Hello quilting friends! If you read my “getting started” blog post about EPP (English Paper Piecing), you’ll know that I received a lot of guidance and supplies at one of my local quilt shops, Sweetwater Cotton Shoppe in Paynesville, MN. Shop owner April has several beautiful EPP quilts on display to inspire beginners and seasoned EPPers alike! April also has framed EPP projects on display, and I was inspired to follow her lead. I have framed my EPP project I began in March and I love it!
I’ve had this distressed white frame sitting in a closet, just waiting to be used again. (For years it held a family photo that I have since moved to a different frame.) It’s the perfect aesthetic for the 3 Sisters fabric I used in this project, don’t you think?
My one-inch hexies came from three mini charm packs by 3 Sisters. The collection names are Muse, Promenade and Bliss. I began by making a simple hexie flower and kept adding rounds. When the piece was wide enough, I added hexies to the top and bottom areas, creating a rectangular shape. I added hexies until the finished piece was one-inch larger than the frame opening on all four sides. My frame opening is 14” x 11.”
After removing the hexie papers and giving it a good pressing, I secured my hexie panel to batting with spray adhesive, smoothing it out and lightly pressing again. (I used Odif 505 Temporary Adhesive Basting Spray, the same spray I use when I am creating a quilt sandwich for a table runner or mug rug that I plan to quilt myself.) Next, I layered the fabric/batting unit on top of a foam core board cut to size. I then inserted that “sandwich” into the frame. On the back side, I gently tugged the fabric at all four sides, checking the front side to ensure that the hexie panel was taut. I wrapped the excess fabric edges around the foam core board and secured it down with more adhesive spray. I finished the back of the frame by adhering a thin piece of poster board which I secured with double sided tape.
Most of these hexies were made and stitched together on the road, coming and going to see our sweet little granddaughter. This project will always hold a special place in my heart. My first EPP project made while visiting our first grandchild. What a blessing! Won’t you consider joining me in getting carried away with English Paper Piecing? It’s so much fun!
Thank you for stopping by! By the way, all of my patterns are 25% off this weekend on my Etsy shop. You might want to check that out! (All of my patterns are traditional piecing.)
Have a great weekend!
~Taunja
Products I enjoy:
1” Hexagon Paper Pieces by Sue Daley
Jenna Kimball’s Foxglove Straw Needles #9
Aurifil 80 weight cotton thread
Sue Daley rotating cutting mat
Odif 505 Temporary Adhesive Basting Spray
Mini charm packs (2.5” squares are a great place to start if you want to make 1” hexies!)
Tutorial I found helpful:
Erica Arndt’s playlist (3 tutorials) for EPP
