Smitten Quilt - My English Paper Piecing Adventure - Part 4

Time to prep some more hexes for my Smitten.

When I first started this Smitten way back in March - Fussy cutting wasn't really a thought for how I wanted to create my Hexies.  I purchased Fat 1/16ths for this quilt and of course this meant that the pieces were not big enough for fussy cutting.

However as I continued on I knew that I had to add some Fussy Cutting in somewhere in my quilt.  I raided my stash and found some fabrics that would just be perfect for fussy cutting with pattern repeats and large enough pieces to cut out large holes into the fabric to make these hexies.

With some careful cutting and stitching I am stoked with how these fussy cut hexes turned out and can't wait to add them in.

Heading towards the home stretch for the piecing for this Quilt - these Small Hexagons took a little time to cut and piece with the size of the smaller diamonds and triangles that make these up.

These hexes came together really quickly with only three diamonds per hexagon.

With all the small hexagons complete it was time to hand stitch them together to make them into Large Hexagons.  After some sorting, arranging and cutting of certain prints and fabrics to make each hexagon the right colour way I have made great progress on these Large Hexagons.

Each one I make becomes my new favourite.  So close to having these all pieced.

Happy Sewing

Jemima x

Smitten Quilt - My English Paper Piecing Adventure - Part 4

Now that all my larger Hexes are finished it is time to get well and truly stuck into the smaller sized Hexes for this Smitten Quilt.

One of the questions I have been asked about my hand sewing is What type of stitch and what equipment for stitching are you using.  I am using Aurifil 50wt thread in both #2024 and #4060.  Both of these threads are the only two I am using.  I love the white and especially the grey variegated as this works well across the darker colours.  I am also using Clover needles (Appliqué Sharps size 9) - these are nice and thin and glide so well through the pieces as I go.  I am using a small Whip Stitch to create each seam.

When I went earlier this year and picked all the fabrics for this project from Amitie Textiles I did not at think about fussy cutting the Hexes so I only purchased Fat 1/16ths for this project.  Which was great as it gave me the variety I wanted in colours and prints but I wish I had of realised that fussy cutting would have suited this project so well as I would have bought some larger pieces of fabrics that would look magical having been fussy cut.  Oh well - next time.

These are all such fun to make, although I do love some more than others.

Jemima x 

Smitten Quilt - My English Paper Piecing Adventure. Part 2

Well and truly Smitten! I am just loving this quilt and deciding each and every piece that will make up each hexagon.  It took me quite a long time to decide whether I was going to Machine piece or English Paper Piece this project and I am glad I decided on EPP.

To hand sew my shapes I like to use Aurifil #2021 in 50wt.  This is nice and fine and perfect to make the tiny stitches.  I also love to baste my Hexagons with a Sue Daley Glue Pen.

There are now full kits available from Sue Daley Designs for the Smitten Quilt with all the pre-cut papers and acrylic templates you will need to make each of the Hexagons if you are planning on sewing yours also using the English Paper Piecing method.

If you have been thinking of starting a Smitten Quilt - do it!  You will love it no matter whether you sew it on the machine or by hand.  If you have any questions as well as to how mine has been sewn - ask away.

Jemima x