Grand Sac a Hexagones or Large Hexagon Purse

This pattern has been added to the products on my website for you to make. Its a good size for a workbag to hold all your patches and sewing tools. I will also make the metal frame and small pack of 1" hexagons available on my website soon.  Meantime, start sorting your fabric scraps...B

Tessellations II

Lee emailed to say that pattern piece "B" has been omitted from the pattern pieces on page 207.  Clever Lee also worked out that the missing piece is a 2 1/2" square to fit all the other pieces in  the puzzle!  No-one, however, has realized that the picture for this quilt is on it's side!! Not a problem really...
I should also mention that I paper-pieced my quilt and that I have pre-cut paper pieces available on my website for Tessellations I (this quilt's brighter version).  This quilt (T-II) uses the same pieces with the addition of some hexagons.

If you find any other errors in the book, please email me, so that I can fix them here and they can be corrected in the reprint later this year.
 

English Paper Piecing - 3 - Whipstitching

It helps to use a long needle. I use a number 9 milliner/straw needle which is sharp and easy to pull through.
To whipstitch (point de surjet in French), hold 2 hexagons together, right sides facing. Knot your thread and insert the needle under the fold so that it comes out on the corner. Sew straight across the edges. If you have difficulty pushing the needle through, or if you are catching the edge of the paper, your fabric is basted too tightly over the papers.
You can add a hexagon, and then run your needle back under the fabric to sew another side - see the steps of photos below.  Stitches are 1/16th" apart (2mm).

On the front the stitches appear straight across, and on the back they appear slanted - on these 5/8" hexagons there are 10 stitches, including the one on the end.  More stitches is not necessarily better - too many stitches can create a ridge and weaken the fabric.

English Paper Piecing - 2



Right-handers: 1 - Work in a clockwise direction. Fold the right side first

2 -  fold the left side

3 - Stitch through the fold, without going through the paper. Start with 2 stitches

4 - continue folding right hand first, pushing the fold under the left side.

5 - after the first corner, make one stitch only in each of the next 4 corners

6 - remember to push the right-hand fold under the left-hand fold

7 - the crossed-over thread holds the folds down - sewing in a clockwise direction 

8 - if you don't have nails to tuck the right fold under the left fold, use the tip of the needdle to push the fabric up.

9 - finish with 2 stitches across the last (6th) fold

10 - remember that the basting stays in your work (for eternity) so snip your thread just short of the edge, so that it does not show on the right side.

11 - this is what the basting looks like - stitch approximately in the middle of your turning so that the papers don't fall out as you are whip-stitching the hexagons together.