Sewing ‘hexies’ is a favourite pastime for
many quilters. Master the technique with our
introduction to English Paper Piecing...
ALL ABOUT
HEXAGONS
One of the most popular patchwork
designs is row upon row of perfectly
placed hexagons. These fabric shapes
are kept at a standard size by stitching
around individual paper templates – a
technique which is know as English Paper
Piecing, or EPP for short. Start with an
original template shape (thick card will
do), then use this to cut out as many
shapes as you need from heavyweight
paper or thin card, that is thick enough to
hold its shape, but thin enough to be
flexible when stitching.
We’ve got some hexagons for you to
trace on page 104 but you don’t have to
just stick to hexagons! Sketch out your
own shapes or search online to find
websites that will give you free shapes
to print out. To save time, you can also
buy batches of pre-cut paper shapes.
The only other supplies you’ll need to
get started are fabric, thread and
needles. 100% cotton fabric works best,
as it’s crisp and will fold around the paper
template well. You can use other fabrics,
but it’s best to stick to the same weight
fabrics for your whole piece to ensure01HOW TO WHIP STITCH02they work well together once they’re all
sewn up. You may wish to wash the fabric
before you begin as it can shrink. Give it a
thorough press with a hot iron too (check
the fabric before you set the temperature)
as it’s much easier to cut and sew newly
pressed fabric.
When it comes to sewing, use a
sharp-pointed needle (this will help you
to pierce your fabric but not the paper
inside it). Short needles work best when
working small stitches. ‘Betweens’ or
‘crewel’ needles are ideal and it’s worth
investing in gold-plated ones if you really
catch the hexie bug! Finally, choose
thread colours that match the fabric, so
that any stray stitches are less noticeable.
The preferred stitch for EPP is a whip
stitch. It goes by many names – some
quilters call it ‘hemming stitch’ or ‘blind
stitch’. Read on to find out how to use the
stitch to create perfect EPP shapes.How to whip stitch
Secure the thread at the edge of the
fabric by working three or four tiny
stitches on top of each other. Push theneedle through both layers of fabric,
coming out at the top layer and pushing
it down through the bottom layer. Angle
the needle so it comes back up through
the top at about^1 /^8 in from the first stitch.For the next stitch, push the needle
vertically down through the bottom
layer, angling so it comes out diagonally
through the top layer. Continue in this
way all along the two fabric layers,
securing the final stitch in the same
way as at the beginning. All the stitches
should be evenly-spaced.Sewing angles
For shapes with narrow angles, such as
hexagons, leave the excess fabric on
the back of the template flapping – as this
will be on the back of your work once
you’ve sewn the pieces together. The
diagram below shows how the back of a
finished hexagon will look. For diamonds
or triangles, these overlaps can get in the
way so trim them a little or tack them
so that they don’t get caught when you’re
stitching the patches together.SEWING ANGLES03