English Paper Piecing Basics

There are so many reasons to love English Paper Piecing (EPP) which is a traditional way to quilt by hand, it’s relaxing and makes you slow down, it’s portable and it can be a great scrap buster.

English Paper Piecing is a technique where fabric is wrapped around paper templates and tacked with glue or stitches. Each piece is then sewn together, and for this tutorial, we will make the “Grandmother’s Flower Garden”.

The best thing about English Paper Piecing is that it is slow sewing, which means you are slowly stitching a project by hand. There’s something very relaxing and therapeutic about slowing down and taking your time with a project, which English Paper Piecing forces you to do because it can’t be rushed, it comes together slowly.

Another reason to love English Paper Piecing is that it is portable, meaning you can take it with you wherever you go, whether that’s waiting for your children’s activities, on vacation, or an evening in front of the television.

It is also a fantastic scrap buster, some of the most beautiful Grandmother Flower Garden quilts are made entirely from scraps.

English Paper Piecing was the first kind of quilting I ever did, I remember being a teenager and finding a book at the library, and teaching myself. Because I didn’t have a sewing machine it was the perfect project for me to do. I made all my own paper templates, I don’t remember having the option to buy them back then, but then as a teenager, I always liked to do things the cheapest way possible.

If you would like to make your own 2″ Hexagon Templates I have a free download HERE.

With your Grandmother’s Flower Gardens, you can use them to decorate anything, a cushion, clothing, bags, etc, or you can make an entire quilt out of them.

TOOLS NEEDED FOR ENGLISH PAPER PIECING

• 19 x 2″ Hexagons found here at Etsy or Amazon or make your own HERE
• WonderFil’s InvisiFil 100wt found here at Etsy or Amazon
• Sewline Fabric Glue Pen found here at Etsy or Fat Quarter Shop
• Needles
• Thimble (optional)
• Fabric Scissors

TO MAKE A GRANDMOTHER’S FLOWER GARDEN YOU WILL NEED

You will need the following fabric to make a Grandmother’s Flower Garden with 2″ hexagon templates

Please watch my video for full instructions on English Paper Piecing. Don’t forget to Like and subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up-to-date with our latest videos. Enjoy!

See more fun small quilting ideas and projects over HERE.

Pin it! Want to try English Paper Piecing later? Don’t lose this tutorial, pin it now to one of your boards on Pinterest!

Thanks so much for joining me! Please leave a comment and let me know how you go, or if you have any questions.

Stacey x