Ironcraft and Paper-Piecing!

This challenge has again lived up to its name. I had decided to try my hand at paper-piecing quilting because I saw someone do it at a demonstration and she made it look so easy. I recently joined a local quilting guild and a lady was showing us how to do it at the last meeting. I have to say that after show and tell, I was in awe of the work presented and I kept having to lift my jaw to close my mouth. I pray that these ladies are generous with their knowledge and will bestow a little bit of it onto me. I need a name tag to wear to my next quilting guild meeting so I decided to use this challenge to make myself one. My tag was to be my name paper-pieced using the nautical fabric and white cotton. I make the design then numbered the pieces so I'd have the right order. I watched some videos and thought I was ready. Well, for those who follow along in my journey, you may remember that I am a self-proclaimed aspiring quilter! Well, I humbly present myself as still aspiring. When it comes to paper-piecing, I just can't wrap my head around how to start the process. The videos and demonstrations make it look so simple. Then I get to my sewing machine and I blank right out. This girl definitely needs more practice and thinking space to get this right. After a few attempts I realized that I could not do it within the time-frame of the challenge. But, the challenge must go on!
I opted for sewing some geometric shapes using a nautical theme fabric and I free-motioned my name on to the center of the name tag. If you look closely I used some purple thread in my name so I have the 'radiant orchid' part of the theme as well. The name tag is not perfectly finished but will do in a pinch and I have set myself a goal of learning paper piecing for a future project. A girl's gotta have goals! I'm proud of sticking to my original challenge of not buying new fabrics for my projects. The name tag is make entirely from left-over and up cycled fabrics. So at my next meeting, people will know my name and if they don't look at the details of my name tag too much I'll feel more like a part of the gang.