X
GO

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting

Summary

Ever ask yourself if glue basting English Paper Piecing Pieces is really faster? This short article quickly answers that question.

Rating: Not enough ratings.
Your rating: Sign in to rate

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting

Is glue basting English Paper Piecing Pieces really faster???

English paper piecing is a technique that is perfect for the on the go quilter. Throw a little kit in your bag and you will be surprised how many little hexagons or triangles you will make in no time. Stabilizing fabric with a template is a sure way to guarantee accuracy, and a way to use up leftover fabric. Glue basting is really a quick way to baste a whole bunch of english paper pieces quickly.

English_Paper_Piecing_With_Glue_Basting

 

The first step is to get a template. You can either buy them precut, or download free PDFs of templates. Now they even have punches. Use your own card stock paper and you are on your way. You will be amazed how far templates have come. No longer are you bound by the one inch hexagons. There are triangle shapes, honeycombs, and Dresden plates in a variety of sizes from tiny to large.

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting

 

Glue basting is something I was skeptical about! I loved the look of English Paper Piecing quilts, pillows, and table toppers. I did find it to be a whole lot faster. I mean REALLY fast. Now as an avid quilter, I would never recommend gluing fabric. It is something you would never hear from me. I did wonder, doesn't that take away from the peacefulness of stitching? Gluing Fabric? But if stitching is involved, you just get there faster. There is no need for any fancy glue. I found this glue pen at a local store, but I have used a regular school glue stick and it works just the same. With glue basting, it gets you to the finished project a little bit faster with the same results.

Use your fabric scissors to cut the fabric out around the template, leaving a half inch seam allowance around the template. Then put a line of glue on the paper, not the fabric, and fold it over, finger pressing.

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting 2

 

You want to continue putting a line of glue on paper, on fabric, then folding and finger pressing tightly over the templet. Make sure you are creating a nice sharp corner where the two sides meet. On the last fold, just tuck under the fabric so that it’s very tight. Do not worry about the glue it dries clear.

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting 3

 

If you have done English Paper Piecing the traditional way by baste stitching the shapes together, you will be amazed how fast you will get to that part.

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting 4

 

Piecing the templates together is done the traditional way of using a whip stitch, making sure you do not go through the paper.

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting 5

 

Now, I recommend letting the glue dry for a few days; I think the fabric holds the template shape better. Just peel the fabric edge off the card and it will just slip out. As you peel your fabric up from the template, you will notice glue dries to paper and none on fabric.

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting 6

 

There are many things you can do with your English Paper Piecing Pieces. One of my most favorite ways is lining them up on a 16 by 16 piece of fabric and stitching quarter inch straight lines down the hexagons. You now have an awesome front of a pillow or a mini quilt showcasing your favorite fabrics, or stitching them into shapes and designs.

I think you'll find Glue Basting your English Paper Piecing shapes a much faster way. Give it a try.

English Paper Piecing with Glue Basting 7

 

Check This Out!

Check out the most popular tool on QuiltingHub. Use the search 'Map Of Resources' or the 'Resources Trip Planner' to the right (or below).

 

Glossary

Basting
A temporary method of holding the quilt Sandwich layers together while you finish assembling it. This can be conducted using Basting Sprays, pins, clips or temporary stitching called a Tacking Stitch or Basting Stitch.
English Paper Piecing
A method of hand piecing where paper templates are used inside the block elements to guide where the edges are turned under and templates are removed. Baby Blocks, Grandmother's Flower Garden and other non-square shapes are often pieced this way.

See Also: Assembly Piecing, Machine Piecing, Chain Piecing, Paper Piecing, Hand Piecing, Piecing
Finger Pressing
A method for forming temporary guidelines for applique turned edges or seam allowances. Running a fingernail along the fold makes it lie flat. A Hera Marker (a tool) can be used in place of a finger to press the fold.
Lining
The fabric on the back of a Quilt Sandwich (Top, Batting and Backing).

Same As: Backing
Piecing
The process of assembling quilt blocks from pieces of fabric sewn along their edges to form a whole.

See Also: English Paper Piecing, Assembly Piecing, Machine Piecing, Chain Piecing, Paper Piecing, Hand Piecing
Seam Allowance
The width of fabric left to the right of a sewn seam. In quilting this is traditionally 1/4 inch. For sewing garments it is usually 5/8 inch.
Template
Pattern pieces made out of paper, cardboard, plastic or metal, giving you something to draw around so that you can accurately replicate any shape.
Author
Quilting Contessa

Quilting Contessa is a collection of various authors around the world that have submitted articles for the QuiltingHub 'How To' quilt wiki.  These are authors that do not write enough to have their own authorship, yet provide valuable content for the site.  If you wish to submit an article, contact us on QuiltingHub.

Search Articles
Map Of Resources Near
Resources Trip Planner