Thank you all for reading my previous posts totally unrelated to crafting. And thanks for all the thoughtful comments. I appreciate it.
Over the past week the weather in Singapore has become very humid. When it gets too humid, the rain comes. But the rain does nothing to cool the temperature. Is it summer elsewhere? I totally splurged last week on enjoying myself. Today I decided I should stop fooling around and get some creative juices flowing. Um...did I say that right?
Do you have loads of patience? Do you enjoy hand sewing? If you do, English paper piecing is the thing for you.
Oh, one little thought just came into my head.
Did the English really invent English Paper Piecing?
I love knowing the history of techniques. Maybe one day I'll go to the reference section of the library and find books on Paper Piecing.
English paper piecing uses paper templates to stabilise the fabric as well as ensure accuracy when sewing together complex angles. Different shapes can be used.
This is my English Paper Piecing UFO. I'll take it to my grave. It was my first attempt at paper piecing and I did this in either 2004 or 2005. In this UFO, I used hexagons and a 4-sided pointy shape. I was not clever in the use of the fabric and you can barely make out the stars.
It's good to use clips to hold on to the fabric while you baste the shape. For the paper hexagon, some people use regular printing paper. Some use freezer paper. I like to use a paper stiffer than regular paper and I cut a hole in the center of the template so it's easier to fish it out.
This is what I made today. Just 7 hexagons with 6 consisting of the same fabric surrounding a checked center. The hexagon flower looked fine without the embroidered flower in the center but I can never resist sewing a flower whenever I get the chance.
Like to try English paper piecing? Check out Katie's Quilting Corner. She has a video on sewing the hexagons together. If you're ambitious and keen to try a pillow made of hexagons, check out Kandipandi's 2 tutes: 1" Little Hexie Cushion Tutorial Part 1 and Part 2.
Now time to make a few bags - maybe with hexagon flowers?
Link Partay:
Skip to my lou
Sew can do
Craft o maniac
Making the world cuter
11 comments:
I really love that first patchwork it's great to see the little diamond stars when you spot them. I hope you do get it finished it would be such a shame to waste all the work that's gone into it so far.
Thanks for the link to my tutorial too, you are the second blog to link to my tutorial today :0)
p.s. let us English take the credit, if it wasn't us don't tell ;0) xx
I have made some hexagons and dresden plate pattern blocks taking the time to hand stitch then, I saw a lady with a fabric glue stick sticking down the fabric and I wanted to punch her.
I love hexies and since I finally made one (I used card stock as I like the heavier weight too) I'm now hooked, but looking for time to make more. I now have a hexie scrap bin going.
When i first learned to do this back in 1991 (when my firs was a baby) it was just called 'paper pieciing'. I am not sure how it acquired the 'English' in front of it. Maybe some english people taught it to non-english who then called it after the ones who taught them and added the word English. I may try googling it.
My first project was a hex baby ball which I stuffed and added a bell in the middle of the stuffing. It was much loved by my baby and suck and chewed on etc. Then I just tossed it in the washing machine. I went through a patch of making them for lots of babies. I didn't do any embroidery on them because they were for babies.
I have seen entire quilts done using this technique with scraps and hex piecing. I am always amazed at the time and patience it must take.
Yours look cute. is it going to feature on a bag?
Oh I love your first piece. you definitely should finish it off and get it out of the cupboard into happy use. It is too cute to leave.
I really liked your recent piece - so nice!
Once I attempted this - got tired of cutting out all the paper pieces so never even made it to the fabric part.
I love both patchwork items, I've been meaning to try one....hmm...There are some gorgeous scrappy pieced blocks which would make amazing quilts, and given the amount of scraps I have, I've decided to hoard them to make a quilt you know in like tne years.
I've been following your off-ed pieces on your journey through the Singapore healthcare system and what a difficult time you went through with your pains. It never fails to surprise me what the inner strength of patients can drive them to do and how it aids their recovery. Now I'm going to tell my patients that crafting is a helpful cure! Thank you for sharing your personal story, it's never easy to put it out there but just as interesting as your craft posts.
Mel
I have been forever wanting to do some hexi projects..I even had it on my to do list for sewing.But as much as I want to its the same old song for me with my finger not wanting to help out lol I love what you made ! I have a quilt that my husbands grandmother made using teeny tiny hexi's sewn together by hand..and my mom uses paper piecing alot. Maybe I could try a little sample out just to say YES I DID! =)
Querida jane siempre la leo ,nunca he sufrido ni una mínima porción de lo que le sucede a su cuerpo ,pero Dios es sabio no tengo su creatividad ,no tengo un esposo que me comprenda ,tengo hijas adorables ,una computadora que no es poco en el lugar donde vivo.Cariños-
Here's Cariños comment in English.
Dear Jane always read it, I have never suffered even a tiny portion of what happens to your body, but God is wise I have no creativity, I have a husband who understands me, I have adorable daughters, a computer that is not small in where vivo.Cariños-
Beautiful! Every time I see hexagon flowers I want to do them. I will find time sometime soon!
I've got a paper piecing UFO that I'll probably take to my grave too! I started it in the 1980s and was using fabric from clothes I had made (I made a lot of my own clothes then) plus purchased ones that I no longer wore. I had the intention of making them into a quilt for the bed but I don't think that's ever going to happen now.
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