Glorious Hexagons and New Friends
I made a new friend on the airplane on the way home from my vacation. I was stitching on my Glorious Hexagon project and the flight attendant, Brenda, paused to ask questions. I explained that I was English Paper Piecing and remarked about how easy it was to do, and how portable the project was. She thought it was something she might be able to do! Another convert. It happens all the time. :)
Foundation Piecing, aka English Paper Piecing is simple. In a nutshell, you baste or glue pieces of fabric around paper shapes and stitch them together using a whip stitch or a ladder stitch. The paper can be pre-cut shapes, or shapes you cut from a file folder or freezer paper. The paper provides a nice straight line for stitching, and makes it easy for you to produce beautifully hand-stitched quilt blocks.
I am doing the New Hexagon Millefiore quilt by Katja Marek and the Glorious Hexagons quilt, by Liza Lucy and Kim McLean (which uses the New Hexagon book by Katja Marek, too). The patterns are all based on hexagons and the geometric shapes which form hexagons, and all the variations therein.
The New Hexagon Millefiore
Supplies needed for EPP are: paper pieces (pre-cut or cut your own), fabric scraps, glue pen, needle and thread, and scissors. The book "The New Hexagon" can be found on my website, along with some basic supplies (precut paper pieces, glue pens and fabric). The book is very well written, and includes instructions for EPP.
A number 10 needle, and 60 weight thread are recommended for making stitches that barely show. Personally, I use pre-cut paper pieces because I love the precision of the shapes, but I know a lot of people who copy the patterns from the book and cut their own shapes. Start small and make a pot holder, and work your way up to placemats, table runners and quilts. The important thing is that you enjoy yourself. English Paper Piecing is fun and simple enough for everyone!
This block has a cool 3-D effect.
So Brenda, if you are out there and reading this blog, let me know if you have any questions. It was so nice meeting you, and I hope you try English Paper Piecing.
