English Paper Piecing Workshop

March 5, 2026
Fussy cut EPP block using diamond paper shapes to create a kaleidoscope effect

Last week, I took an English Paper Piecing workshop with Amanda Bauer. This all-day class was sponsored by my quilt guild (meaning an affordable $55.00 class fee + a $15 kit fee). Prior to this class, I’d never taken a formal class on EPP and my experience has been limited to hexagon shapes only. Yep, I can definitely make a hexie flower with no problem!

I’ve definitely upped my EPP game by taking this class. I fine-tuned my glue-basting process, learned how to “marry” the needle and thread, plus got a little bit better at whipstitching my pieces together. I normally use a flatback stitch for EPP, but her method for the whipstitch is faster and results in less hand fatigue.

Like any instructor, she has her favorite products to use for EPP and shared her reasons as to why. Honestly, they weren’t that much different from the other instructor product offerings I found online. Students were provided kits and access to recommended tools to try during the class. I may very well switch to using her style of whipstitch in the future. However, I’ll keep using my 80 wt Wonderfil polyester thread in a coordinating color to lessen stitch visibility. That’s my personal preference.

Basic tool recommendations for EPP:

Needles: Milliners/Straw sizes 9, 10 or 11. (Bohin, John James, Sue Daley) OR Sharp sizes 7 – 9
Thread: Polyester 50 wt, 60 wt or 80 wt in matching color, if possible.
Paper shapes: Purchased shapes offer consistency. Paper Pieces is a good source of EPP paper templates.
Glue pen: Sew Line glue pen and refills
Scissors: Serrated edge (Karen K. Buckley or Kai Scissors)
Rotary cutter: Olfa 28mm
Automatic needle threader: Bohin or Clover
Recommended: Small rotating cutting mat, Magic Seam ruler for fussy cutting, Sew Tites and Wonder Clips.
Optional: Needle keeper, thimble and thread conditioner

Videos I think you might find helpful:
Fat Quarter Shop Tula Pink EPP series
Wonder Window technique for fussy cutting

EPP is very portable. Word to the wise: When traveling by plane, Amanda recommends that you cut (and glue baste if possible) all shapes ahead of time, take a small pair of snips you don’t mind losing and a small usb light. Definitely leave the rotary cutter and mat at home or pack it in your checked luggage.

March is National Quilting Month!

March 1, 2026

The official National Quilting Day is Saturday, March 21, but you can incorporate a bit of quilting into any day this month!

Read an E-book Week (first week of March) – See what’s available via the Libby app (from the public library) or check your e-reader for any quilting books you may have overlooked.

National Button Week (third week of March) – Sort your buttons by color or size, sew on missing buttons or do button crafts with the littles.

March is also Women’s History Month. Read or watch a biography about your favorite Sewlebrity. Read a novel by Jennifer Chiaverini, Marie Bostwick. or any other quilt fiction writer that strikes your fancy.

Try out a new technique – 8 at a time HSTs, 4 at a time FG, EPP, foundation paper piecing, applique, flanged quilt binding.

Have a play date with your sewing machine – play with the fancy stitches and fancy feet that are gathering dust because you use a 1/4″ foot most of the time. If you have a vintage machine with mechanical attachments, spent time learning how to attach and use them properly. There are plenty of YouTube video tutorials on using various zigzag attachments, buttonhole attachments and the like.

As for me, I have all the attachments out for my Singer 301A. We have a play date this afternoon.

Community and connections

February 28, 2026

About five weeks ago, I helped clean out the sewing studio house of someone who needed to move into assisted living. (Her entire 2 bedroom cottage was her sewing space. I kid you not.) Two SUVs crammed full of stuff came to my house for sorting. You can read about that escapade here.

Over the past month, I have shared the largesse with my Friday sewing group, library teen sewing programs, a quilts for veterans group, my bee group, and the community service arm of my own guild. Anything left went on the guild free tables this morning. It didn’t last long. I have finally reclaimed the basement. My husband will be so happy.

This quilter’s generosity has touched so many different folks – from the teens learning to sew at the library, to patients at the local children’s hospitals sleeping on a special pillowcases, to quilts for foster children, adults in recovery and women healing from domestic violence.

Community is what made this happen. The donor’s son put out a request for help in his neighborhood FB group. A member of my book club happens to live in his neighborhood and saw the post. She shared his contact info with me. It went from there. We helped keep useful items out of the landfill and the projects sewn from the re-homed fabric will go back into the local community. There was no need to hire a junk removal company, either.

Over the weekend, I’ll be quilting a 60″ x 80″ top made by my bee group. Backing fabric and batting came from the donated supplies, too. FYI, five yards of quilt-shop fabric and a twin size package of Warm & Natural batting normally run about $100.

Community and connections are an often overlooked type of wealth discussed in this post. In fact, safety and security wealth (e.g. money and health) only account for 20% of all wealth categories described in the graphic. A sense of purpose, autonomy, personal relationships/connections and moments of joy account for the other 80%. Hmmmm. I honestly say that I experienced all 5 types of wealth during this project. I’ll save money by not having to buy backing fabric and batting for a few quilts. I had a purpose in sorting, organizing and delivering the items. I also got a workout lifting, sorting and carrying the bins! I had time to devote to the project and set my own schedule for completion. I interacted with community groups and other sewists & quilters to distribute the donated items. Moments of joy came with seeing the excitement on guild members’ faces at the donated fabrics on the free table and returning home after said guild meeting to a cleared out basement.

I realize we’re in challenging times. You’re grinding it at the day job with minimal raises and healthcare costs that keep going up. The cost of everyday essentials is ever increasing. Our country is politically polarized. Carefully curated social media makes you think you’re behind.

STOP. Put down your phone. Turn off the TV. BREATHE.

Go outside. Take a walk. Listen to the birds. Look up at the night sky.

Find your library card. Go check out a book or DVD to read/watch later.

Talk with a neighbor. Strike up a conversation with a complete stranger you meet on your walk.

Spend 10 minutes doing something with your hands – crossword puzzle, word search, solitaire (with real playing cards), knit, crochet, EPP or other needlework, etc.

Do you feel better? You’ve just experienced the five types of wealth (walking – health, free activities – money, conversations/library visit – community/connections, choice of activity and time for activity – significance & freedom, plus small pleasures like listening to the birds sing or getting lost in a good book – joy).

Remember, you always have options. Life is a series of choices. Work is not inherently bad. It provides income, benefits (hopefully) and at least one partner-in-crime for a social connection. Bonus if your job provides a sense of purpose and a bit of autonomy. Taking time to develop interests and activities outside of work can shore up the types of wealth missing from the day job, too.