EPP (English Paper Piecing)

From time-to-time, questions come to me about EPP (English Paper Piecing) and where do I get my patterns from and my templates.

Thank you, dear readers, for sending me your lovely comments and your questions.  The quilting world is abuzz with EPP and if you haven't thought about trying it out, now is your chance.

I got hooked .... plain and simple.

Pinterest is a great source.  When I find a pattern that appeals to me, I go to BlockBase computer software program available from Electric Quilt Company and start searching.  I do believe that BlockBase is a stand alone (please double check yourself) software program that does not need any EQ program on your computer.  You should be able to print out patterns any size that you want.  Since EQ7 is already downloaded on my computer, the BlockBase is a wonderful companion.

Apple Cores

This pattern has always been on my 'to-do' list for eons.  After making a false start, a friend directed me to Sue Daley and her method of doing apple cores.  Go here for a tutorial on how I do my cores and how to make templates and the link to Sue Daley's You tube demo.

Then, on Pinterest, I found this gorgeous split apple core pattern.  Can we say "yummm"?

For both my Apple Core projects, BlockBase came in handy for getting my templates.

While glancing through BlockBase for patterns and ideas, below are a few tops.

This one is known as Colonial Garden or Rose Star One Patch or Tumbling Hexagon (Brackman number 243).  Instead of making hexagons, I chose instead to make triangles and then sew the triangles together.  You can go here for a better explanation.

This one is called Ozard Cobblestone (Brackman Number Y007):

Oh Wonderful, Summer's Here (Brackman Number D046).  So happy that this top finally has a name instead of forever being referred to as D046.  :o)

If you are doing scrappy quilts, go here to read how my quilts have evolved using my method to control the scrappy look.

Spools

After making a small wall hanging using this spool pattern, the urge to make a queen size quilt was gnawing at me.  I was probably grinding my teeth at night just thinking about making this pattern again.  :o)

My Sweet Klosjes .... what a wonderful quilt this turned out to be.  This is a spool pattern that came from BlockBase and is #3571 (The Spool of 1966).

 

Hexagons and Stars

Here is my lovely Holyhocks in a Castle Garden quilt.  This reminds me of my trip to Great Britain and the gorgeous holyhock flowers.  The templates for the hexagons probably came from a magazine.

 The top below is not finished, but the hexagons were leftovers from the above quilt.

The idea for my Diamond Star below came from a blog that is no longer available.  I was inspired to make one too.   The template could either have come from BlockBase or from a magazine.

Granddaughter's Flower Garden

The source for the pattern came from here:  http://sewuniquecreations.blogspot.ca/2010/12/grand-daughters-flower-garden-quilt.html   Sadly, the PDF file is no longer available.  You can print the photo of the templates, clean them up and either reduce or increase to get the size you want.  Please note, the very long elongated hexagon had to be trimmed down a bit to fit.

For my quilt, the center layout of the hexagon block was changed around....of course!  :o)

Templates

I have always made my own templates.  There is a ton of scrap paper in boxes and bins in my studio and they do get used a lot.  Go here for an explanation of how my templates are made.  Scrap paper, stapler and paper scissors and your templates are made.  Simple as that.  In whatever size you want.
  
This has been a wonderful walk through memory lane of all of my EPP projects, tops and quilts.  You can be sure there will be more to come.  :o)

In scrolling through all my EPP projects, you can see how different each one is.  Don't get stuck doing just one type of EPP.  There are so many different types of EPP out there.  Explore and have fun.

In case any of you are wondering, I am not affiliated with BlockBase or Electric Quilt Company .... I just love their software programs.

I got hooked doing EPP by making a hexagon and I have never looked back.  So, go forth and make a hexagon .... I dare you to!

Have a great day!

Playing around with borders

While working away on my Ozard Cobble Stone project (only 4 more rows to be sewn together), the time has come to think about borders for this top.

So, here we go ....

Wanting to do something different with the borders, my EQ7 software came to the rescue.  I found this pattern for the borders and kept playing around with it.

I decided to work with just 3 pieces of the pattern and am happy with the look.  Finding the poison green for the border was my lucky day.  Should have bought more!  Darn!

After adding some more of the pieces to the border, oh yes, I love this.

But wait ... what about adding some circles in the space between each group?  Oh YES ... THIS WORKS!

 

Guess what I will be doing for the next month or so!  :o)

Have a great day!

My Sweet Klosjes

Let the celebrations begin ..... my klosjes spool quilt is done ... done .... done! This quilt is now gracing our dining room wall and DH and I are admiring it greatly. There was a lot of work in the making of this quilt. Hand piecing, hand applique, hand quilting .... oh yes, lots of work ... but so worth every single stitch! :o) A number of you were scared that the markings that I put on my quilt using Crayola Washable markers would not come out. Well, they did and on the first washing. We have a front load washer and it worked just fine.

I thank Valentina and all the other ladies for inspiring and challenging me to join in making a spool quilt. Just look what happens when we inspire and challenge each other!

The spool block comes from Block Base for EQ programs and is #3571 (The Spool of 1966). The flower border was made by me after being inspired by a pattern that was purchased from The Rabbit Factory. The pattern is #RF151 Blooms All Around.

Quilt size: 88" x 95-1/2" (top size before quilting was 92" x 98-1/2"). After washing and drying there was a loss of 4" on the height and 3-1/2" on the width. I always, always make my quilt at least 4" bigger so that after drying, the quilt will fit perfectly on our bed. All my fabric is pre-washed and 4" works for me.

Block size: 6" x 6"

Border block size: 6" x 7"

Design Source: EQ6 and Block Base software programs.

Time frame: Quilt was started on Mar. 21, 2010. The top was done Aug. 9, 2010 and finished being quilted on May 30, 2011. Just over one year for a hand pieced, hand applique and hand quilting. Now, that is not bad, eh!

I'm having a great day ... how about you?

Bordering Decisions

Thank you for all you lovely comments .... my basket quilt has certainly sparked a bit of interest.

A number of you have asked about the pattern. It was designed using EQ6 software program. I was inspired to make my version after seeing all the gorgeous basket quilts out in blogland and I just had to have one too.

While I'm in the process of sewing the basket blocks together, the time has come to think about borders. After playing around in EQ6, here are a few versions that I could go with.

#1 - 9-patch blocks in the outer borders #2 baskets and vines

#3 just a plain border

#4 scrappy blocks

Oh dear, decisions, decisions ... problem is, I love them all!!!! Yikes!

Have a great day!