Читать книгу Hexagon Star Quilts - Cathy Perlmutter - Страница 10

INTRODUCTION

Everyone Loves Stars!

Quilted stars are beautiful and impressive, but piecing them can be quite a challenge. Conventional piecing requires precision, and Y seams are an ordeal.

That’s where English paper piecing, or EPP, comes in. This seventeenth-century British technique makes creating stars much easier. There’s less math, and Y seams are a breeze. Imperfect seam allowances are a nonissue.

And even if you want to pin, you can’t!

Throughout this book, I’ll feature stars inside hexagons. Hexagons and other shapes made up of 60-degee angles create fascinating optical illusions of depth, and they fit together in wondrous ways.

How to Use This Book

This book is an excellent resource for all quilters, regardless of their experience and skill level in EPP. Newcomers to EPP will find a wealth of information needed to begin to learn the craft. The project on page is an easy first EPP project that will leave you excited for more. More experienced EPP quilters will be able to build their knowledge of the craft, and use the star patterns I provide (starting on page) for future quilt projects. Quilt teachers will find this book a great way to teach their students the fundamentals of EPP and how to create vivid hexagon star projects.

When copied and printed, each hexagon in this book measures 6" (15.25cm) across from tip to opposite tip and each side is 3" (7.6cm). If you like, you can increase the size, but I wouldn’t make them smaller because some stars already have tiny pieces. All of the hexagon patterns have been numbered from 1 to 113 (see pages) and are referred to this way throughout the book.

There are seven projects in the book (see page), and there’s also information to help you design your own project (see page). A single finished block can be appliquéd to make a place mat, tote bag, pillow, sweatshirt, or the like. Groups can be appliquéd or pieced with other stars and shapes to make quilts of all sizes. You can work on a quilt as a group project with your quilting group or some friends, each making a few stars to add to the finished project.

If you’re new to EPP, start with the simpler stars that have relatively few, large pieces. Work your way up to the more complex stars. With each block you create, you’ll strengthen your EPP skills. The stars below demonstrate the difficulty levels of the stars in this book, from easy to complex. The simple star (on the far left) has six pieces to cut and sew together, the intermediate star (in the middle) has thirteen pieces, and the difficult star (on the far right) has twenty-four pieces.

Star 1, page;Star 10, page;Star 95, page.

English Paper Piecing Supplies

Here are some basic supplies for EPP. Even though I share the brands I use, you can always switch them out for others you may prefer.

 Thread: When doing EPP by hand, I usually use a medium value neutral-color thread, like gray. For hand sewing, any strong, quality thread will work, but I especially like Superior Threads Bottom Line or Wonderfil Invisafil™, which are thin, don’t twist, and knot less than regular thread.

For machine sewing, I also like Bottom Line or InvisaFil™. You can also choose “invisible” polyester or nylon monofilament thread; it shows the least, but does create a shine. Bobbin thread should match the color of the top thread or the fabric. If you put “invisible” thread in a bobbin, wind it no more than halfway—otherwise, it can break bobbins. If you want to advertise the stitching, use a decorative thread and stitch.

 Glue stick or pen: Glue pens are found in the notions or quilting section of fabric stores (and online, of course). There are several different brands—the one in the photo is my Fons & Porter pen—but they all work the same way. These pen-sized devices hold a small tube-shaped cartridge of glue. The tip is significantly narrower than a regular glue stick—only about a ¼" (0.64cm) across. That means when you use a pen to apply glue, much less of it will wind up where you don’t want it, such as on your table, ironing board, cardstock, or fingers.

You only have to buy the pen once (it runs around $10), but you will go through glue cartridges pretty quickly. The cartridges—each is it its own lidded plastic container—run around $1.50–$3.00 each. For a large quilt, you’re going to need lots of them, so buy a multi-pack! I like using my glue pen when I’m travelling, because there’s less mess and less need for hand wipes.

A regular school glue stick is less expensive and holds everything down just as well as the glue pen, but more of the glue will go where you don’t want. So, with a regular stick, it’s a good idea to lay down a piece of parchment paper or other protection for the table or ironing board underneath the fabric and cardstock template you’re basting.

Although there’s more glue in a stick than in a pen cartridge, if you’re embarking on a large project, you should still buy a pack of a half-dozen school glue sticks to start with—they disappear more quickly than you may think.

 Cardstock printer paper: To print templates, standard 65-lb. cardstock works fine. If your printer won’t take cardstock, print the pattern onto paper and glue the paper to cardstock (see description on page).

 Slender, strong hand-sewing needles: I tend to grab any slender needle that’s handy. My favorite for EPP is Hemmings size 11 milliners.

 A sharp, new machine needle: This allows you to make inconspicuous holes while sewing. A 70/ 10 Microtex (sharp) works well.

 Scissors: Have one pair for fabric, plus another pair for paper/cardstock (paper dulls the blades).

 Embossing stylus: It’s not mandatory, but this pencil-sized tool (below) does a great job breaking through glue on cardstock template and prying them out, with minimal risk of poking through fabric. The ball should be at least ⅝" to ¾" (1.5 to 2cm). The one I use is from the Royal & Langnickel Brush Embossing Set, and something similar is in the Artminds™ Embossing Stylus Tool Set. Use a plumper end.

 Magnifying eyeglasses: You need to see exactly what you’re doing. I love my MagEyes® headgear.

 Quality sewing machine and high-visibility zigzag foot: Your machine should function well at slow speeds. The zigzag stitch should be reliable (no skips), and it should handle monofilament thread in the bobbin and top if that’s the thread you like. The foot should also give you a clear view of the edges running underneath it (I prefer an open-toe appliqué foot). If you don’t have all of these things, your blocks may wind up a mess. Trust me—I know this from experience.

 Awl: This item is also called a “needle-pointed hobby awl.” Mine is metal and pencil sized. It helps arrange and rearrange tails as blocks move through the machine.

 Tweezers or a curved hemostat: Optional; I sometimes need these to pull cardstock templates out of sharp points and other reluctant regions. A long curved hemostat is ideal.

 Décor Bond® interfacing: Optional; for machine EPP only. It stays in place permanently. If you go this route, you won’t need to pull out templates, you don’t need the hemostat or embossing stylus, and you can sew with a longer stitch.