Basted shapes are sewn together using a whip-stitch (previously known as over-sewing).
Please note the photos below are completed by left-hander so all stitching is done in a left to right fashion. If you are right-handed it is assumed you will find it more comfortable to work from right to left.
1. Take a length of thread, approximately the length of your forearm - anything longer although tempting, will lead to knots and tangles and in the long-run will be more time. A matching thread choice to fabric will result in less visible stitches. Red is used for visibility of this tutorial.
2. Thread your needle and knot one end.
3. Place two basted shapes right sides together.
The Whipstitch
4. Push the needle through both fabric pieces.
5. Repeat in the same position and pull taut creating your anchoring stitch.
6. Needle in again and create the whipstitches in the same way, but moving up the fabric pieces as you do so.
You'll want to aim for about 14-16 stitches per inch, which is approximately every 2mm. You will start to recognise a comfortable distance with practice.
7. Sew to the very corner of the shape, take two anchoring stitches (sewing in the same place), to avoid your stitching becoming loose.
The Flat Whipstitch is the same stitch as a regular whipstitch, however instead of placing the two basted shapes right sides together, you will work the stitches while they are almost lying flat, (or a comfortable sewing position). This technique of sewing creates incredibly neat, invisible stitches. I demonstrated this method on a blog tutorial back in 2014 as I found this worked well for sewing curved shapes. The technique has become very popular in recent years and a lot of people use this stitch for sewing regular straight seams.
Practise what is comfortable for you, as you will develop your own unique sewing style.
The same stitch as you would when doing a regular whipstitch.
Notice the positioning here for sewing. I keep my index finger on top of the patches for stability and my middle finger, ring finger and little finger underneath resting up against the patches.
Keep the stitches small and don't go too wide on the backside as the stitches can become loose over time with inevitable use of the work.
Finish as you would with a regular whipstitch.
So neat from the front. I've used a 50wt thread here, so thicker than a usual 80wt I would opt for and in a clashing red colour and it's not visible.
The Hexagon Rosette is most associated with English Paper Piecing and perfect for beginners as hexagons are an easy shape to work with. The obtuse (larger than 90 degree) angles makes for easy sewing without tight corners or sharp points.
The demonstrations below use a 1" size hexagon, which is a good size for beginners. If you are new to the technique, start with a 1" , 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" size hexagon. Often people assume working with a bigger shape is easier, however this is not always the case as larger shapes don't fit in your hands as well and hexagon shapes of larger than 2" can be quite cumbersome to work with. Although there will be fewer seams to sew - so it will be quicker!
As you add more pieces, bend and shape each piece as you sew – this is the beauty of English Paper Piecing, it is very flexible and can be moved and adjusted easily.
Please note the photos below are completed by left-hander so all stitching is completed in a clock-wise fashion, if you are right-handed it is assumed you will find it more comfortable to work anti-clockwise.
Method 1: Sewing the outer petals (yellow hexagons) in one-by-one to the centre hexagon.
Method 2: Sewing the outer petals in two halves and then sewing to the centre hexagon.
Method 3: Sewing the outer petals in one continuous ring, then sewing in the centre hexagon.
Completed hexagon rosette.
