Miss Butterfly B's

I made these 2 bags this week.
I think I might just keep Olive!

Please read part 1 first.  Part 1 is the real tutorial showing step by step examples.  Part 2 is just of you want to be a little more experimental with your block.  I will just show a few snapshots and tips to get your own creativity flowing.
The left block was created in part 1.  The right block was a lot more "crazy" (can you tell the difference?) 

This is a picture with a 5 sided center and 5 strips added.  I'm not liking the shape it is taking on.  What do I do?  Get out the ruler and the rotary blade!
 I'm going to chop it off here and add another side.  It should of had 5 sides anyway, but that little peach strip I started with got buried in the mix.  And that's okay!  When you piece a block with out a backing or foundation, you can chop on it and do anything.  It's more flexible.  However, you can still be flexible with the paper piecing method.  You just move your fabric and stitch it overlapping the fabric I'm going to cut off in this picture with the ruler.
In this picture I liked the stripe, but felt it was too wide.  I cut it strait, but what would happen if you cut it a bit skewed?  Could be neat?!  I don't know.  With sewing and quilting sometimes you just have to throw out the instructions.  Throw out the pattern.  Just go for it and see what happens.  Some of my best quilts have been born this way.  I have this quilt idea....a teal and orange quilt...but I keep over thinking it.  I can't even cut into the fabric yet because I don't have a "plan".  I am realizing that I love the fabric so much that I am over thinking it and stressing out way too much about it because I want it to be perfect.  There is a time and place for perfect.  I should work on perfecting my machine binding skill.  But sometimes perfection stifles creativity.  And when that happens....you need to work on a project that you can really let go on.  Or learn how to be more flexible and creative!  he he he.  I will re-visit my teals and oranges and try what I preach.  Back to the quilt block...
 Alright.  See how the block is taking on that 90 degree angle with the red and the green strips?  I'm not liking it.  Yep....time to get out the ruler and blade.
Aaahh, much better.  Now I keep stitching on strips around and around. 
 Whenever I am working on a project, I like to lay out my fabrics and visually see what I have throughout the entire process.  Even with quilts, I lay out each block on the floor before I sew them together.  Quilts can look nice or they can look GREAT.  It's all about color and placement.  I am often know to get out the high stepladder, climb up over looking my quilt, and snap a picture.  That gives me a wonderful birds-eye view of how my quilt is looking before I stitch the blocks together.
Happy Mothers Day and blessings to my OKC bee friends, Erin

The one on the left was six sided and pieced more strait and orderly.  The one on the right was 5 sided and pieced more wonky, I reshaped and cut the block as I worked on it.  The left one was just paper pieced strait on the muslin, the right one was pieced "floating" (not on a foundation) until I got to the corners.  When I got to the corners, I paper pieced it so that I didn't waste fabric!
Let's start with the left block step by step:
Here is my 6 sided shape I made from one of the 3.5" fabric squares (2 are included).  Pick a side to start with and a fabric to sew on next.  Cut the fabric strip with your scissors just a bit longer than the side you want to sew it to.

Now fold over the strip you cut so that "right sides" are together and stitch a 1/4 inch seam with your 1/4 seam foot.

Press the seam and strip with your iron so you have this to the left.  Now move on with the next side and pick out another strip of fabric.  See how I cut the reddish strip a bit longer than that side.
 Pin the fabric (right sides together) and sew a 1/4 seam.  remember the line you follow with your fabric is the next side of the shape (center fabric).  However....if you are making a more wonky block, this is where you can sew the strip on a little crooked to get a crazy pieced effect.  Just make sure you cover the seam with fabric and don't leave holes in the design as you go around stitching your strips on.
 Press open with your iron.  Viola!
Here is my 3rd strip. 
Here is my 4th strip after I stitched it on.  See how the "right sides" or nice sides are together.  Now I will flip it over and press.
 Press with iron and get ready for the next strip. 
I have finished one time around the shape now with 7 strips.  Just keep going around stitching the strips on with the same method.  You can even piece the strips you sew on with a few fabrics if you wanted to.  Get creative!  Sew strait lines!  Or overlap and sew wonky lines!  Whatever!  Have fun with the 2 blocks you make.
In this picture I have finished one corner and cut it flush with the muslin.  I will move on to the next corner.
 Here is my reddish strip cut to a good length.  I like the paper piecing method with the muslin so I can see where I am on completing the block.  If you just make a big block and go back with an acrylic square and cut it to the right size, I found that I waste the corner fabric when I chop it off.  Paper piecing allows you to see your shape and cut your strips just the right length. 
Reddish strip has been pressed and now you are ready for the last corner strip of fabric.  After you sew it on and press it, flip over your block as shown below and cut off the excess fabric on the corners. 
Keep sewing until all the muslin is covered.  Working around the center shape till you reach the corners.