I do not cut or sew in a straight line.
I don’t use a ruler. I don’t use a rotary cutter or a cutting mat.
For me sewing is not about making perfect stacks of 3” squares in coordinating hues.
I sew to make three-dimensional shapes from fabric. Puzzling how to achieve those shapes, how to create and reduce volume, how to make a perfect spherical body or oblong face, is what makes me sew everyday. I’m fairly certain I will never tire of making dolls and toys.
I’ve been sewing like this for ten years and I’m comfortable with the challenges it presents. When a head gusset is the wrong shape, I can see what’s wrong about it and redraw it. I’m confident I can make it work.
These last few weeks, though, I’ve undertaken a new sort of sewing. This project is purely just for fun. It’s handwork, which I’ve craved for a long time (my typical sewing is all done with the machine). It’s flat. And it’s full of straight lines.
I made a doll quilt.
Before now, I would from time to time pull out a quilt book and think about starting a project. But then the first step says, “Cut 200 4.5-inch squares.” I put the book back. There is no joy for me in that.
My quilt, though, is made using an entirely different technique: English Paper Piecing (EPP). This is a method of piecing together a quilt top that doesn’t involve pre-cutting a million perfect squares. In fact, there’s no straight line cutting at all. And no ruler. No rotary cutter.
Here’s how it happened.
For a long time I’ve wanted to find a handwork project, something I could pull out and work on while I’m hanging out with my family. I’ve actually had this desire for years, but was never able to settle on something I liked working on by hand. I thought maybe I’d try embroidery again and signed up for the Spring Stitching Club over at Mollie Johanson’s blog, Wild Olive. What really drew me in was that Mollie would show you not only what to embroider, but also how to put it all together in a finished project that was all done by hand.
Club members get an email each week with a pattern and instructions. I got the introductory email and in it Mollie explained that we would be making a small hexie quilt. The email included a hexie template and instructions on basic EPP. Mollie recommended that we start soon because we’d have to make 25 hexies a week to keep up.
It was scary. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, or if I was even capable.
My stash of quilting cottons is entirely made up of scraps, except for a pile of fat quarters Timeless Treasures sent me in exchange for a free tutorial and a few treasured larger pieces collected over a long time.
I used what I had that was big enough and got started. I couldn’t stop.
There was no way I could wait for the rest of the emails. I had to learn the ins and outs of EPP on my own. I read a bunch of tutorials on blogs, watched several YouTube videos, stood in Barnes and Noble and read the introduction of several books, and played around on my own for many hours. I still have a lot to learn, but I found myself really enjoying learning something totally new. And I feel so good about this quilt. The colors are sorta awful, but I love it. I did it!
This experience got me thinking about why we learn new things. How do we go about acquiring new skills as adults?
I asked my Twitter followers yesterday to tell me about a skill they recently learned, and why they decided to learn it. Their responses echoed my own journey.
Liz Smith told me, “I fell in love with old crazy quilts. So when I started hand sewing patchwork, I wanted also to embroider along the seams. I learned some embroidery! I started out with books to see which stitches, then YouTube to see the process. And of course doing it over and over.”
Verte Adelie said, “I’ve been learning to play the ukelele for almost a year, now. My 1st instrument! It’s always been a frustration that I never learnt an instrument. I thought it was too late, but then I changed my mind.”
Claudine Hellmuth told me, “I’m learning how to use all this different software for various cutting machines. I can feel my brain growing! I can see where I could gain new customers by adding this technology.”
Andrea Mielke Schroer said, “I’m in the middle of learning Spanish. I’ve always wanted to learn a second language. It’s made me aware of ways to help my daughter learn to read and write. I find it fascinating.”
And Caroline Betsis said, “I’m teaching myself to play the banjo, using books and CDs. I love the sound and have hankered after a banjo for years. My partner gave me on for a birthday present so no excuses!”
For all of us, self-directed learning was key. Doing something you choose yourself gives you a wonderful feeling of control.
We shared a feeling of intense satisfaction. When I pulled this quilt out of the dryer and layed it on the doll bed, I felt amazing. Yep, it’s not perfect, but my goodness I did it! I learned to make something new.
Learning a new skill means accepting being uncomfortable, feeling lost and frustrated at times. In the process of making this quilt I had to find out how to make the edges of a hexie quilt straight, what order to do things in (quilt first and then bind?) and how to make mitered corners. The thrill of figuring out the answers propelled me onward. And I’m already planning a second one.
What skill have you’ve learned recently. What made you decide to learn something new and how did you go about it?
I actually love cutting lots of squares of fabric using my rotary cutter (it doesn’t take as long as you think!). A stack of perfectly cut beautiful fabric squares makes me crazy happy! I also love making stuffed animals.
But my new thing is learning to sew clothes for myself. It is a bit terrifying, in part because it takes a lot of fabric, plus the fabric is usually more expensive then quilting cottons or fleece. For a single project I’ll have maybe $35 or more invested just in the material. But it’s actually pretty exhilarating! It’s nice to have something that gets me excited to work on, even if it makes me anxious. And I’m learning a ton!!
