English Paper Piecing

[Rita C.]

I had the same problem. That's a lot of photos to re-upload!

[Lois B.]

Rita!
It WILL be worth it. And I find that they are such a great carry-along project. Also relaxing. Remember Lois posted a pic of hers on the grass somewhere? Beautiful!

My hexies were entirely machine pieced al Gyleen Fitzpatrick style. See TQS Episode 909.

[Lois B.]

Sorry about that ops: the 'puter and I had a 'difference of opinion' as to what was uploaded or not :twisted: (I nearly checked out it's aero-dynamics!) What also didn't help was hitting the 'Go Back' button instead of the 'Update' button :roll:
I ended up starting a new blog post, managed to copy the words across, but then had to re-upload all the pictures, and they take their time about it too :evil: Hope you enjoy the post now!
the new link is community/my-profile/PosyP

[Lois B.]

WOW Rosemary!! I am totally amazed! I thought your date looked wonderful and now these acorns and oak leaves!! They are spectacular!!

I can hardly imagine doing this! I do like to do hand applique sometimes, and hand embroidery sometimes, but I just don't know about doing this. I'd need 100x magnifiers to see those tiny stitches!

May I ask do you prefer this to applique? Is it faster? Or more relaxing? Or???

[Kathryn S.]

Holy Cow!!!!!! I am stunned by your oak leaves and acorns. Applique is forgiving- if you get something a little bit off, it doesn't matter since you are sewing to a background. with this method, everything has to match up completely and exactly! If I wore a hat, I would take it off to you! Hmm, you might start a new trend.

Kathy

[Kathryn S.]

Kathy, There is a French expression that means just that! To congratulate s/o we say "chapeau!" Which means hat.
As in tipping one's hat, as you explained.


I agree, Rosemary... " Chapeau!" To you!

[Rita C.]

Moi aussi, chapeau!

[Rita C.]

This piece was a small bit of fun to try and push myself and see how far I could take the technique and to show others that there is more to English Paper Piecing than simple shapes (like hexagons). I now have a sample that I don't want to finish any further :roll: , because in many respects the back is as important as the front.

I think that I do prefer this to applique, because the layer of paper gives it more 'body' to handle. Like I mentioned you could draw you design onto lined (or even graph) paper which would give you lots of matching reference points.

Accuracy - this is sorted out with having a paper pattern that is sewn onto the fabric, in some respects this makes it simpler when putting the pieces together because of the preparation work already done. You don't lose your pattern (you can however lose pieces, and find them again after making a replacement - spare acorn cup anyone :wink: ) Why don't you give it a little try - say 1 acorn & cup to see how you find it for accuracy.

Small stitches - Superiors' Bottom Line thread, fine needle to match the thread, just picking up a couple of threads of the fabric. I don't really look at the stitches, but the needle placement (needles are larger and easier to see :wink: ). Having the layer of paper in there really helps to make sure that you don't take too deep a stitch.

I don't think that it would have been anywhere near as good if I hadn't had the Fray-Check to hand, especially for the background fabric near the leaf stems.

A lot of the older coverlets had their papers left in because when the fabrics were tacked to them they didn't bring the tacking stitches right through to the front like I have.

Hmmm, perhaps I ought to consider making an EPP competition quilt - after I have got around to finishing Caught Red Handed that is! :wink:

[Lois B.]

To quote, Rosemary, Embroideress Extrordinaire & Mad Hatter

"Hmmm, perhaps I ought to consider making an EPP competition quilt..."

I think that is a fine idea. Document as you go, write a book and then we will see the quilt in Houston and you as a guest with Alex & Ricky on TQS. Have you read about Pam Holland's Quilt "Heartache, Heritage and Happiness". It won best of show in Houston a number of years ago. It is a replica of a very old quilt made by soldiers from the uniforms of fallen comrades. I believe they used the technique you are showing us. She has written about the construction of the replica in a book called "1776, Heartache, Heritage and Happiness". I do not believe she used the techinque in the replica. She made it in cotton while the original was wool. I can see how this technique would be wonderful in wool. Reading her book would be a lesson in how you go about documenting the process of making the quilt for your book. The photos you have now are a good start for this project. You, Go girl! I see great things for you!

[Lois B.]

Sounds like I could do with a copy of that book, to give me some pointers. :wink:

A similar technique that was used particularly with the woollen coverlets is known as 'Intarsia' Bearing in mind that the cloth used to make uniforms is a very dense heavily felted cloth called Melton. It was about 20-30 oz weight (per yard length) and thicker than the average craft felt now available, and didn't fray, it was possible to use it in a similar way to wood marquetry, but without using any backing cloth, just cut the matching pieces and then stitch together, using either a decorative stitch, whip stitch or one called 'butt stitch' that gave 2 neat lines of stitchs parallel to the cut edge and is also used for leather work (I believe). When I track down my V&A exhibition catalogue I will be able to give more accurate details about it.

A lot of the pieced or patchwork bedspreads from the 18th & 19th century are coverlets (particularly in the UK), the piecing and a lining without being quilted. We know have a bit of discrepency with accuracy of description because we now refer to all pieces of 'piecedwork' or 'patchwork' as 'quilts' whereas they are actually 3 totally different techniques that can be used quite independantly of one another

As for getting it to Houston 8) , It would need to be a seriously good design & colour balance to start with :shock: (guess which bit I personally have a lack of confidence in :wink:

[Lois B.]

As for getting it to Houston , It would need to be a seriously good design & colour balance to start with (guess which bit I personally have a lack of confidence in...

Perhaps it's design, but there is always the possibility of colaborative efforts. Put the word out for someone to offer the design. If something someone offers strikes your fancy go for a team effort. Your skills are amazing. If it's color, Christine Barnes, has said that gaining skill there is largely a matter of practice.

I am sure the original quilt on which Pam Holland's "Heartache, Heritage & Happiness" was based was constructed with one of the one of the techniques you describe. The thing that made me believe it was like your paper piecing is how flat the finished work appeared.

[Lois B.]

'Inlaid applique' that is another term for it - glad to get that sorted out.

I suppose I could try something 'inspired by' the 1718 coverlet :wink: especially as it is already on my 'to do' wishlist

[Lois B.]

I think Lois has a brilliant idea for you, Rosemary! My only hesitation is that you might get so involved in this project that we might miss you here on the forum. On the other hand, we could catch-up when we read the book, or see you at Houston! I'd go for it, especially since it was already on your 'to do list'.

[Rita C.]

It's a great idea - but one heck of a lot of work. I was looking for my catalogue from the V&A exhibition but I can't find it right now. But I did go online and found this link:

http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/q/quilts-p...-and-quilting/

I was so inspired by the exhibition that I came home and made a scrappy quilt straight away. (which I then quilted really really badly. :roll: ) It was good to read about it again. I hope you give the idea some serious thought Rosemary.

[Lotti D.]

Fabulous link Rita, many thanks.

Has anyone seen that great pattern maker?
Just what I've been looking for!
This would have saved me days when I started designing my niece's mosaic quilt (there are still only 3 of approximately 20 panels made... So don't hold your breath!