Welcome to the Space Dust Quilt-along | Week 1

Welcome to week 1 of the Space Dust Quilt-along! All the details about the quilt-along -- including your hosts, the pattern, the fabric, fabric requirements, and kits -- can all be found here:

http://www.quiltdad.com/2014/07/the-space-dust-quilt-along.html?m=1

We'll be sewing along in rows, week by week, beginning next Friday. Week 1 is all about getting yourself and your supplies ready:

First, introduce yourself in the comments below! Let us know who you are, where you're from, and what fabrics you've selected for your quilt. Leave a link so we can visit and follow you back. Ask questions about the pattern and paper-piecing in general, and answer others' questions. We're all in this together -- let's help each other out.

Second, purchase and print out your pattern. Be sure to check that it prints out at the right size. Tula places each block on its own page, so don't print double-sided! And each block needs to be cut out along the dotted lines, so grab some scissors, put on a good movie, and go to town.

Brush up on your paper-piecing (aka foundation piecing). As I've mentioned, this is a GREAT pattern for beginners or first-time paper-piecers. Tula offers a great quick tute at the start of the pattern, and there is a wealth of great knowledge on the internet. Have a favorite? Share a link in the comments. My suggestion is to pick a sample block from the Space Dust pattern, print a few copies, grab some scrap fabric, and practice, practice, practice.

Get your fabric! Review the fabric requirements and collect what you need. Several of us are using the Indelible line, but this pattern will look amazing in many different styles. And even in the same fabrics it will look different based on fabric placement. Some people are even printing out the diagram and using colored pencils to plan theirs out.

Take lots of pictures and use the hashtag #SDQAL. Share, share, share! We want to see pictures of your fabric, your blocks, and your progress. Cheer each other on!

So who's ready to go?