Another update on my slow work in progress, the Grandmother’s flower garden.
Every time I pick up this project, I would span it out and adore it. Please don’t mind me as I admire the progress of this project. Not that my stitches are perfect, but just admiring how the flowers are blooming one over another, hexagon by hexagons. Little stitches at a time.
I am also seeing some flaws here and there, seeing my work progress over the years. Yes YEARS. this has been a 6 year project in progress.
My first post of this project was back here in this post where I share the free printable quotes. The post dated back in 2017. Well, I will try and make it a less than 10-year project, but we’ll see. I love working on the project, it is just that I am always torn with tons of things to do while watching TV, like laundries and other hand projects like cross-stitching. But we’ll see and I’ll try to work on it a little more in the last quarter of this year and maybe at least I’ll get all the diamonds and flowers done before moving onto the 530 hexagons for the background.
Welcome to the first series of my slow stitching projects documentation.
Basically, I wanted to document the slow progress of my hand-stitched projects on a weekly/bi-weekly basis for a couple of reasons:
I wanted to make myself accountable and make sure I do sit and enjoy hand-stitching at least one session per week.
Documenting progress is always something I love to do. In fact, that is why this blog started anyway.
To create excitement even with little progress. Small progress does matter!
I hope I can inspire you to do the same too. And that’s why I put a linky party at the end of this post where you can share your slow-stitching projects too. And to spark it up, I have a giveaway to start this party!
I’d like to share with you in this post some of the ways that you can stitch together your basted English Paper Piecing blocks. Be it hexagons, diamonds or even square or any shape possible really :).
This is following the series of English Paper Piecing Technique I have previously on the blog:
I’d like to share with you in this post some of the ways that you can stitch together your basted English Paper Piecing blocks. Be it hexagons, diamonds or even square or any shape possible really 🙂
Yes, EPP isn’t limited to the conventional shape. Check out these awesome EPP projects with non-common shapes if you are into diving in EPP adventures.
I have a slow growing flower garden in my sewing room. The one with flowers that blooms and continues to bloom forever.
The slow process of making these English paper pieced flowers from little hexagons is itself a great therapy. I am not shooting to finish fast, rather enjoy doing it little by little from time to time.
Let’s be honest here, I have a problem with too many (way many) works in progress. Ahakz.
There are a couple of well-known ways to baste English paper piecing templates.
While there are no right or wrong, I’d like to point out some of the pros and cons of the template basting techniques based on my thoughts (some may have a different opinion). So in this post let’s go through a couple of methods of basting english paper piecing pieces.
If you haven’t tried English Paper Piecing (EPP for short), it is a form of patchwork done with paper templates basted to the fabric to keep the fabric in shape. It is suitable for lots of different shapes that fit like a puzzle. Mostly these are geometrical shapes which can be stitched together into beautiful shapes and mandalas. You can see some example in this post.
If you have been EPP-ing quite a while, let me know which one is your favorite basting technique and why. If you have a different way than the one I have mentioned, share it with us, please…
Various English Paper Piecing Basting Method
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1. Stitch/Sew basting onto both fabrics and paper
This is one of the first methods I tried when I started EPP. I like a couple of things about this method, but in the end, I find it too much of a hassle to remove the paper.
Basting simply means you can just do a running stitch punching through the fabrics and paper around the templates. You can see an example of this in the stripey hexagon in the center of the photo above.
The benefit of this method is that the paper is securely attached to the fabric. This makes it wonderful for securing it while finishing all around each side. Particularly important when fussy cutting and you want the paper template to be in the exact position.
Pros: Easy quick basting stitch. Secures paper well to fabric.
Cons: May leave stitch holes on the surface. Need to remove the basting stitches then the paper.
2. Stitch/Sew basting on fabrics only not paper
This one is my favorite basting technique as I don’t like removing paper and this method makes that step easier and I can re-use my templates.
Here is a brief tutorial on how to stitch baste only the corners:
3. Glue Basting
This is one of the common ways modern EPP-ers are rocking it. It is fast, quick, and easy to baste.
The question that people always ask about this method is all type of glue stick okay?
Honestly, I don’t find any difference in the specific glue stick or the regular glue stick your kids use. The only difference is probably the size of the tip and the blue colour makes it easy to see.
I have great success with the cheap purple glue stick before.
I find that the cheaper the glue stick is probably best as it doesn’t stick so well and makes it easy to remove the paper later.
Here is a video of me glue basting:
However, with the glue stick basting method, I do find that removing the paper will not be as easy as removing it if I were to stitch baste (on the fabric only, not paper). But it is not too bad either.
Here is a video of me removing the paper from glue basted pieces:
Pros: fast, easy to get. Portable.
Cons:Costly (if using the EPP exclusive glue stick). A little bit of work when removing the paper later. Can be sticky and messy.
4. Starch Basting
Have you heard or seen this one?
I love the idea of it but it looks a bit tedious that I haven’t even got time to try it myself.
I am thinking that a regular cheap paintbrush with a cup of starch or even easier, try this brush pen. Fill it in with starch water and starch away. Easy and clean.
Pros:No need to remove paper! The solid crease line can guide sewing better. Cheaper as compared to the EPP gluestick.
Cons:Not so portable as it requires ironing. And you may need to buy those mini iron if you don’t have one yet. Need electrical port unless your iron works on battery.
Well, this one wouldn’t be so paper-y would it? Shall we still call it English paper piecing then? It is similar to the idea of the EPP technique, so we’ll keep it here as another option.
This technique uses a fusible fleece as the templates as opposed to papers. These fusible have to be cut into the shape of the EPP pieces required and basted to the fabric using the fusible glue on the fleece. The fusible sides are activated to stick once heated using the iron.
Basically, you will have to fold the fabric edges and iron them to stick to the fusible fleece.
I haven’t tried this one yet, but the thought of having to carefully iron on the edges scares me and I feel like it is too much work. But it might be worth a try. I am thinking that with these, you may not need to remove the fusible fleece at all. They are soft enough to be in a quilt.
Pros:No need to remove the paper. No messy glue residue.
Cons:Cost. Need to cut out fleece shapes. Need ironing. Not so portable. Fleece can be a little too soft to create sharp edges.
Which method do you use? Not listed here?
Drop a comment and let us know how you baste you EPP pieces. We’d love to hear them.
Or if you have a tip on how to do either of them, share them too, please 🙂 I know you are all full of wisdom.
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