A Basket Full of EPP Flowers for a Grandma's Flower Garden Quilt - Accuquilt Go Big Cutter

 Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I rarely sit still without something to occupy my hands. It might be considered by some to be a nervous habit, but I have come to enjoy it and always look forward to some no-stress stitching time.  I love crocheting and knitting, but my favorite activity to do while I watch tv lately is English Paper Piecing. It's a great way to use my fabric scraps and create interesting elements to add to my quilts. Unlike traditional patchwork piecing, paper templates are used to create shapes like hexagons, triangles, and diamonds.  When I realized that many of my favorite quilters love incorporating EPP into their quilt designs, I knew I had to try it.  I did some googling and found tons of excellent information and tutorials. I really like this three part series by one of my favorite quilters, Erica Arndt: Part One,  Part Two and Part Three. 

I was elated when Accuquilt came out with die cuts for the fabric and foundation pieces. They have different die sets and an actual cube with all the shapes, but the one-inch hexagon I used for these cute traditional  "grandmother's flower garden" flowers  comes on one board with the foundation shapes and larger fabric shapes on the same board.

                                                                     

                                                

The supplies are minimal for EPP. I use this cute sewing basket at home but it is very easy to prepare a sewing kit for travel. 

                   

I have enough flowers now to make one of these beautiful quilts by Sheri McConnell.   She mixes a lot of EPP flowers with other traditional quilt blocks and I love the way they look. My hubby keeps asking when I'll have enough, but I tell him there will never be enough for all the projects I'm planning,  so I'm just going to keep on stitching until I get tired of it and move on.  I can't wait to prepare a small sewing kit to take to Hawaii soon for some calm, restful beach stitching.

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)