Learn the quiet, relaxing art of English paper-piecing
English paper-pieced patchwork (EPP) is a traditional way to piece fabric scraps together by hand, usually to make quilts or other household textiles.
You will often see EPP worked in hexagons, but here we'll focus on being creative with various other shapes.
In this course I'll demonstrate the basic techniques, and we'll make a paper-piecing sampler together so that you can practise piecing curves, points, and straight edges.
I'll show you how to design your own patchwork from any tessellating shapes, and how to make some simple objects using your patchwork samples.
EPP is worked entirely by hand, and is enormously satisfying. You can work on the patchwork pieces while travelling, or while chatting with friends (even better, let them join in), or while sitting in waiting rooms etc.
Come and join me in this course to find out more.
Paper-piecing: the basics
Learn the basic techniques for paper-piecing: what you'll need, how to choose and prepare fabrics, and piecing the prepared patches together
Paper-piecing sampler
Download and print (or copy) the A4 template and make this paper-pieced sampler to practise piecing different shapes together. We'll practise piecing straight blocks (square and rectangles), angles and points (triangular shapes), as well as curves and waves. I'll show you how to finish your sampler by backing and binding it.
Make other shapes
Learn how to design your own patchwork using a sketchbook and/or squared paper. I'll show you how to make a cover for your sketchbook, and how to make a little patchwork sewing-tidy.
If you're ambitious enough to tackle a hand-pieced patchwork quilt, I'll show you how the easy quilt-as-you-go method works.
Course Curriculum
- Sampler and colouring templates (PDFs only)
- 4.1 Print the template and prepare fabrics (4:13)
- 4.2 Piecing squares and rectangles (11:56)
- 4.3 Piecing triangles and other angles (14:37)
- 4.4 Piecing curved shapes (17:30)
- 4.5 Working with two layers (8:15)
- 4.6 Stitching the blocks together (7:14)
- 4.7 Finishing the sampler (18:11)
- 6.1 Finding inspiration: PDF only
- 6.2 Using a sketchbook (video only) (12:24)
- 6.3 Making patchwork circles and hearts (11:05)
- Templates for hearts and circles (PDFs only)
- 6.4 A simple sketchbook cover (video only) (4:53)
- 6.5 Applying a patchwork motif (video only) (3:43)
- Making a quilt: quilt-as-you-go (3:43)
