Washable Papers

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Cindy Abdoo

This is such a great product that I can’t believe I missed it – or all of the different ways I can incorporate it into my projects! Helen Stubbings of Hugs ‘n Kisses has thought of everything!

Helen Stubbins says: Applique paper is a revolutionary product to use for perfect turned edge Applique. It is semi water soluble, semi transparent, has a light fusible on one side and can be used in many techniques. Use for: Glue stick applique, needle turn applique, English paper piecing, foundation paper piecing and as a temporary stabilizer.

How great is this for labeling your quilts? I cut out a heart and ironed it to the wrong side of a fabric. I used a glue stick to turn the outside edges. Then I used a pigma pen to do the labeling and stitched it to the back of the quilt! Done!

It is pliant right out of the package but maintains its shape when the glue is applied. Helen of Hugs and Kisses is also known for her English paper-piecing so she also offers several sizes of hexagons, etc. so you don’t have to cut them – or remove the templates later!

These pre-cut shapes are available in hexagons, circles, clamshells, diamonds, and every other shape you can imagine! Visit our website to see all of the available shapes and sizes

Hugs ‘n Kisses!!

Stitchy Sticks

Posted on December 3, 2021 by Penny Haren

The Stitchy Sticks 3-piece Set from The Gypsy Quilter® has 6 main features to aid in general sewing and quilting, hand and machine appliqué, fabric turning, English paper-piecing and vinyl crafting, stuffing and more.

1. Stiletto: Use it to guide fabric while at the sewing machine- to keep fingers a safe distance away from the sewing machine needle. Gently guide fabric through the presser foot when sewing both straight and curved seams. Keep fingers safe from the heat of a hot iron. Poke out corners of sewn fabric. Push stuffing into tiny spaces. Hold small seam allowances in place while under-stitching. Precisely place layers of fabric and line up edges.

2. Blunted Ball Tip: Use to position template pieces or small pieces of fabric at the iron, rather than using your finger. Use in combination with the turning tube to turn fabric. Use to turn straight sides of appliques.

3. Tapered Finger: Use to assist in opening seams. Use to finger press seams. Use to wrap fabric around templates. Assists in specific placement of applique. Use to hold glued pieces in place.

4. Spatula: Use to pry starched fabric or fused fabric off the pressing surface. Use to score release papers when working with Fusible interfacing and stabilizers. Use to remove English Paper- Piecing papers, foundation papers or other backing papers after stitching is complete.

5. Turning Tube- To assist in turning fabric when paired with the blunt ball tip.

6. Body of the tools- the squared handle measures 1/4 inch on each side. Use a pencil to draw a 1/4 inch seam allowance beyond the edge of the template. The flat sides stop the tools from rolling off the working surface.

These are the perfect tools to use to give your sewing and quilting projects that professional look. They are in stock now and would make a great gift! Watch a video here: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO3sQk_BAcs

New from Crabapple Hill

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Penny Haren

Hand embroidery and English Paper-Piecing are the perfect marriage – handwork at its best! Now Meg Hawkey of Crabapple Hill has designed two projects around these two favorites!

The Mystery of Enchanted Hollow is a 9 month Block of the Month series. It start off with the pattern for your first stitchery, directions for English Paper Piecing the stitchery “frames”, and instructions for a pieced mystery block or 2. The quilt assembly pattern will be included with the final stitched block, when the mystery will be solved! The quilt measures 64 1/2″ x 76 1/2″.

The Mystery of Enchanted Hollow 1 Black Cat

Then there is Winter Garden…in Meg’s words….

There’s nothing as full of hope for the future than a garden waiting beneath the snow. It’s time for seed catalogs and pages full of plans for Spring! This contains a tiny bit of colored pencil tinting, dainty little embroideries, some English Paper Piecing, and a bit of easy piecing. You’ll have so much fun stitching the fir boughs!

The detail of the embroidery and the soft colors in the English Paper-Pieced frames are so stunning, I had to show you a sample that highlights the details.

And then there is Daffodil Parade – her newest installment in the Vintage Truck pattern series. March’s flower is the daffodil. This 15-1/2” x 30-1/2” wallhanging doesn’t only have daffodils on the embroidered design… the pieced star blocks look like daffodils too!

All of these patterns are due to arrive this month so place your orders now!

Eppiflex for English Paper-Piecing

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Penny Haren

These laser cut mylar templates are the perfect companion for those English paper-piecing fans! The mylar templates are heat resistant and durable. They can be used again and again.

The The Quilting Patch offers 119 different sets!

These templates are flexible so they bend when you need them. And they are transparent so you can fussy cut the fabric designs. Use the glue method like me? No problem! Glue away and when you are done, put them in a mesh bag and wash them in the washer!

They come in a multitude of same shape packages but also come in kits. A Twist in Time, for instance includes all of the shapes to make this gorgeous wall hanging!

They even offer kits for the Lucy Boston – Patchwork of the Crosses quilt. Separate kits are available for the border units.

The Lucy Boston Patchwork of the crosses templates also come in 1 1/4″ and for those miniaturists out there – 1/2 inch.

We have several of the templates in stock but our buyer did not order all 118! She needs your help in determining which ones you prefer so order them now!

Wash Out Applique Paper

Posted on December 29, 2018 by Penny Haren

This applique paper by Helen Stubbins of Hugs’ n Kisses is a great demo product!

This fusible paper comes in 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheets and can be run through a printer. Fuse it to the wrong side of the fabric; cut the fabric 1/4 inch away and turn. When the project is washed, the paper dissolves and leaves a thin, pliant film.

The best part? This paper is also available in shapes that are already cut to the most popular sizes….

including the shapes required for the Lucy Boston quilt.

A new product is your new best friend when doing an English paper-piecing project. SewTites are magnets that hold the two pieces together while piecing so there is no shifting! They come in packages of three so they are the perfect addition to your demo!

Why not set up a display with samples so your customers can see how easy this is? Be sure to include fabrics that would be perfect choices for a Grandmother’s flower garden or Lucy Boston quilt!

Add this to your Bucket List

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Penny Haren

I have literally traveled from coast to coast in the last few months – and saw women working on this quilt on both sides of the country. Slowly but surely the Lucy Boston Patchwork of the Crosses quilt is quickly becoming the next Dear Jane – a quilt on every serious quilter’s bucket list!

Item #POTC Retail $19.95

But who was Lucy Boston? The back story to this quilt makes it irresistible! Lucy was an English author who lived at Hemingford Grey. You can tour the manor today. These pictures are from their website:

The Manor is moated and is famous for its gardens that spread over four acres. Lucy wrote a series of children’s books based on this house – known as Green Knowe in her books. The books were illustrated by her son and include furniture, toys etc. that are still there today. Here is a picture of the quilt in the home.

Lucy created her quilt in the 1950’s. It is a large quilt for that time – almost queen sized.

There are LOTS of pictures on line of blocks that quilters have created for their quilts. The blocks are created with a honeycomb English paper-piecing technique. Fussy cutting the shapes makes every block a work of art!

These blocks were done by Paula Barnes…

Sue Daley of Patchwork with Busy Fingers has honeycomb shapes for the honeycomb English paper-piecing.

Item #ELOHEX01 Retail $5.60

These blocks are beautiful in stripes, plaids, directional prints – in short, all of the fabrics that are gorgeous but difficult to incorporate into a traditional pattern. Why not start a group in your shop today???

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Category Archives: English Paper Piecing