5 ways to stitch English Paper Pieced blocks together
If you’re interested in the paper pieces I use in these videos, you can find them in my resource library.
1) Whip Stitch
This is the stitch I learned for piecing together English Paper Pieces; they’re quick and easy to put together, but they’ll show up on the wrong side, especially with thin fabrics and contrast thread.
2) Ladder Stitch
It’s invisible, and once you get the hang of it, it’s as quick as the whip stitch. It’s my new favorite stitch for EPP these days!
3) Flat-back Stitch
A flat-back stitch is another invisible-to-the-front stitch for piecing together EPPs; you’ll need to piece them flat as they would be finished for this stitch; Karen’s tutorial has a great tutorial for this type of stitch.
4) Feather Stitch
Pat Bravo has a video that shows you how to do an invisible stitch. It’s a little more complicated than I expected, but the end result is a pretty strong stitch that’s also very satisfying to work with (at least in my opinion).
5) Machine Zig-Zag Stitch
With a fine zigzag stitch on the sewing machine, machine stitch is a great way to finish an EPP block, and you can mix it up by trying other fancy stitches that you probably don’t use on your machine and still get a super fast finish.
If you do, let me know how did you go and how you like it. Everyone will have their own of preference, I prefer the ladder stitch, but whip stitching is faster for me because I have had more practice with that.
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Can you machine sew English paper piecing?
And, because Katja is so good at math, sewing, and figuring out the steps for you, she’s made it so you can make Dresden blocks as wellu2014and you can sew them by hand or machine.
What kind of thread do you use for English paper piecing?
You may have heard of WonderFil’s InvisaFil thread, which allows paper piecers to have the tightest, flattest seams possible. It’s a 100wt thread, which means it’s incredibly fine.
Do you remove the paper in English paper piecing?
Don’t worry about the paper; once you’ve sewn around all of the sides of the fabric piece, you can remove the papers and reuse them. EPP can be used in quilts, cushions, bag design, purses, and a variety of other beautiful sewing projects.
What is the difference between paper piecing and English paper piecing?
In a nutshell, English Paper Piecing is a hand-sewing method used in traditional patchwork and quilting, whereas Foundation Paper Piecing is a machine-sewing method in which the pattern, usually a whole block, is drafted directly on a sheet of foundation paper (or muslin fabric).
What weight is bottom line thread?
Bottom Line is a 60 wt./2-ply polyester bobbin thread with a fine diameter that helps it blend well and a filament construction that makes it extremely smooth, allowing it to glide through fabric when stitched.
Why is it called English paper piecing?
The most recognizable of all EPP patterns, the Grandmother’s Flower Garden rose to popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, most likely because it can be made easily with scraps, which was critical during the Depression.