Quick question...does it matter what sort of paper you use for making the hexagons?

You want something thicker than copy paper, almost the thickness of a manilla folder. It has to hold up to be tugged on while basting and sewing them together.

I asked a friend a bit ago and she said she uses freezer paper. I'm thinking the folder paper is a little harder to take out once your done no?

Really the firmer the paper the easier it is to take out. A friend showed me the way sew the hexes together without paper and no whip stitching. It's a real time saver, no paper and no basting. I guess it's the old method of doing it but it was new to me.

I have used heavier copy paper and it worked just fine.

where do you find heavier copy paper? is it similar to a lighter weight card stock?

Bellaboo do you want to share what method that is with no paper, no basting?

Yes Bellaboo, share that little timesaver please.

at one time ...someone posted that they use the little cards from the magazines that always fall into your lap when you open the magazine. They said that they were able to use them several times and never run out. Hope that my 2 cents helps.

I paper piece (though since joining here am getting brave and now using my machine) and have used quite successfully all manner of things; copy paper, old christmas/birthday cards, bits of junk mail (like tigger5464 mentioned). All work quite well...just make sure if they have any colour or writing the colour is stable, you dont wan't it rubbing off on your fabric.

I grew up in England and as a young girl paper pieced with my grandmother using old cereal boxes as templates. It worked well!

Funnily enough I was at a meeting this week where one of the ladies brought in a EPP Grandmothers quilt which had been pieced using old letters & the envelopes dating back to 1891. The reverse was as interesting as the front.

Tisha

Personally I have used graph paper which as someone else suggested is slightly heavier. Good Luck which ever paper you decide upon. :D

Update....I decided to use what I had on hand and am using freezer paper and iron it on each hexagon. So far its working out...it doesn't shift or anything. I am not going to do a whole quilt in this way but rather make individual "flowers" from them and applique them to a block. My next question would be..how would I remove the paper from the outer most hexagons without it losing its shape...or do I applique it with the paper in the outer ones?

Don't remove the papers 'til you are ready to applique. I starch my fabric and lightly press, haven't had any problems with the outside losing shape (but do pin and tack...a lot). I know some very old quilts have been put together with the papers in, but I don't think I would risk it. When washed the paper could get pretty revolting and maybe clump or somehow spoil the design or compromise the fabric. This is how I was taught, so this is how I have continued, would be interesting to see if others do it differently.

Pretty please, tell us - - -

Yes, would you please tell us how to do it?..It sounds much faster and easier. I'd like to make a GFG, but haven't because of the time it takes. Thank you.

Help!!!!!!! I hit the little icon on the bottom left of the page to see what it would do, and now I've got UNWATCH THIS TOPIC. How do I undo it? I WANT notifications.. :) Thank you.

Thanks for sharing on this topic. I use a lot of the stuff that comes in the mail and is essentially junk. I recycle everything I can.

I do hope that Bella boo will share with all of us, the old technique, always
interested to learn new ways of doing things.

I'll try to explain. Put two hexes together right sides together and hand sew them together starting 1/4 from edge and stopping 1/4 from end. One of the hexes will be the center of the flower. Open it up and add another hex to one side, start 1/4 from edge. Sew the second side to the center hex. Continue around. I'm sure there must be a website with this method somewhere. I'll look. I don't have anyone here to take pictures of me demoing this. When my DD comes home I'll post pics.

You can buy the templates online at:

http://www.paperpieces.com/

They're not very expensive and save a lot of time. They also have quite an assortment of other shapes besides hexagons. Their catalog is just the best----lots of pictures and ideas of projects to make.....thinking about it just makes me want to grab my needle and thread and little hexies.

(Can't you tell I'm in love with English Paper Piecing? If I ever finish the runner I'm working on, I'll post a picture. It makes me appreciate all of those quilters who prefer handwork to that quick machine stitching.......)

I use regular copier paper for EPP.

Jan

So you do it the same way as this tute, only hand sewing them? do you mark your 1/4" seam lines or just eyeball them?

http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/3419.page

In other words, you are cutting your hexes out to size and then just hand piecing them together without templates. Makes sence to me, one step omitted that way, as long as you cut your hezes out correctly. To help know where to start and stop, I'll use Jinny Beyer's perfect piecer. I love it for marking where to stitch when hand piecing. Thanks a lot. :)

Please, pleas, pretty please do tell us your way. :-D