100 Blocks blog tour & giveaway

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I am very honoured to once again have a block in the new issue of Quiltmakers 100 Blocks magazine.. These mags are becoming collector items now with everyone keen to have the full set in their library.. A great resource for blocks for any occasion or technique from some wonderful well known and not so well known designers from around the world…

So it is very exciting to see my name on the cover alongside some amazing designers…

And this is my little contribution….

Fairy Floss

featuring Nice People Nice Things fabric (By Red Rooster), EPP Hexies and a touch of my beloved embroidery.

Of  course I had to use my passion of the moment – hexies… using none other than my so simple to use iron ons…. If you have been following my blog in the past you would have heard lots about these and know that I am totally addicted. If you are new here on the blog tour then read on…. you too will be totally hooked on this latest and most definitely the new and only way to do hexies and other English Paper piecing… I thought I’d include a little tute for all of the new visitors today..

Iron on Wash out hexies….

These hexies are precut from Hugs ‘n Kisses Appliqué paper which is a 50% soluble natural paper with glue on one side. 

So you just iron on

Cut out roughly – you don’t need  special template, just use your scissors in front of the telly and cut out approx 1/4” sa

Use a glue pen (I use the Sewline glue pens but there are lots of brands)   A little bit on the edge of the paper (no wider than the seam allowance and you’ll never get sticky fingers)

Fold the edge over with your thumb and forefinger until you feel the edge of the paper and then press down onto the glue.

continue around each edge of the shape

until your shape is complete

tada! - ready to assemble hexie… with not a single tacking stitch in sight.

Now you just stitch them together as normal – use a  whip stitch, appliqué needle and fine thread, OR you can actually stitch together by machine if you are in a big hurry..

NOW – the kicker is…. normally you would now need to take the tacking out or pull up the glued seam allowances and remove the paper! ughh…. not the fun bit…. but with this paper – you just leave it in there – its lovely and stable, holding everything nicely in its place… Just  glue down onto your background fabric (I use Roxanne’s glue baste it) – then appliqué into place.

When you have finished wash your project  and the 50% soluble stiff bits will dissolve and the rest (natural soft fibres) will just stay safely in your quilt.

well there you have it! are you simply amazed? Just have to try this right now? well if you want to you can get the hexies here right now OR in just a few more days (they are on their way) from here in the US.  The appliqué paper can be used to use this method in any English Paper Piecing design and of course turned appliqué as well. there are some more tutes on the right here under pages about this.

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the giveaway!

Quiltmaker will send one copy of this issue to a lucky commenter on this blog post…

and as a thankyou for visiting and getting through this far on this epic post – I will give another copy plus a pack of iron on 1” hexies to:

one new facebook liker – like my page here  and write a message on my wall saying hi!

and one new newsletter subscriber – yes cheeky I know but I want you to come back and visit me again :) now that I’ve met you here..cos I have so much to teach you, show you, inspire you with…

hugs for today,

…off to make more hexies

Helen

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