English paper piecing ( EPP) by hand

 Hello everyone, 

I shared photos of our family room in our Facebook group last week, all decked out for Fall. It looks pretty good, but I felt like I needed a new little project to add some more coziness to the room, so started some English Paper Piecing. And then I thought, why not write a blog post about it ( along with some videos) and here we are ;).  

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So what is English Paper Piecing ( or EPP for short)?

 It is the process of sewing fabric around a paper shape, then sewing those shapes together, and, finally, removing the papers from the shapes. Yes, it is a HAND project, but it is totally fun and very relaxing. I love to work on EPP while watching TV in the evenings!

You don't need many supplies for EPP at all. Some fabric, some scrap paper, a glue stick, and a needle and thread. You can cut your own paper shapes or buy ready made ones, but I like to use my hexagon die to cut my fabric and paper at the same time. ( Accuquilt sells the actual EPP dies ( find those here ( click), but I don't like the seam widths. I need something a little bigger to comfortably sew. If you can handle the narrower seams, by all means use those dedicated EPP dies). 

This is my favorite die to use: 

Click here to shop this for this die: ( click)

I  cut my paper and fabric at the same time, using two of the adjoining hexagon sizes. The smaller one is for the paper, the larger one for the fabric. You still need to make sure to lay your fabric on your die correctly, with your tightly woven edge next to your stickered side, but then cut away to your heart's content. And YES, you can cut paper with your dies, that is not a problem at all. 

Once you have cut all your paper and fabric shapes ( or at least enough to get you started), you are ready to start sewing your hexies.

Grab your gluestick, and place a little dab of glue right in the center of a paper shape. Now place this right in the center of THE WRONG SIDE of your fabric shape. Try to center it, but it is not that crucial that it is perfect. You can repeat this for a whole bunch of your hexies.

Now you are ready to start sewing.

Use any thread and needle to sew down your fabric over the edge of you paper WITHOUT sewing through your paper ( this will all be very clear in my video, don't panic).

Once you have sewn a whole bunch of hexies, you are ready to sew them to each other. 

This time you want to use a fine needle and fine thread. Silk is nice because it is thin and your stitches will disappear, but it also likes to slip out of your needle a lot. Experiment!

I use a whipstitch to sew my hexies together, but here are some other options, according to Google:

The most common stitches for English Paper Piecing (EPP) are the whipstitch and the flat-back stitch. The whipstitch is a visible stitch that is easy to sew, while the flat-back stitch is more invisible from the front and ideal for curves. Some EPP quilters also use the ladder stitch for a very nearly invisible seam on straight edges. 

Whipstitch

What it is: A basic, visible stitch often used in EPP. 

How it's used: You sew across the folded edges of two pieces, catching a few threads from each fold to hold them together. 

Best for: Beginners because it's simple and easy to hold the pieces for. 

Consideration: The stitches will be visible on the "right" side of the work. 

Flat-back stitch

What it is: An invisible stitch that is sewn on the back side of the fabric. 

How it's used: The two pieces are laid flat and you stitch from the back, catching only the fabric folds. 

Best for: When you want a completely invisible seam, especially when sewing around curves. 

Consideration: Can be used with any thread color since it won't be seen from the front. 

Ladder stitch

What it is: A nearly invisible stitch that is an option when the whipstitch is too visible.

How it's used: The needle goes back and forth between the two folded edges of the fabric.

Best for: Straight seams where you want no stitches to show at all. 

Here is one of my hexie flowers in progress. I start by picking out a center hexie and then sew one "petal" to that center one.

I use a fine needle and thin thread and catch just a little bit of fabric on both hexies and AVOID SEWING THROUGH THE PAPER. I sew all the "petals" to the center hexie first, and then finish sewing the "petals" to each other using exactly the same method. 

For the entire process that I use, please watch my video which will explain everything in way more detail than I could explain in words:  https://youtu.be/PmMudrXaVTo

When you have sewn all the hexie flowers you need for your project, you can decide how you want to sew them together. You can add extra background hexies to set the flowers apart, or you can sew them together with just a few background hexies to connect them. Once you know the process you can make this decision. For mine, I'm planning on making a copy of my red and white hexie flower quilt and I will make some additional background hexies to connect my flowers:

To finish off my project I simply trimmed my hexies to give me a straight edge that I could attach a binding to. I can give you more detail on that if you need it ;).

Now what to do if you can't or don't want to hand sew? You CAN sew your hexies together by machine, but that requires using that dreaded Y-seam that so many of us like to avoid using....

So I came up with a method that allows you to use your machine for EVERYTHING, NO Y-SEAMS needed. Interested in seeing that method? Check out my next blog post where I explain with photos and videos ;)  

Until next time~happy creating!

Monique

It can't be!

 Oh my, it can't possibly have been since May that I sent you my last blog post, can it?

I do apologize for the very looooong gap! In my defense, May was a super busy month, and then summer really hasn't been all that relaxing, with visits from company, a couple of quick trips to Canada to visit parents, celebrating 3 birthdays, gardening, helping one of our kids pack up and move, as well as a myriad of other little time-stealers that kept summer from being the relaxing, have- all- the- time- in- the- world- to- quilt, kind of time that I envisioned. But I have decided that I am going to take some time now to have some fun before summer is over! This is my new motto~ Ha!

I am trying to think back on the last project I shared with you all, and I can't remember that far back! So I will just share my most recent projects, and hope that you haven't already seen them ( well, unless you are in my FB group or follow me on Instagram. Then you have definitely seen some hints ;) ).

