Jenny Jackson - English Paper Piecing Workshop: 18 EPP projects for beginners and beyond

ENGLISHPAPER PIECING

WORKSHOP

18 EPP projects for beginners and beyond

Jenny Jackson

I am delighted to see Jenny Jacksons skilful use of the vibrant colors found in my work throughout the many distinctive projects she has created in this book. Its a real honor that she has chosen to use so many of my fabric designs.

English Paper Piecing Workshopis a study in the effective use of color and shape which is sure to bring inspiration and enjoyment to all readers. Thank you, Jenny, for bringing this project to life!

Hands up if you love hand sewing? If you do, this is the book for you! English Paper Piecing (EPP) is my passion. It is so relaxing and creative as well. At the end of the day there is nothing better than snuggling up on the sofa with a favourite television programme and my latest EPP project and just chilling out. EPP is also portable. I always have a pouch with some basted shapes, my thread and scissors inside, good to go. You can catch me sewing on the beach, in a park or even on a train.

When it came to choosing a theme, immediately I thought of homeware. This is because I love having gorgeous handmade quilted projects on show in every room of my home who doesnt like to be surrounded by pretty things?

Traditionally, hexagons are ubiquitous in EPP, but I have used a wide variety of shapes, both large and small. Many happy hours have been spent playing with different shapes to come up with eighteen geometric, modern makes for your home. Through colour and fabric placements, often secondary patterns can be created, too, so you can add a personal twist to the designs. The projects range from full-size quilts, to wall hangings, cushions and table settings. So if this technique is new to you, why not start off with a smaller item to find your EPP feet?

I love bold, bright fabrics, but all of the projects will look equally great in different palettes and styles. To help you visualise what your chosen scheme will look like, I have included a colouring layout with each project which you can photocopy and colour in at your leisure before cutting into your precious fabrics.

So get set and enjoy EPPing, wherever you may be and, most importantly, experiment and have fun!

CUTTING TOOLS

Rotary cutter

Rotary cutters are perfect for cutting accurate straight lines. They are very sharp and can cut through a few layers of fabric with one cut. They must be used with quilting rulers and a cutting mat.

Quilting rulers

Acrylic quilting rulers are vital when using a rotary cutter. They come in a wide variety of sizes. I use larger ones for cutting out bigger pieces of fabric and smaller ones for cuttingin all around my paper templates. My favourites are by Creative Grids as they are non-slip and have really useful measurement markings on them.

Cutting mat

You must use a self-healing cutting mat when using a rotary cutter. Large mats (e.g. 24 x 36in [61 x 91cm]) are most useful. The grid lines are handy, but use the measurements on your ruler when cutting out as these are more accurate.

Fabric scissors

These large scissors are perfect for cutting through wadding and trimming fabric. They can also be used instead of a rotary cutter for cutting out fabrics.

Embroidery scissors

These small, sharp scissors are ideal for cutting threads, snipping off corners and for any delicate cutting that needs to be done.

BASTING TOOLS

Fabric glue pen and refills

Fabric glue pens are used to baste the fabric pieces to the paper templates. They are quick and easy to use, and this method produces crisp edges. Sewline is my go-to brand as the glue does not leave any sticky residue on the fabric and the paper templates are easy to remove, no matter how long the pieces have been left basted they are also simple to refill.

Quilt basting spray

This spray is a super-fast way of basting when making your quilt sandwich, or just for basting the quilt top to the wadding. My favourite is 505 Temporary Adhesive for Fabric as it holds really well, so the layers dont shiftwhen quilting.

SEWING TOOLS

Needles

I use a size 11 Milliners (also known as Straw) needle for all my English Paper Piecing. They are long and very sharp and, as they are thin, they dont leave holes in the fabric.

Pins

My go-to are flat-headed pins. I find them the easiest to push through the fabric and wadding, and they are excellent for holding everything in place when sewing straight or curved seams.

Quilting clips

These small clips are superb for holding binding in place as they easily secure several layers. I also use them for holding larger EPP shapes together when hand-sewing as they prevent the shapes from moving out of alignment.

FABRICS, THREADSAND WADDING

Note: The projects in this book assume a minimum usable width of fabric of 42in (107cm).

Fabrics

Quilting-weight cotton has been used for all of the projects in this book. It is ideal for quilt tops, linings and backings. Using good-quality fabric really does make all the difference for amazing looking projects. It can be bought off-the-bolt or in fat quarters or fat eighths. Some fabric ranges have extra-wide widths especially for backings, which saves you having to join pieces.

Threads

I have used a variety of different high-quality threads throughout the book. I use 80-weight cotton threads for joining EPP shapes and for appliqu, 50-weight cotton for machine piecing and quilting, and cotton floss for embroidery and hand quilting. My go-to are Aurifil threads as they come in different weights and are available in a wide range of colours.

Wadding

Wadding is the layer between your quilt top and backing. It comes in different materials and lofts (thicknesses). My favourite is Sew Simples Super-soft Light80/20Blend wadding, a mixture of 80% cotton with 20% polyester, which can be used for hand or machine quilting. For items such as potholders that require a heat-resistant layer for safety, use insulated wadding. I like to use Sew Simples Insulating Wadding.