I know rotary cutters are awesome. I know it! A woman who took one of my softie design workshops cut out all her fleece pieces with a tiny one and it was cool!
LOL – had to giggle at the Cut 400 squares statement! Yes, it can be totally tedious – certain kind of meditation in it though! So happy you have found EPP and stretched a bit with your skills! I think you may want to dabble in some applique! With your softies work, boy, I think you could come up with some really great stuff! That’s what I totally love because I love to draw – just an extension of that. Great post as always, as I get into getting my blog started, I totally am getting who does it well and who doesn’t!
I learned to drive on the “wrong” side of the road this year since we moved to England. I have a year to pass the drivers test (which is VERY hard) and when I do you will hear me whoop all the way stateside! My brain is about to explode with all the new information I’m trying to put in it this year!
I taught myself how to create a website this past summer. It has been challenging but rewarding at the same time. There are always new things to learn about the site, so it seems like a never ending process. But it makes me feel good to know what I am doing or to understand what someone else means when they speak website-ease!
Well ….sewing – in progress … Garment pattern drafting -just started … just made my first 😉
Kudos to you for learning a new skill! I can totally see an EPP softie now, can’t you? Maybe a little turtle with hexies for his shell in greens and different shades of tan hexies for the belly. Or maybe a dragon instead.
My new skill has been this past year of learning how to longarm quilt. It’s a totally different process than quilting on a domestic sewing machine. I’ve read books, watched Craftsy videos, YouTube videos, talked to as many people who do it as possible, and finally just by doing some practicing in real life on a rental machine. Yes, sometimes I’d be frustrated because I want to be really good at it very quickly. It’s helpful to remember that you first have to crawl before walking and definitely not skipping ahead to running before you’re ready. 🙂
Beautiful, I wish I had the patience to make something like this. You did an awesome job!
Well done on teaching yourself this – lovely result! I think when you are older you have to really want to learn a new skill and then it just doesn’t seem like a chore at all. New crafts, playing my banjo, they are all fascinating – training for my day job? Dull as ditchwater….
I think we are learning all the time, recently I taught myself how to use the buttonhole setting on my sewing machine. a small thing but something I was afraid of.
HI Abby
Well done on the quilt it looks great! I love quilting, it’s like getting the satisfaction of putting a jigsaw together when its finished. I and am still trying to get my pattern business off the ground. (Three steps forward, two steps back), but I’m hanging in. Fist pattern nearly finsished. My laptop packed up along the way and I have had to get to grips with lots of different programmes, (Windows 8 and a different photoshop system). So everything is taking twice as long. I am also trying to get my head round keeping the accounts. It’s more complicated than I thought it would be.
So continually learning every day. xx
I find EPP addictive. There I was last night, ironing a stack of scraps to start a new quilt. I could definitely get into applique, too. It’s a slippery slope!
That sounds very difficult, Karen. I failed my driver’s test the first time I took it. The second time I was one point away from failing! Not sure I could learn to drive on the wrong side of the road.
That’s the reason I’m hesitant to hire someone to build me a new site, Debby. I want to know how it all works and be able to change it myself and have it still look great. Conquering software is definitely something I’m always learning!
Good for you, Sasha!
That was my first though: there’s got to be a way to make a softie out of this! I have a few ideas I hope to try.
And you’re totally right: learning a new thing takes patience and time.
Thanks, Monika. It’s surprisingly easy.
I think that gets back to the self-directed nature of this sort of learning. One of the things I love most about having my own business is that it’s entirely self-directed. I learn things because I need to know them. Even accounting is less dull because I’m doing it for myself.
Learning to use all the feet on my sewing machine is one of my favorite skills to acquire! Pull out the manual and some scraps of fabric, attach the foot, and see how it works! It’s totally fun.
I like the jigsaw puzzle comparison. One of the things I found surprising was how thick and weighty the quilt is once it’s done. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten past the piecing part of making a quilt before.
Good for you on making progress with your pattern, Sharon. I know how much work goes into creating a pattern that’s ready to sell. You’ll get there, and when you do you’ll feel so amazing!
Omigosh. Now I really want to learn to play the ukelele and the banjo!
This is awesome! I made an EPP cushion cover when I was 16 but have never made a whole quilt. Makes me want to have another go… But this year I’m learning to draw (with the book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” which is all about how drawing is a skill that can be taught like reading or writing – no specific talent necessary!). I’ve also been inspired by Sonya Philip’s 100 Acts of Sewing project and have bought her dress patterns, in the hope that I might finally get into dress making. I’ll let you know how I get on 🙂
Yay! I really enjoyed talking with Sonya on the podcast.
I’m thinking about designing an EPP pillow cover for our couch. I’d want it to be super modern. Maybe all gray with one yellow hexie?
Isn’t it funny that those are the two instruments people mentioned! What does that say about us?
Looks so great Abby! I made my first quilt just last year and it might be my favorite possession! It lies across the back of our couch and it represents my personality. Mine is just squares though. You took on a feat. Good job!