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Quilting - English Paper Piecing Method
By Beth Lee
A quilt is usually made up of 3 layers. A top, which is pieced, a batting for warmth and a backing. Quilts used to be on every bed - many times several quilts would be layered on beds to give warmth. Before the invention of the sewing machine all quilts were hand sewn. When women went into the workplace during WWII, they didn't have time for quilting and were able to purchase blankets from stores for less than the cost to make a quilt. The following generations considered quilting as something that was too old-fashioned - something that grannies did. During America's Bicentennial in 1976, quilting once again came back into fashion. Quilting is now easier with templates, rotary cutters and other tools. People do still hand piece quilt tops. Hand piecing a quilt top is simple if you have the right equipment. This is one method for how to do it. My favorite way of hand piecing is called English Paper Piecing. Paper piecing is done with geometric shapes such as hexagons, triangles, squares and trapezoids. The shapes fit together like a puzzle to make up the body of the quilt. To do this you need paper pieces in the shape you desire. The papers are usually a light tagboard - not too stiff and not too thin. Homemakers originally would make the paper shapes out of old newspapers and would leave the papers in the quilt. Now you can buy precut papers. You will also need fabric - 100% cotton is best. You will need a needle and thread. I prefer to use a Straw Needle - the thinnest one I can find and The Bottom Line Thread. The needle will allow you to get the smallest stitches and the thread is thin, allowing it to pretty much sink into the fabric. If done correctly the front of your quilt should look as though it was machine pieced.
For regular piecing accurate quarter inch seams are critical but you do not need to have an accurate seam allowance with this method so it is a good project for a beginner. You cut your fabric at least a half inch larger than the paper piece and pin. Then you will fold the fabric over the paper and baste. You take two of these basted pieces and put them right sides together. With needle and thread you will now whipstitch the pieces, just catching the very edge of the folds. You will want to use the paper to feel with your needle so as to not sew through the paper. Continue on with more pieces until you have a bunch pieced together. Once a piece has been sewn on all sides with more pieces, you can take out the basting stitches and pop out the paper. Another advantage to paper piecing is that it makes an excellent take-along project - perfect for those times you need to wait - at the dr's office, your children's sports practicing, waiting to pick the kids up from school. Before long you have pieced a very nice quilt top! You are now ready to sandwich your layers and quilt. |
http://www.paperpieces.com
This quilt has been hand pieced using this technique. It has a top border which has been hand appliqued.
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http://betheirene.qondio.com/
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