Hi friends!
Today in our A Quilter’s alphabet series, Tammy and I are exploring the letter E. For me, E is for English Paper Piecing, Equilateral Triangle and Estimated Fabric. Let’s get started!
English Paper Piecing
English Paper Piecing, or EPP, generally refers to a hand piecing method of stitching precut shapes together. The most common shape seen is a hexagon often used to make a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt.
While hexagons can be pieced using traditional machine methods (or traditional hand sewing methods) it is easier when using the EPP method. And you can use this method for all sorts of shapes in all sorts of sizes!
The paper templates are the exact size of the finished piece and then used as a guide to cut the fabric. Pieces are basted to a paper template.
Then the pieces are stitched together using a whip stitch.
Once the pieces have been sewn together, the paper templates are removed.
Equilateral Triangle
An equilateral triangle is one where all 3 angles are 60°. So all 3 sides of the triangle are the same.
Side note: put 6 equilateral triangles together and you have a hexagon!
Knowing the angle of a triangle is important; I designed a quilt using a triangle shape that was NOT an equilateral triangle but cut my pieces using a 60° ruler and wondered why my quilt was not the size I thought it should be!!!
Estimated Fabric
Estimated fabric is what quilt pattern designers do all the time; they determining about how much fabric is needed to make a project!
Most of us use 40″ for the width of the fabric even though some fabrics are longer. This way, we can ensure you don’t run short!
To see how I calculate fabric amounts for my patterns, go to this blog post!
Tammy has even more letter E quilting terms for you so you will want to click here to go to her post.
Tell me, have you done a lot of English Paper Piecing? I keep buying patterns, templates, kits but I am not making them. Sigh.
Maybe that should go on my To Do list!
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happy quilting!
Kate
Did you miss any of the earlier a Quilter’s Alphabet posts? Click for letter D, letter C, letter B or letter A!
I’m working on a great EPP project currently. It’s the project I work on when I go home to take care of my elderly mom for a couple times a month. It’s from Jodi’s Tales of Cloth and they are hearts. I have about 75 hearts made already and I need over 200. It’s the perfect project to do while taking care of mom.
Kathleen,
What a great idea! How perfect to have a take along project like that. I haven’t seen EPP hearts; can’t wait to see it done!
Thank you Kate and Tammy! I have enjoyed this alphabet series.
Patti,
Thanks for letting us know you are enjoying the posts! I appreciate it.