As a quilter, I am pretty traditional and gravitate toward traditional piecing.  I like it and it has served me well! 

However, I am always looking to expand my comfort zone when it comes to quilting, so when Fat Quarter Shop offered the Vintage Kite Quilt Along, I jumped on it!  Why is this outside my comfort zone you ask?  Well, all the blocks are made using Foundation Papers! 

Foundation Paper Piecing (FFP) is a quilting method that uses paper as the base of the block. FFP allows for more exact piecing and allows the quilter to make shapes that are unachievable or hard to make using traditional piecing methods.   You literally sew on marked paper to build your quilt blocks with the paper as the foundation.

So naturally, I was pretty hesitant to use these papers as they are new to me and I had to sew on paper. Weird.  And you have to think backwards. But once I got the hang of the process, I was HOOKED!  Am hooked! Cannot wait to get home and work on the next blocks kind of hooked!

It is actually pretty darn awesome and now I am wondering what else I can do with foundation paper piecing!

Once the paper aspect of the quilt was under control, it was time to dive in head first! So here goes…

These are the details for the Vintage Kite QAL

• Every Tuesday from April 11 – June 12, 2023
  • One Row a week for 10 weeks, 1 week for assembling, 1 week for borders and finishing

• Fabric Requirements – You can find the full list of fabric requirements here, but you will for sure need these items!
  • 2 layer cakes (80 10” squares) or a FQB of your choosing8 yards (yes, I know 8!) of background fabric if using one fabric or a low volume FQB of choice if you want to mix and match
  • 2 packages 6” Vintage Kite Foundation Paper

• Helpful Notions – Extra goodies that will be super helpful when completing your blocks
  • Quick Press Seam Roller
• • Add a Quarter Ruler – 6 inch
• • Sewline Water Soluble Fabric Pen
  • Rotating Mat – Sue Daley’s rotating mat is my go-to for FFP

Oh and did I mention the pattern is free? Yes! Totally FREE!  The Vintage Kite Quilt Along pattern is free to use as a pdf download and you can find the pattern here!

I am prepped and ready to go with my first row of blocks!  As we progress through the Vintage Kite Quilt Along, I plan to create a tutorial or two on how to make the blocks and give some advice. 

I am not yet good enough at these blocks to offer any advice, so stay tuned!

Happy Quilting!

Francine