English Paper Piecing requires few essential tools which could be explained as one of the reasons for popularity. Paper templates, needles, thread, scissors and a thimble together with an assortment of fabrics will form the basis of your sewing workbox. Of course, today there are many new gadgets and handy tools to speed the process up and avoid unnecessary hard-labour and wasted fabric.
Organised EPP with our Jet Set Sewing Station, the perfect on-the-go workstation.
Essential English Paper Piecing Tools.
Needles are one of those hot-button topics that is always up for debate and very much dependant on the patchworkers preference. As well as becoming a source of pride for each quilter to have a favourite needle or brand. However, a rule of thumb is that your needle should be comparatively fine, according to the fabric you are using. A size 9 or 10 in a simple Sharp style is generally suitable for whip-stitching shapes together. The most popular needle style is a Milliners size 10 big-eye needle, these are characteristically long, which aids in hand fatigue and avoids cramping in the fingers. The double-edged sword is that while the length of the needle is easier to work with it is prone to bending given the nature in which you are using the needle, brushing it against paper templates continually – and given it’s incredibly fine, long length it is inevitable.
I have used this needle for many years and snapped one needle in all the packs I’ve used, and bent some after wear and tear – a big bend is usually the visual reminder to replace the needle for a fresh one with a sharp tip! For the past year I switched needles as I wanted a needle which was a little sturdier. So I sized down and now use the Milliners size 9 needle. It is a touch thicker, which I find makes all the difference, and longer in length. I’m really enjoying using it.
Conversely, some quilters prefer a Between style needle, being shorter than the ordinary Sharp, which should make them quicker to work and less liable to bend. I suggest an Appliqué needle to quilter’s who would like a fine needle, but not the length of a Milliners style – this would be the most accurate match for a general Sharpsneedle from the Tulip Hiroshima range.
Milliners size 10 BIG Eye needle = most popular for EPP. Long, thin.
Milliners size 9 needle = Jessie’s personal choice. Thicker and longer than the size 10.
Applique 10 needle = Equivalent to a Sharps needle. Thin, shorter than Milliners.
Betweens 10 needle = Very short, sharp, strong needles. Occasionally preferred for EPP.
Piecing 9 needle = Thickest of all styles, sharp tip, strong. Medium length. If you work the needle hard, often breaking or bending - this would be most suitable. If you thread-baste I would recommend this or the size 8 Piecing needle.
Thread used for whipstitching is similar to needle choice in that it should be comparatively fine according to the fabric being used, as well you must be able to thread through the eye of the needle comfortably. A 50-80wt thread is an ideal choice. A 50wt thread is a great all-rounder that will handle a multitude of fabric thicknesses, it’s the choice for machine piecing so it doubles it’s use too. However an 80wt thread is my go-to choice, if you are sewing with a lot of Liberty Tana Lawns or fine cotton fabrics, and a finer thread will always result in finer stitches. If you prefer invisible stitches I would recommend this one. It’s perfect for hand-appliqué so it doubles it’s usage also. Please note this fine thread would not be suitable for thread-basting, you would need a 50wt cotton for tacking fabric to paper templates.
Thimble choice is very much a personal one. However I have confidently recommended and put a lot of quilters onto the Colonial Leather Thimble Pads over the years. I can’t get used to the restricted feeling of a covered thimble, either full or half – and soon enough I’ll use a different finger which defeats the object of using it. I use the leather thimble pads to push the needle off from which helps to speed up the sewing and allows me to use some force without the sharpness of the needle prodding my finger. They have a slightly rough leather top, so unlike plastic or other thimble pad material which slide, they have some grip and can be reused many times over.
Paper Piecing Templates can be made at home by drawing out the shapes with a ruler, pencil and protractor and then cut-out with scissors. Alternatively, you can purchase pre-cut paper templates in a variety of shapes and sizes save you valuable time for the fun part – sewing! Paper templates are die-cut which ensures their accuracy and made from strong paper. When removed carefully from finished work, they can be reused many times over.
Glue Pen is an optional item but essential for most EPP’ers today (myself included!). The glue pen eliminates the need for thread basting, instead of tacking the fabric to the paper template - just swipe the glue pen to hold it in place. It dries clear and leaves no residue, so it’s an ideal companion. We have Sue Daley, the Australian quilter to thank for introducing us all to the Sewline Glue Pen many years ago! Glue refills are available and simply pop on, and then screwed down into place.
Cotton Fabric is the most suitable for English paper piecing, and the lasting quality will stand the test of time in years to come. In the past, the main source of supply for patchwork had been remnants leftover from furnishing and dressmaking, today there is a wealth of fabric available for today’s quilters. You can truly make it your own with your fabric choices, and how you go about using them.
Acrylic Templates are not essential but are used for cutting your fabrics to an accurate size. Each template is sized with an added seam allowance (at Sew and Quilt we use 3/8” as this is a touch larger than the traditional 1/4" seam allowance and allows you a little more fabric for turning over, which is needed on most shapes).
When purchasing acrylic templates to use alongside your paper pieces, select the same size; i.e. 1” Hexagon paper pieces and a 1” Hexagon acrylic template (we add the seam allowance to make ordering easier for you). Using acrylic templates alongside your paper pieces makes it possible to use up the smallest of fabric pieces and reduces waste. They also allow you to fussy-cut your fabric. Fussy-cutting is using a particular motif within a fabric, and repeating it within the formation of your patchwork for a geometric or enhanced effect.
Scissors are needed for cutting out your fabric pieces, a precision tip pair - the Karen Kay Buckley, Medium Perfect Scissors are a great pair for right-handers. I find works best for detailed cutting of shapes. If you are creating your own paper templates you will also need a separate pair for paper-cutting purposes. Don’t be tempted to cut paper with fabric scissors as they will blunt the blades.
Rotary Cutter, Cutting Mat and a Quilting Ruler are essential tools for general patchwork and quilting, and useful to have on hand for when sub-cutting fabrics into strips, squares and rectangles. If you are cutting many fabric pieces from one fabric, for example a garden path border for a hexagon quilt, it is much quicker and more accurate to cut strips and sub-cut down in that fashion than using scissors. For cutting small pieces or cutting around acrylic templates, a 28mm rotary cutter is ideal. A 45mm rotary cutter would be needed for cutting strips from yardage, along with a 6" x 24" quilting ruler.
A rotating cutting mat is popular for smaller patchwork, it allow you to rotary cut around acrylic templates and spin the mat as you go without needing to readjust your work. I have used the Fiskars Rotating 8" Square mat for many years and loved using it for EPP.
Essential tools for English Paper Piecing.
Clover Wonder Clips for holding quilt sections together.
Other helpful tools for English paper piecing include Clover Wonder Clips for holding large sections of a quilt top together, such as sewing long rows. It avoids strain being put on stitches while you work and unnecessary manual work propping up sections while sewing.
If you struggle to remove paper pieces when needed the Fiskars 1/4” Circle Punch will come in handy for you. Punch your paper templates near the centre of the shape and pop the paper template out with a crochet hook when you need to. Please note if you thread-baste your shapes through the paper template you won’t be able to do this. Try the corner-tack method instead.
