Tiny pieces

English Paper Piecing

A traditional method of patchwork using hand sewing. Paper shapes, often hexagons, are covered with fabric and then stitched together. I remember doing a bit of this a long time ago, but have recently become quite interested again. I found a book: English Paper Piecing by Florence Knapp and was taken by the history of the technique, it goes back a long way, and then her exploration of the almost meditative quality of quiet hand stitching, something I am rapidly coming to appreciate. 

This morning I was making and putting together a few tiny hexagons, these feature in the picture. The hexagons are tiny, only 2cm across. I am not planning on making a quilt!! I was just experimenting with a piece that will become part of a slightly larger piece of embroidery. 

I had got to this stage when I realised it was after 12. Noon on a Friday is the time that Anne posts her video with her ideas for the next Tag. And what were her first words - today we are going to do Paper Piecing.

I was delighted, until I realised that these hexagons would have to be even smaller than the tiny ones I had been using. These hexagons (in the extra picture) are less than 1.5 cm across. So I have made some, but have yet to decide how to put them together for the Tag. Sewing them together might be a little tricky!