Easier Than Pie and Easier Than Pie and Beyond!

At last the promised booklets are now available! The first, Easier Than Pie discusses English Paper Piecing (EPP). I've provided the basics of EPP techniques that work for me. I've included information about making homemade tools to make the job easier, fabric cutting, fussy cutting, basting, piecing and assembling.

The second booklet is titled Easier Than Pie and Beyond - Where Foundation Piecing Meets English Paper Piecing. Again I've provided the basics of how I foundation piece my hexagons. This booklet is a follow up to Easier Than Pie.

Both booklets are under a new tab, English Paper Piecing & Hexagon Fun. I'll also post other tutorials that I've published and I'll add links to my posts with hexagon and English paper piecing how-tos!

In addition to the booklets I've also posted Master Hexagon Templates in three sizes, 1/2", 3/4" and 1".

You may have to resize them to get an accurate measurement. In addition there are lots of places on the internet where you can find free templates.  The hexagon size is based on the length of each side, not the width or height of the hexagon.  I like to use these masters for my hexagon projects for a variety of reasons:

• it is inexpensive. You can purchase precuts however if you need thousands of them it can get pricey;
• when I don't feel like sewing I'll spend some time cutting hexagons and then I just store them in a zip lock bag;
• I've always got them on hand;
• I can resize the Master Hexagon Templates if I need an odd size and then that resized Master becomes a new master from which I make more copies. I needed hexagons that were larger than 1/2" and smaller than 3/4" so I was able to resize to 5/8". It doesn't sound like much but when you start adding up all those 1/8" differences it adds up and can make a significant difference in the final size of the quilt.

I hope you like the booklets and that they will give you lots of ideas for creating some beautiful quilts. As always if you have a blog or website please feel free to link back to my blog so that these instructions can be shared with others. I put a lot of time and effort into them and ask that you give me credit and please don't take my work and reproduce it as your own!

So the brown border on Butterscotch Ripple is finished. All that was left was the creamy toffee inner border and I decided to go with figure 8s. I did the straight edge first and was very pleased with the effect.

I next worked on the uneven edge and it filled in nicely; I am happy with the effect. The figure 8 is so easy to doodle and it is just as easy to quilt. Best of all if the loops are uneven it really doesn't show. I just fill in a space freehand but if you want to try it and are nervous, draw a line with a fabric save marker through the centre. It will give you something to aim for so that the loops can be similar in size.

Here it is all quilted and waiting to be bound. I love the backing fabric.

Until I post again, happy sewing!