English Paper Piecing Basics with Karen Brown

English paper piecing (EPP) is a hand-sewing technique used to create intricate quilt designs. The technique involves wrapping fabric around paper templates and then sewing the shapes together.

Here are the basic steps for English paper piecing:

Choose a pattern: Decide on a pattern or design for your project. EPP is often used for complex geometric shapes, such as hexagons or diamonds.

Cut paper templates: Cut out paper templates in the desired shape and size. You can purchase pre-made templates or create your own using a template plastic.

Cut fabric pieces: Cut fabric pieces slightly larger than the paper templates. You can use a rotary cutter or scissors to cut the fabric.

Wrap fabric around templates: Place a paper template in the center of a fabric piece, and fold the fabric over the edge of the template. Use a needle and thread to baste the fabric in place.

Sew pieces together: Place two fabric pieces with their right sides facing each other and sew them together along one edge, using a whip stitch or ladder stitch. Continue adding fabric pieces until you have created the desired shape or size.

Remove paper templates: Once all the pieces have been sewn together, gently remove the paper templates by pulling them out from the back of the work.

Join shapes: Sew the EPP shapes together to create the quilt top, using a whip stitch or ladder stitch.

Finish the quilt: Layer the quilt top, batting, and backing together and quilt as desired. Bind the edges of the quilt to finish.

EPP is a portable and relaxing way to quilt, as it can be done by hand almost anywhere. It is also a great way to use up scraps of fabric and create unique designs that are difficult to achieve with other techniques. With practice, you can create complex and beautiful EPP designs.