I know, you are saying what the heck is she talking about???? I had it in my head that there had to be washable paper/interfacing that could be used for paper piecing. Now, I love hand work but I don’t always have the time for it and sometimes you may still want that look.
I found this brand at our quilt show in October and made a sample pretty quickly. For some reason, I never wrote about it.
That being said, the process is easy and I would do it again. Hugs ‘N Kisses is the brand I used. It can be bought in sheets or there are precut paper pieces available in many sizes. It can be used by hand or machine, but I was so curious, I wanted to use it and wash it, so I opted to try a machine technique. One of my blog friends Roseanne, who blogs at Home Sewn By Us, said I should call it MPP – machine paper piecing – and I took her up on her suggestion.
I used the same project as I posted about earlier this year, Lucy Boston in Island Batiks. I used Superior MonoPoly on the top, and it worked very well. Now, I did feel that the pieces were a little less accurate than the ones I did by hand. Two reasons:
1) I printed on to the paper and cut out my templates – they weren’t so precise,
2) I did find it easier to push the edges in a bit – I would be more careful the next time.
Using the Fusible Appliqué Paper
1. I found a sheet of templates and printed that on to the Fusible Paper.
2. Cut out the templates
3. Press to the fabric.
4. Trim around the shape with 1/4″ seam allowance
5. Glue Baste to paper or hand baste if you prefer
6. Sew together
A. BY Machine with monofilament thread, with a narrow zig zag or
B. By hand using your favorite appliqué thread
6. Attach to backing
7. Quilt
I washed both pieces and honestly, there is some bulk left in the piece with the paper. Would I use it again? You bet. Why?
1. It is fast.
2. It is pliable
3. It looks very much like EPP (English Paper Piecing).
There are a few other brands out there, I do intend to try them in the fullness of time. I will count up the different ways I can do EPP – but I believe I have 3-4 different kinds of templates: plastic, paper, templates to rotary cut, templates to trace, and now the fusible! For me, it all depends on the look I am going for.
Machine and English Paper Piecing Products*
This is a great option, Kathleen. I’ve tried just a bit of EPP, but haven’t gotten fully on board yet. This would be helpful for those who like the look but don’t want to do the hand stitching. Thanks for sharing!
You will one day; it always seems to get you one way or another. I do like have alternative ways of doing these things – each way has its purpose.
I like that you experimented with this and I would love to read about how the other brands compare when you try them out.
Me too!! We’ll let you do all the work and experimenting. ~smile~ Roseanne
It was fun to do and I, too, look forward to testing some of the others
Hmmm, very interesting Kathleen! When you say they were less accurate because you printed them and cut them out – where is the downfall? Printing wasn’t correct? You didn’t carefully cut? Something else? Because that seems like it would be VERY accurate to me. Better than tracing by hand, anyway. I have some die cut thick-ish plastic templates for EPP. I didn’t know it was called EPP at the time (and maybe it wasn’t) but made a bunch of hexies, anyway. Then you could pull out the template, or leave it in until you joined them together, depending on how many of the templates you had. I never did anything with those hexies because that was the problem! I didn’t want another step to attach them to a background, so I have a hexie graveyard somewhere. Your MPP (you trendsetter, you!) sounds more up my alley – quicker, more accurate but a little bit fussy, too. I love that you love this technique and are enjoying it. And I’m glad you finally shared the news with us. ~smile~ Roseanne
I think the imprecise parts were all my fault – being in a hurry, forgetting kindergarten skills for cutting pieces next to one another, learning to use anew product. You will see more, I am sure.
I love this, Kathleen! I do enjoy EPP from time to time, but sometimes it’s nice to have an alternative. I think I will be trying this!!!
I love to have different ways of doing things in my tool box!