Flossie Teacakes' Guide to English Paper Piecing:
Exploring the Fussy-Cut World of Precision Patchwork
Exploring the Fussy-Cut World of Precision Patchwork
I thought it might be nice to mix things up today and feature this wonderful new addition to my quilt book library rather than a fabric stash addition. Flossie Teacakes' Guide to English Paper Piecing by Florence Knapp is specific to English Paper Piecing but if you enjoy stitching and have an appreciation for patchwork and quilting (or craft) in general, I think you will treasure this comprehensive guide as much as I do.
is specific to English Paper Piecing but if you enjoy stitching and have an appreciation for patchwork and quilting (or craft) in general, I think you will treasure this comprehensive guide as much as I do.
Click on any image for larger view.
More than a "how-to" resource book Flossie Teacakes' Guide to English Paper Piecing offers a softer, warmer approach, starting with a brief history of English Paper Piecing, exploring the the joy of working with our hands and the benefits for mind, body, and spirit, and a fascinating insight into the tenacity and grit required to complete long term projects (featuring the works Albert Small - whose first quilt contained 36,000+ hexagons and the patchworks of Lucy Boston).
The Quilts of Albert Small
Chapter 2 shines a spotlight on modern English paper piecers including the works of Linda White, Miss Leela, Dittany Matthews, Jodi Godfrey and Lorena Uriarte. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these women; what motivates and inspires them, and their approaches to handsewing, and I could immediately relate to the expressions of joy that English paper piecing brings to their life.
Elenor Jean quilt by Linda White
Sally Amberton's Hexagon Patchwork
Work in progress ~ Blissful Abandon by Lorena Uriarte
Chapter 3 and 4 explore the technique that is English paper piecing and all that this entails; from needles, thread, and paper pieces, to tessellating designs, templates, and of course the fabrics! This book is a comprehensive guide that covers the basics of EPP - like basting techniques, fussy cutting fabric, and wrapping different shapes - to less often covered topics, like how to wrap and sew curves, securing stitches, appliqueing EPP to a background fabric, and a excellent tip on how to tie your thread onto the needle so that you can stitch with a relaxed hand.
And last but not least Florence includes several original paper-pieced rosettes and quilt patterns to practice your EPP skills, to inspire, and to tempt you to play with geometric shapes.
Congratulations Florence on the release of this beautifully written and informative book! I have already spent several hours reading through the stories and studying the quilts that have brought countless hours of joy to the makers; inspiring me to continue to work on my English paper piecing projects and reminding me take time to reflect and sew slowly and purposefully.
Rita
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COPYRIGHT: Photos included in this blog post are my own photos taken of the book ~ Flossie Teacakes' Guide to English Paper Piecing. Photos are snippets only of the original images and are used with permission. Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.
Rita, Thanks for featuring a book instead of fabric for a change!
ReplyDeleteThis book looks beautiful. I have been following her blog for a long time and love doing EPP. The book is on my wish list. x
ReplyDeleteAmazing. I would love to do this.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am old and crippled from a broken hip, I will get all of my hand sewing adventures fulfilled. Right now.... all of this looks so absolutely beautiful and very very inspiring to me.
Happy Sunday Rita. It is going to be a zillion degrees today here in the middle east.... coast of the US haha
Thank you for your thoughtful book review Rita. I was tempted to purchase this book - now I'm done for :) Very special to see that some of our significant Australian makers are include in what will surely be a must-have reference. Ros x
ReplyDeleteI've just given up on a quilt using EPP - I'm no finishing it by hand. My hexies/hexies kept coming apart with the thread breaking despite two trying two difference needles and three different threads. I probably should have invested in this book first.
ReplyDeleteI love Florence's blog and plan to buy her book soon.
ReplyDelete