This method of making patchwork was until the late 1970s the main method of piecing patchwork quilts and other items in the UK. Quite often even now when someone says they are doing patchwork, the method they use is English paper piecing. This technique was taught in most patchwork books published in the UK from the late 19th/early 20th century right through to around 1980, when more varied techniques became popular due to the quilt shops stocking a wider variety of materials, books and patterns.
What is English Paper Piecing?
English paper piecing is fairly slow but very accurate. A paper template is cut, over which the fabric piece is basted, and once enough pieces are ready to be sewn together they can be pressed and then joined with a fine hem stitch. This can be done on the sewing machine but is more usually done by hand.
This method of doing patchwork is ideal for "fussy cut" patches in which a window template is placed over the section of pattern on the fabric that the quilter wishes to use in her quilt. Several patches fussy cut from the same piece of fabric can be used to create additional patterning within the patchwork besides that formed by the pieces themselves.
Pros of English Paper Piecing
- It's extremely accurate and therefore it is easy for a novice to get the pieces to match up against one another.
- It's very portable.
- The use of a window template means that the smallest scrap of fabric can be used; thus it is extremely economical.
- The seams are very strong, especially if sewing without using knots.
Cons of English Paper Piecing
- It involves sewing entirely by hand.
- Because of the extra step of basting the fabric over the paper template it can be quite slow.
- The papers in the patchwork can make it heavy once it gets bigger, especially if a large quilt is being made.
- Removing the papers can be tiresome.
Excellent for Complex Shapes
English paper piecing can produce spectacular results and is ideal for sewing long diamonds with 45-degree points, wide diamonds with 60-degree points and hexagon patterns. It's particularly good when the pattern has a lot of inset seam points as the needleworker will not have the problem of having to end the seam exactly in a particular position in order to avoid the next seam being off target. The needleworker sewing with English Paper Piecing can just fold the patchwork over and continue with no worries.
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