I love small and quick makes that require little time to complete and let you fuss with tiny details. With the Sip Tea and EPP party in full swing, I get constantly asked where to start if you are new to English Paper Piecing and not sure what to make with all the hexagons you are making. I thought that I would share with you an updated version of the Stitching Notes Needlebook that you can beautify with a hexagon flower. It is small and it would fit perfectly in any project bag, pouch or your EPP box. I hope that this small make would be a good starting point for you, and it would inspire you to give English Paper Piecing technique a go and open to you a new exciting world of slow hand stitching.
Materials for the needlebook
- A piece of linen 4" by 7 3/4" for the outer layer
- A piece of cotton 4" by 7 3/4" for the inner layer
- A piece of batting 31/2" by 7 1/4"
- Two pieces of good quality wool felt about 2" by 2 3/4" (I highly recommend using wool felt and a rotary cutter to cut felt for this project)
- A couple of ribbons, buttons or fabric snippets (optional)
- Embroidery floss
- Sewing pins, thin needles, rotary cutter, fabric scissors
Materials for the hexagon flower
- Seven 1/2" hexagon papers
- One scrap of solid fabric for the middle
- Six scraps of fabric in your favourite floral prints for the petals
- Glue or thread for basting
- Fine needle
- Fine sewing thread
Please use the Stitching Notes Needlebook Tutorial to complete the body of the needlebook. Once finished, come back here to work on the cover.
The Cover of the Needlebook
1. Make a 1/2" hexagon flower with your favourite fabrics using a thread or glue basting method. You can easily find free printable 1/2" hexagon templates on the internet, just make sure that the size is 1/2" before you start basting and be precise when you cut your own papers. Once complete, carefully remove the papers from the hexagons.
If you are new to English Paper Piecing and sewing your very first EPP flower, please follow the links below that will help you with completing this step.
2. Fold the finished needlebook in half. Press gently with a warm iron along the fold. Position the hexagon flower in the middle of the front. Secure in place using fine pins.
3. Using a thin needle and thin thread (I use Gutermann 100% cotton, colour 919), applique the hexagon flower to the cover of the needlebook with a ladder stitch. Please follow the link below to watch the ladder stitch in action.
4. Using two strands of dark brown embroidery floss, add the running stitches around the edge of the needlebook. Make sure to keep your stitches even and short. You only need to stitch through the linen and batting. Don't stitch through the lining.
You can add more tiny stitches around the flower or even add an embroidery motif in the middle of the flower. The possibilities here are endless. I decided to keep it simple to let the hexie flower shine on its own. Fill your needlebook with pins and needles and keep using it or gift it to your sewing friend.
Happy slow stitching and happy inspirations! Larisa xox
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