Honeycomb Stitch-Along / English Paper Piecing

This post is part of the Honeycomb Stitch-Along. For more information, make sure to check out the complete schedule here.

Welcome to the first tutorial of the Honeycomb Stitch-along! I hope your needles are sharp and ready to go. ; ) Today I'll be going over my favorite method for English Paper Piecing (EPP) hexies. I've included links to the templates we'll be working with below. You may chose to purchase prepared templates instead of printing and cutting your own. You can find the sizes you will need for your  particular project also listed below.

There are actually many different techniques for EPP, so if you have another method that you prefer to use instead, feel free to go for it. If you are wanting to know more about EPP and working with hexies, there are many great resources available in addition to this tutorial to help get you started. I've listed a few of my favorites here (at the bottom of the page).

English Paper Piecing (EPP) Hexies

Fabric Pieces Needed (refer to the cutting instructions here):

• 18" Pillow - (6)- 4" x 3.5" and (4)- 4" x 5" pieces (10 total)
• 20" Pillow - (6)- 4" x 5" and (4)- 6" x 5" pieces (10 total)
• 24" Pillow - (6)-  6" x 5" and (4)- 6" x 7" pieces (10 total)

Notions and Supplies:

• Hexi templates (Note: Print at 100% with no scaling)
• 18" Pillow / 1.50 inches & 1.75 inches
• 20" Pillow / 1.75 inches & 2.25 inches
• 24" Pillow / 2.25 inches & 3.00 inches
• Washable glue pen (I use Sewline) or pins
• Basting thread
• Coordinating sewing thread
• Sharp hand sewing needle
• Thread wax or conditioner (optional)

Directions:

(1) Begin by printing and cutting out the paper templates that correspond to your project size. I like to use coverstock to print my paper pieces since it's a little sturdier than regular copier paper. If you are brand new to English Paper Piecing (EPP) the extra sturdiness of the coverstock will make it much easier to baste your hexies.

(2) Then grab the fabric pieces you will need (measurements indicated above) and divide your paper templates and fabric pieces into two stacks, pairing the larger templates with the larger fabric pieces and smaller templates with the smaller fabric pieces.

(3) Starting with one paired template and fabric piece, secure the center of your template to the fabric using a swipe of glue or a pin, making sure there is at least a generous 1/4" to 3/8" of extra fabric all around the outside of the template. Then trim the fabric to fit the shape of the hexagon, leaving a generous 1/4"to 3/8" all around (this is essentially your seam allowance).

(4) Next, grab your basting thread and your hand sewing needle. It works best if your basting thread contrasts slightly with the fabric you are using to make removing the stitches easier later in the process. Knot the end of your thread and bring your needle up through the middle of one of the sides of the hexi, front to back, folding the fabric over as you go while stitching through both the paper and fabric together. You will begin moving clockwise around the hexi, wrapping the corners carefully (almost like a present), and securing each corner with a stitch as shown, stitching through both the fabric and the paper each time. I also like to make an additional stitch in the center of each side (like how we started) if the hexi shape is larger than 1", as our templates are. 

This is what the back of your hexi will look like when completely basted (see last pic below).

     

(5) And this is what the front of your hexi will look like when completely basted. Give it a nice press with a spray of starch if you have some on hand.

(6) Repeat steps 3- 5 with each fabric and template pair in your stacks. You will end up with 6 smaller hexies and 4 larger ones.

(7) Next you'll begin stitching your hexies together into groupings of three using a whipstitch. Refer to the image below as your guide when matching the hexies into groups, paying careful attention to the placement of the larger and smaller hexies. You can also come up with your own groupings if you prefer a different placement. 

(8) To begin sewing these together, grab one grouping of  hexies and your coordinating thread. This time you want your stitches to blend in as much as possible, so choose a thread color that closely matches the fabrics you are using. When working with the warmer colors from the Honey, Honey collection, I used a light orange colored thread to coordinate. I also recommend using a thread wax or conditioner (such as Thread Heaven) to help prevent tangles and knots as you stitch your hexies together.

(9) Place two hexies together, right sides facing, and turn to the top the seam you would like to stitch. Knot the end of your thread and insert your needle into the corner of your hexies, making sure to grab only a few threads and to NOT stitch the paper (you can feel when you hit it usually).

(10) Using a whipstich, stitch along the seam, making sure that with each stitch you only grab a few threads and that you do not stitch through the paper.

(11) When you are finished with the seam, knot the end and bring your thread back through under the flap of fabric on the back of the hexie about an inch or so before clipping the thread. This will leave a tail that will help keep your stitches from inadvertently unraveling later on. It's like a little extra insurance for your knot.

(12) To add the third hexie to each grouping, you will continue to use this same technique. When you stitch a hexi to two other hexies that are already sewn together to form a tight grouping of three, you may need to fold one of those hexies in half to make sure the seams match-up, but don't worry, the fabric will snap back into shape once you're done (see above). To ensure that all your seams will line up and everything will lay flat when done, make sure the center points come together as tightly as possible in the middle. Then insert your needle as close to that central junction as possible, whipstitching outward to sew the final seam.

(13) This is what your seams will look like when you flatten out your hexies and give them a final press. See how the stitches disappear and the points line up? This means that everything will be good to go for appliqué. : )

I hope this tutorial was clear and full of helpful EPP tips, but if you do feel confused or have any questions as you go along, please don't hesitate to leave me a comment below. : ) Next week we'll be covering hand appliqué with the hexie shapes. Happy stitching and I'll see you then!