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I am sewing along with the Bee Vintage sewalong hosted by Lori Holt of Bee In My Bonnet right now. 

The schedule is pretty crazy, with 3 new blocks every week, but so far I am keeping up. It helps that the blocks are all pretty simple and straightforward and there is not much to embroider. Another factor that makes this one quick for me is that instead of hand appliqueing, I am using fusible web! These are some of my blocks so far, and this afternoon I am planning on making the cottage block, which is the one I have been eyeing since the beginning! 

I might just have to make an  ENTIRE quilt with just these cute cottages! 

If you would like to make this quilt, Lori keeps the instructions on her blog forever, so you can always "sew along" at your own pace. The templates can be found here(click).

I have really been enjoying my Accuquilt fabric cutter and *may* have added just a few more dies since we last spoke :D. This fox die just HAD to come and live at my house, and I'm so glad I jumped right on that because it SOLD OUT! But no worries, Accuquilt has added more , so if you want one, put in an order ASAP ( you can use this link here:http://shrsl.com/46b74 ).

 This is the quilt I am currently working on and I love it so much, with all those naughty little colorful foxes! 

Another quilt I am working on is this one: 

I took advantage of my Accuquilt again to help me cut out all those pinwheel and square pieces ( there were a LOT!). I also used some Lori Holt templates to make that panel in the middle. It is super fun to combine pieces from a variety of sources to make my own unique designs!

In my FB group I hosted a little short sewalong and we made a Hexie coaster using EPP ( English Paper Piecing, for those who don't know, is the method where you sew your fabric around a paper shape, and then sew those shapes together to make a larger shape, after which you remove the papers). It was a fun way to introduce EPP to some folks that wanted to try it. 

This Fall I have been invited to sew along with Fat Quarter Shop on a pattern that is secret for now, but will be revealed in October. They generously allowed me a budget and these are the fabrics I chose to make my quilt:

 I will be sharing some sneak peeks between now and October, so watch for those. The fabrics I chose are adorable and available through this link  ( click).

Oh, and finally, even though I have had the pattern for a  few years now, I finally started on a jelly roll rug! I bought a GIANT bias maker ( click for the link) and am in the process of sewing my strips, after which I will start the construction of the actual rug. I can totally see where they would be addictive to make! One thing that I am trying is using fusible batting, and I'm hoping that will really simplify the construction! 

Alright, I think I have remembered all the most important parts....enjoy these last few weeks of summer, and I will try and stay in touch a little more regularly from here on in!

Happy creating!

Monique

Hooray~ Inspired to create once more!

 Hello friends, 

After last post's whining about having to make , make and make ( see that post here )  I am happily sewing away in my room once again, inspired by the fast approaching Christmas season!

( This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure in the sidebar)

Why is it that Christmas seems so far away and then, BOOM, it has arrived?!  Luckily for me ~ the person that needs that chill in the air, and the smell of wood fires burning~ the weather couldn't be more cooperative: We had our first SNOW! And it wasn't just a little teeny bit, NO, this was a good dumping of at least 3 inches ( yes, yes, I'm sure those of you in the west are rolling on the floor with laughter right now, just as I would have when we still lived in Montana) and that is a really respectable amount for November in Central Pennsylvania! 

Anyway, snow on the ground, Christmas lights on the house, and already one tree up inside, all add up to the perfect holiday atmosphere and I have been enjoying sewing away on a few  different projects as a result:

I started this super sweet PLUS quilt last week. It is from the book Oh, Scrap by  Lissa Alexander and I adore EVERY single project in it! It was hard to decide which one to start with so the very first one in the book seemed like a good choice! 

You can find the book in this link( click).

The blocks were super easy to make and used a ton of scraps ( but sadly my scrap pile doesn't look any smaller~ why is that?) and I was busy sewing them together, until a different project caught my eye ( SIGH, having quilter's ADD is so tragic ;)  ). 

This newest  project was inspired by a video by Amy Smart ( aka Diary of a Quilter) and  involves sewing wonky trees and it has been so quick and easy and, most of all, FUN! 

Here is a link to Amy's video, in case you need to make some wonky trees too ( and let's face it, who doesn't?) 

Other than these 2 projects, I have to get  started on some tree ornaments for the exchange I'm hosting in my Facebook group ( click here  to join the group). I have hosted an ornament exchange for the past few years and it is always so much fun to come up with a cute idea for my partner, as well as to see what my partner has dreamed up for me. The Christmas tree I put up in my quilt room gets decked out in all those ornaments and it is fun to remember the person who made it. No pictures of my ornaments because it has to be a SURPRISE ...shhhhhh!

In the evenings I am continuing sewing on my hexies. I just love the sweet prints I'm finding in my stash and including in this little blanket ( yes, that I what I have decided it will be!). It is very relaxing to slow stitch on these and if you have never tried EPP, I highly recommend it! 

If you are interested in reading more about my process ( so easy!), check out this blog post ( click).

And finally, I want to share a project that finally got completed : 

This one started with a panel I found at my favorite re-use store, which I then cut apart and sewed back together, along with scrappy, wonky Log Cabin blocks.  I used my all-time favorite thread (click) and big -stitch- quilted all around the different sections, in a wide variety of colors, and finally added that black and white gingham border. I even added a hanging sleeve to the back! Never mind that this quilt is wider than any place it needs a sleeve to be hung, but that is besides the point....( #DUHHH) 

Alright, that is enough news from the farmhouse for now...please share with me what projects are putting you in the holiday spirit!

I'm off to sew some more trees...Falalalala....

Until next time ~ happy creating!

Monique

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