Coffee Cups Tutorial for Windham Wednesdays

Today I reveal what I made using the Mimosa Collection from Windham Fabrics. This comes from the designer Another Point of View. I thought it resembled some 1930s prints, and when I went to read the description at the Windham web site, I found out I was right:

A bright and cheerful collection --- inspired by traditional feedsack prints, but with a modern twist, Mimosa by Another Point of View, is a collection that you will be inspired to work into your quilts for a long time. With classic all-over geometrics and delightful florals, you will be pulling it from your stash for years to come! 
 
Let's see it again, ok?

Mimosa Fabrics by Another Point of View

And what did I make with this wonderful grouping? Here is the first of ten (yes, that's 10) paper pieced coffee cups based on a traditional block featured in the Kansas City Star newspaper January 12, 1935! Will you look at all those curved pieces!

How the Coffee Cups pattern appeared in the Kansas  City Star newspaper

And my Coffee Cups adaptation. My Etsy pattern has all you need to make these!

Paper Pieced Coffee Cup: 7" x 7"

Can I show you a few of the steps I used to make this? Of course I can. It's my blog!

Pre-cut patches for the Coffee Cups pattern

The Etsy pattern has the sizes to cut for the patches. The little triangles (Patch 3, 4, 8 and 9) use squares cut to 2" for ease. Notice that the handle is cut using a freezer paper template, with fusible web on the wrong side.

Patch 1 and 2, joined and trimmed

Today's post is not meant to be a tutorial for those who have never paper pieced. You can find all sorts of tutorials online and even on this blog for that. I just want to show a few necessary steps.

Patches 3 and 4 are added as shown; sew on the other side of the paper

Because I trimmed Patches 1 and 2 leaving 1/4" seam allowance (first picture), it's easy to align the next patches; no guessing. Turn the paper over and sew on the line.

Press oversized patches as shown; ready to be trimmed

Patches 3 and 4 trimmed. Now it's time to insert the cup handle

Place right side of handle against right side of Patch 1. You can see how to align it by holding the pattern up to a light source. Now you add Patch 5. Finger press the seam. Don't use an iron yet because the curved part of the handle has to stay free until Patch #10 is added.

Make sure you don't iron that seam yet!

Final patches sewn, trimmed. Now you can press that handle down.

Don't you just love this little block? And what does it look like from the wrong side? Remember, the pattern is the mirror image of the finished block. You are sewing from the wrong side of the fabrics.

Pattern trimmed leaving 1/4" seams

PLEASE NOTE: The pattern DOES have the patch sizes to cut. I was working from my own prototype patterns. You didn't want to see my scribble marks and notes on this, now did you?

7" Coffee Cup in Spring green and orange

Now let's see all ten, now can we?

Ten Coffee Cup Blocks

And here's my Coffee Cups Quilt made with 5" blocks published about 15 years ago!

Scrappy Coffee Cups

My pattern assumes you are familiar with foundation paper piecing. But it has several pages of photos with steps and the sizes to cut the patches. Remember, always cut patches oversized when you are foundation piecing. Enjoy!