All Points Patchwork

I've never tried English Paper Piecing, but I've seen it demonstrated at quilt shows and it's been on my quilty bucket list ever since, especially when Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville posts about her hexies. (If I'd had some handwork over the past eighteen months, I might not have made quite so many pairs of plain socks.)




All Points Patchwork: English Paper Piecing beyond the Hexagon for Quilts & Small Projects by Diane Gilleland is going to be the thing that pushes me from wanting to learn EPP to actually cutting some  fabric and trying it out. It's a how to book instead of pattern book and the author provides lots of options for tools and papers, with explanations for why you might prefer each one, and which which she think is best for what purpose. Everything I can imagine is included from how to knot the thread and begin and end seams to how to design your own projects with software, or by hand with a protractor, compass and pencil.

Step-by-step illustrations tell you how to draft the different shapes in whatever size you want. I'm especially enthusiastic  to play with jewels and coffins. Don't those sound fun?

There are no step by step patterns, but there are plenty of techniques explained, including how to applique paper pieced sections to larger pieces and how to cut paper pieced sections to use them in other quilting projects.  The book is full of pictures of finished projects and it wouldn't be hard for an experienced quilter to figure out how it's done.

The publisher sent me an electronic ARC, but I've already ordered a copy of the book for my quilting library. I think it's one I'll be able to use for many years to come.