How I EPP

I recently read a great blog post by I'm studio lou (you can read her blog post here), explaining how she stores and does her EPP/ English paper piecing. I was inspired to share my own solutions with you in this blog.

I started doing an EPP quilt last year and am really enjoying it. When I started, I decided I would do 1" hexagons (I got some papers free in a magazine and couldn't wait to get started.) I chose a lovely fabric range called Sophia by Andover/Makower. I worked out how much fabric I would need to (hopefully) complete a double quilt, bought my fabric and got started. It is slow progress but I always knew it would be... I wanted a project which didn't have a deadline, so I would take time and not rush. It is also great that I can do some on the go and swap between different stages of prepping and stitching.

 I prefer the more traditional thread basting method and mostly like to do this on the go. I have a small pouch that I can take with me that has my essentials in. It holds a stack of pre-cut fabric squares, hexi papers, scissors, red thread (its contrasting so I can see it easily for removing later) and a small tin where I keep my pins and needles (I put a magnet into the bottom of the tin so the pin don't fall out as well!)

 

This pouch is a lot larger and stays at home. It holds extra supplies, like binding clips, 100% guttermann cotton thread, more fabric squares and pins with numbers on. It is also the perfect place to store the hexies I have basted.

 

 When I am ready to sew my hexies together I transfer them into this. I lay out my pattern on 12x12" cardstock, making sure all the patterned hexies are in the direction I would like to sew them. Because it takes me a while to get them sewn together, I had been wondering how to store them. I wanted them flat, dust free and to make sure the pattern didn't get mixed up while I wasn't sewing. I found this 12x13" clear box at a craft show and knew it would do the job perfectly. It is just the right depth to keep my cotton, binding clips, scissors and a hair bobble in, as well as my hexi layout. To sew my pieces together, I hold fabric right sides together and whip stitch over the edge making sure I don't catch the paper in the stitches.

 

Finally, I have this larger box. It's the start and the end box really. When I have completely sewn a sheet together, I add a numbered pin and move it to this box. It also holds all the fabric I purchased to do this quilt, some already cut into squares for basting and the rest just waiting to be cut when needed. There's spare needles (size 8 quilting gold eye needles are my preferred needle), and another set of hexi papers in there too.

 

Please forgive me for using the loccitane pouches, I had quite a few going spare and even though I sew, I still like to use them. I don't often sew for myself but I am planning on that changing this year... I really want to make some storage solutions for myself using the aneela hoey book.

Mx