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Market-inspired English Paper Piecing

Market-inspired English Paper Piecing

Written by: 
Linzee McCray

Carrie’s shared with you so much of the amazing-ness of Quilt Market. It’s a sight for sore eyes (and it creates sore feet, unless you’re like me and refuse to wear anything but comfortable shoes).

Moda celebrating 40 yearsWhile it’s mostly delightful, it also creates frustration. And that’s because, no matter how much we wish it weren’t true, we can’t do it all. Seeing myriad fabrics, gadgets, and techniques, taking in all that color, texture, and design, provides endless inspiration. If only there was a Quilt Market vendor who offered special deals on endless hours of sewing time!

Since I have yet to stumble across that booth at Market, I’ve decided to take a new tack. I’m going to focus on just a couple of new things I want to learn.

Diane Gileland sharing EPP Author Diane Gilleland sharing EPP

The first is English paper piecing, or EPP as those-in-the-know call it. I realize I’m late to this party but it’s something I’ve been dying to try, and a Schoolhouse presentation further whetted my appetite. Jess Finn of Paper Pieces teamed up with author Diane Gilleland to share Diane’s new book, All Points Patchwork. The book is filled with great tips about paper piecing in general, as well as what she calls “project inspiration”—ideas for ways to use paper piecing that won’t take years to complete. That’s my kind of sewing!

Different shapes that work together are labeled by package color. These (yellow) 1" diamonds will work with the (yellow) 1" hexagons. Different shapes that work together are labeled by package color. These (yellow) 1" diamonds will work with the (yellow) 1" hexagons.

I was also really intrigued by the way she combined different shapes of EPP. And this is where Jess Finn comes in. Paper Pieces offers packs of paper templates in shapes from the tried-and-true hexagons to kites, pentagons, clamshells, and Dresdens. And to make putting them together simple, the pieces that match are packaged in color-coded packages: yellow for 1” pieces, purple for 2” pieces, and so on. It’s ingenious and takes the guesswork out of making sure selected templates work together. That kind of coordination reduces stress for newbies (like me). I also like that the 1" pieces work with Moda candy—like these new lines by Leila Boutique and April Rosenthal.

5020MC

24030MC

If I decide to try fussy cutting, which creates so many fantastic secondary patterns, PaperPieces offers acrylic templates. And since last year I’ve been intrigued by these Kathy Doughty Hex Essentials. But one thing at a time…I’m trying to avoid Market overload!

The back of this EPP is almost as pretty as the front. The back of Diane's EPP is almost as pretty as the front.

If you enjoy English paper piecing, I'd love it if you'd share any tips to get me started successfully in the comment section. I need all the help I can get!

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