Adventures in EPP

Like many quilters, I acquired a fear of the “y-seam” while learning how to quilt. Disappointments with imperfect points and lumpy seams haunted me, yet I recognize that this was an irrational fear. I knew that the only way to destroy a phobia is to look it in the eye and I have my seam ripper in hand. Oh boy! English Paper Piecing world here I come.

Truth told I love the speed and efficiency of machine quilting, but a level of precise control is obtained when you quilt by hand. I feel that this method is great for new quilters who want to obtain that elusive perfect y-seam. Yet my initiation into the English Paper Piecing world wasn’t a smooth transition. Mistakes, creative liberties taken beyond comfort and a great amount of paper and even more shameful, fabric wasted in my pursuit. Yet, I find myself having difficulty putting into word how an meditative quality regarding hand sewing washes over you when you find your rhythm. With a good audio book or music, I find hours can pass while I am sewing.

What have I learned so far:

A Circuit Cutter is awesome. I don’t have to create templates that lose their sharp edges over time and I can make millions of Hexagon, diamonds with a simple press of a button.

English paper piecing has a thousand ways to attach the fabric to the paper.

Hand sewing thread is a must. No knots, frays or loops cross my path unless the thread is under significant strain! The thread is significantly heavier than general purpose thread so one drawback is if you don’t have tight enough stitches, the thread will show!

My friends and family think I am a nut for doing this all by hand!

More to come: I will present a tutorial on my method of EPP.

English Paper Piecing

Fear of Y-seams

y-seams