Carol's new DVD arrived in today's mail and I have just spent the last 90 minutes viewing it. It is worth every penny and a delight to watch. I have been paper-piecing for a long time and learned new tips which goes to prove you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thanks, Carol!

– Sandra Drake, Student

I'm new to paper piecing (never did it) and this video has taken all the mystery out of the process--just love it!

– Jacqui, Student

Carol, you explain everything so well and make it so simple!

– Gloria, Student

"All of Carol's things are the greatest. She takes the time to explain things so that we can all understand what she is doing and why. The DVD is just the start of a wonderful experience with Carol and Paper Piecing. My hope is that you will love this DVD and the paper pieceing that it leads to."

– Pat

"I have Carol's DVD - it is wonderful. It is like having Carol right in your sewing room with you, taking you step by step through her process. I learn a lot from this. It was money well spent. Plus she has some bloopers on it that give you a good laugh."

– Julianne Minnear

"Carol is the Queen of paper piecing. In all her books and DVD everything is explained so easy that anyone can follow the instructions. I think she's great."

– Joyce Meichner

"I have this DVD and it is wonderful. I have learned so much about the art of paper piecing from Carol. Paper piecing is beginner friendly. You will fill a since of accomplishment with her books and this DVD."

– Meegan G Gaffney

"This DVD is part of C&T Publishing's At Home with the Experts series. It was published in 2006 and is 90 minutes long.
I should tell you right off the bat that I have never done paper piecing. Thus, I cannot comment on the usefulness of the techniques that are shared in the DVD. This is the main reason that I have held off reviewing the DVD for several months.
There are 12 sections in the DVD. These include a tour of Carol's sewing studio, tools, making paper foundations, computer printed foundations, trimming foundations, creating a cutting list, cutting fabric pieces, setting up your sewing area, assembly line sewing, trimming the blocks, joining blocks and rows, and additonal tips and tricks. The longest one is on assembly line sewing. Carol has every sewer's dream studio. The furniture is beautiful and the space is divided into specific areas for current projects, fabric storage, design wall, cutting area and sewing area. The tools that she uses include a 6 inch square rotary ruler and a 6 x 12 inch rotary ruler, add-a-quarter ruler, postcard and a rotary point cutter to clip threads. I had never heard of the last 3 before. Of course, she uses Carol Doak Paper Foundation which she says is sturdier while stitching and ironing but easier to tear off when you are done. Carol says that if you use regular copy paper you will have those problems. The blocks that she demonstrates come from her book Simply Sensational 9 Patch Stars which has a CD-ROM in the back that you can use to print out the paper patterns. After demonstrating the software on the CD-ROM she shows how to trim the foundation pieces once they are printed.

The CD-ROM also has a feature to help you create a cutting list; a list to help you remember what size pieces you need to cut. I think this is a cool feature. Since I have never paper pieced before, this will help me avoid confusion after I start cutting. The video demonstration of her placing the fabrics on the paper foundation and stitching them is invaluable to a beginner. Carol uses an assembly line sewing format which I guess makes it easier because you are repeating the same steps several times before going on to the next step. Her sewing procedure is to trim, sew, and press or TSP; a teaspoon!

There are a number of tips that she demonstrates at the end of the DVD, some of which confused me since I am a beginner. However, all in all, this is a great beginner's guide to paper piecing. It made me feel confident enough to want to try the process in the future..."

– Violette Severin, Hand Quilting