself. I am a new follower now, feel free to stop by my blog anytime http://domesticdeficitdisorder.blogspot.com/

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  30. Beautiful block and your quilting is fabulous!!

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  31. wow, awesome idea!! did you do those pebbles on your sewing machine?? i'm not brave enough to try that yet. Love your colors and your blog is so cute!

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  32. Hi I love the block, thanks for the tutorial and for sharing. Susie x

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  33. I loved seeing the tutorial. Exquisite quilting!

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  34. Oh, I do like your block! It is very pretty. Thanks for sharing.

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  35. Hi!!! Your block is very pretty and I love the pebble quilting!!!

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  36. Very nice quilting on your block. Fun colors!

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  37. This made a great dot block. I love Rocky Road to Kansas. The quilting is beautiful.

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  38. I love your block! Paper piecing scares me. If you get tired of your wonderful block you can send it to me. I live on a rocky road in Kansas, even it it is in town. LOL I will have to gather up my courage and try this.

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  39. What a great idea to use scraps. I love dots too, but not as much as scraps.... I might have to try this one. Great quilting!

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  40. I knocked on your door too early this morning, but here you are with the show of your block, well let me tell you, it was worth waiting for! A great block with tutorial! Congratulations being a winner of the day, you made eyecandy!

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  41. I do love it! Your quilting looks fabulous, those are little pebbles. Really nice job Cynthia!

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  42. Great job! I love it! It's so pretty and precise!!

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  43. Wonderful, colorful, and great choice. I love her site as well. thanks for sharing. .Hope to see you tomorrow on my Dots to Dots Blog Day..

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  44. What a great tutorial on pp. Love your fabric and the pattern is lovely for your table top. Thanks for sharing...Judith, Texas

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  45. That looks awesome!! I would love that in a big quilt and the pebbles are perfect with it.

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  46. So very pretty!!! I really love the quilting. Nice work!!

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  47. Very clever using strips of dots! I love paper piecing, and I hope you do too. Thank you for sharing.

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  48. That's so amazing! Thank you for the links and inspiration. I'm really starting to like pp alot! =)

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  49. Love the tutorial you gave with your block. Very sharp! Thanks for sharing.

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  50. The tutorial was great Cynthia! I am a big paper piecer and you did a great job :o) Yay for dotty FMQ too!! Thanks for sharing with us!!

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  51. Very cute. I like the yellow and red together.

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  52. How very cute! Love the tutorial, and paper piecing.

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  53. oooh, aaahhh, ooooh, wow! That is what I did as I scrolled down. :)
    Great block.

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  54. OOOOooohhhhh!!!!
    I love your scrappy dotty block Cynthia...isn't paper piecing fun!
    And your quilting is so cute...and I really smiled when I saw the Sew Cherry fabric right in the middle:)

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  55. I love your blog. I am follower. great tutorial. hugs

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  56. That is soooo cute...seems to be my word for the day...but it is!

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  57. I enjoy the Rocky Road to Kansas block, but then I'm a paper-piecing addict! You did a wonderful job and your steps are good for beginners to see how easy it can be. Love your finished piece with the bubbles.

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  58. That was so fun to watch the process through your photos. Nice

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  59. Fun star, terrific tut. Turned out spectacular. Congrats on being one of the chosen.

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  60. I gotta tell ya....that block rocks! How fun is that? Great paper piecing tutorial too!

    Smiles,
    Kelly

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  61. This block was just to stinking cute and fun. Thanks for sharing your talent.

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  62. I love the road to Kansas- especially with the pebble quilting- truly a rocky road :) The finished block reminds me of a pinata!SO Fun :) Great Job

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  63. great block. I like your quilting too.

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  64. Love it and love the pebble quilting.l

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  65. A fun dotty block and your quilting is a perfect compliment to the block.

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  66. what a fun tut you gave . I think I like the larger areas for paper piecing.
    thanks for sharing
    in stitches

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  67. What a great block. Thank you so much for the tutorial. Thank you for being part of the hop.

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  68. Great block! I also love your header. It looks like it's straight out of "Daisy Cottage!"

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  69. I am dotty - some days, more so. :) Loved all your range of red dots and the block turned out dottingly darling, darling. {PS dottingly may not be a real word. :(}

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  70. It's a great mini quilt! I love your colour choices and the quilting.

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  71. Rosemary B here: I love this, Cynthia! I love red and I love this block. You made an adorrrrable mugruggie and I love those.
    I love the tutorial photos. Thanks for sharing your expertise. I am inspired!!

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  72. This is wonderful! Thanks for sharing.

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  73. Cynthia, beautiful, beautiful....I love red and I love dots...I would call it my 'happy quilt'. Thanks for the tutorial and for sharing your talent and time with us on the hop! Great job!! Happy stitching, Pauline

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  74. This is very pretty. I love the pebble quilting here.

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  75. Cynthia- Your Road to Kansas Star is almost patriotic with the bright red/white and blue. Thanks for sharing, from California.

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  76. So pretty..love the pretty fabrics and your quilting!! TFS

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  77. this block works perfectly with dotty fabrics, love red!

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  78. That turned out so nice! Loved seeing the progress through your photos - thanks.

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  79. I love your block and the quilting you did on it is so cute. I love the perfection of paper piecing even though I don't use it myself often enough. Thanks for sharing your project!

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  80. Very cute thanks for the tutorial , never tried paper piecing but you made it look easy. Thanks for sharing.

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  81. great tutorial, i love all the red dot fabrics!

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  82. That is such a cute block! I love the pebble quilting.

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  83. I love it, it is so darling. You had a great idea here.

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  84. I love the way it turned out. Thanks for sharing!

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  85. Love all those dotty red fabrics! I have that block bookmarked...such a cute one....I liked seeing your tute on making it. Your mini quilt turned out lovely.

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  86. Oh, my favourite colours and my favourite prints (love, love, love dots). Gorgeous block and beautiful finish.

    Thanks so much for sharing and being a part of the hop!

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  87. I LOVE those colors! Your star turned out beautifully and the quilting is very nice. Thanks for sharing.

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  88. I love your mini quilt!!! Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing.

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  89. Great picture tutorial on paper piecing... it can become addicting! (I speak from experience). Love the bright colors, and the pebble quilting!

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  90. Your little quilt is amazing!!! I love it!!!

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  91. Great block!!! Love your fabrics and your pebbling looks great!!! Takes a bit of time to create all those dots but it was the perfect choice!!

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  92. Couple of ideas here--
    1. Adorable! A quick table topper project that you've really made your own!
    2. Union Jack blocks are fab too--love your color choices :O)
    3. Cutest blog header I've seen in a long while!!
    Thanks for sharing--it's been a pleasure visiting you!

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  93. This block just turned out to be beautiful - and I love paper piecing so thanks for the tutorial! blessings, marlene

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  94. Wonderful tutorial Cynthia! Love the block and especially to see the clear step by step instructions.

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  95. Great tutorial. I love that block you made. It would make a very pretty quilt with the colors you picked.

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  96. You've explained things so well. Really you are fantastic. Love this.

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  97. Wonderful paper pieced block and such a great little topper!
    Your pebble quilting is a perfect complement to the hop.
    Thanks for joining in the fun... I'm a new follower, too.

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