Fussy Cutting Fabric for English Paper Piecing + Giveaway

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 14 Blog Tour is this week and I'm honored to have a block, Hexie Flower Basket, included in this issue.

My official stop on the blog tour is tomorrow where I will share my block which includes a fussy cut hexagon flower.  But, today I am sharing with you how I fussy cut fabric for English Paper Piecing or EPP (hexagons in particular) using acrylic templates by Paper Pieces who is generously sponsoring the giveaway!

Let's get started!  Here's a list of supplies you will need:

• Fabric from which to cut your shapes
• Paper Pieces Acrylic Fabric Cutting Template of your choice (templates are under the Paper Pieces tab)
• Scotch Permanent Double-Sided Tape
• Rotary Cutter (smaller ones are easier to use) and mat
• Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Permanent Marker
• Water soluble glue stick, I use Sewline Glue Pen
• Paper Pieces Precut Paper Shapes

Supplies to aid in fussy cutting shapes for English Paper Piecing

Choosing your Fabric

First determine the desired motif you would like to showcase on your English Paper Piecing shapes.  Audition the motif by placing the clear acrylic template over the fabric.  Be sure you are able to cut the desired number of shapes from your fabric.  I had a only a fat quarter of Hang It Up in Grape from Macrame by Rashida Coleman-Hale was able to cut six of the same motif.

Note:  The acrylic templates are available with either a 1/4" or 3/8" seam allowance.  I like the 3/8" seam allowance unless I working with really small templates such as the 3/8" hexagons I used when making Rainbow Hexie Flower Mini mini quilt measuring 4" square.

Paper Pieces acrylic hexagon template with 3/8" seam allowance

Preparing the Acrylic Fabric Cutting Template

Place the acrylic template on your fabric over the motif  and, using the sharpie marker, draw the basic outline of the motif onto the template.  Mark any reference points which will aid in aligning the template with the motif. In the below picture, I outlined the basket, rope on the basket, pink beads and the outer leaves on the plant.

Lift the template and place pieces of double-sided tape on the opposite side of the template on which you just outlined your motif.  The tape will keep the template from slipping.  Keep in mind, not all double-sided tapes are of the same quality at the Scotch brand.  I have tried some from dollar stores which do not work as well.

Cutting Out the Shapes

Using your rotary cutter, cut out around the template.  Try not to cut too far beyond your template, you might want to cut out a motif near by for your next set of motifs.  I find it easier to lift the fabric rather than the template to be sure you have cut all the way around.

Carefully peel the fabric away from the template and set aside.  Repeat the cutting process until you have the desired number of shapes cut out. The tape really helps hold the fabric in place when cutting out and stays tacky for a long time.  Below are the cut out shapes and the acrylic template with the drawn reference marks.

Cut out hexagons and acrylic template

Gluing the Paper Pieces

Using a glue stick, place one small dot of glue on the Paper Piece and center it on your cut out shape. I baste my hexies from the back rather than sewing through the paper and fabric and find just a small dot to glue will keep the paper in place while basting and can easily be pulled out later.

Paper Pieces glued to the fabric shapes

Basting and Sewing the Paper Pieces

Since I was focusing on fussy cutting the fabric, I found this great tutorial by Diane Gilleland on Sew Mama Sew which shows you have to baste and sew the hexies.

Here are my hexies all basted.

Basted hexies ready to sew together into a flower

And here is the hexie flower from the back.

Hexagons sewn into a flower, a back view

And the hexie flower from the front.

Hexie flower

Alternate Method Without Marking the Template 

It was necessary to draw on the template in order to position it because the motifs were completely surrounded by the background.  If you have a fabric where the design goes to edge of the template, it's not always necessary to draw on the template.  The fabric can be your guide.

This bilaterally symmetrical fabric, Lazy Stripe from True Colors by Tula Pink, was one where I didn't need to mark the template.  I positioned the template over the desired area a cut out the shape.

This is where the method differs from above.  After cutting the first shape, do no remove the cut shape from the template.

Hexagon shape cut from Tula Pink fabric

Instead, move the template with the fabric still adhered to the next area and cut out another shape.  Set aside the second shape cut.  Repeat until you have cut out the desired number of shapes.  The first shape you cut will remain adhered to the template until all are cut.

The first hexagon is still attached to the template allowing for perfect placement for the next cut.

Here are the hexies ready to to sewn together.  It looks as though the pattern will match perfectly.  I still need to choose a fabric for the flower center.

Hexagons made from Lazy Stripe from True Colors by Tula Pink

Here is a quilt show ribbon I made using this method.  The petal fabric is Rainbow Rick Rac (6542) from Patio Prints by Kanvas Studios.

Quilt show ribbon made from fussy cut hexagons

Cleaning the Templates

When the double-sided tape is no longer sticky, I peel away the tape and clean it with Goo Gone to remove the residue.  Alcohol will remove the sharpie markings from the template.


The next time you fussy cut your fabric when English Paper Piecing, I hope you will try my method using Paper Pieces Acrylic Fabric Cutting Templates and double-sided tape.

I recommend signing up for their newsletter which always includes a great sale just for email subscribers.  Scroll down to the very bottom of the webpage and just under the Newsletter box click...Join our email.

Now on to the Giveaway!  

Paper Pieces is generously giving away to one lucky person...

• Large Pack (600 pieces) of 1" hexagon paper pieces
• Acrylic Fabric Cutting Template for cutting 1" hexagons

The giveaway will be shipped directly from Paper Pieces and is open to everyone worldwide!

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment letting me know if you have tried English Paper Piecing.  And if you have tried EPP, what's your favorite shape?

2. Followers, old and new alike, get a bonus entry.  Leave a second comment and let me know how you follow - such as Bloglovin, Instagram or Email.

The giveaway will run through Tuesday, November 22nd and close at 8pm. (Giveaway now closed and winner contacted. Thank you for commenting!)  I normally respond to every comment received, but during the giveaway the volume may be to large for me to do so. Please leave your e-mail address so I have a way of contacting you if you are a no-reply blogger.

Please stop back by tomorrow (Nov. 16) for my stop on the 100 Blocks Vol. 14 Blog Tour where you can comment to win copies of 100 Blocks Vol. 14.  And be sure to visit Quiltmaker's blog, Quilty Pleasures, all this week to see beautiful blocks by talented designers and enter to win some fantastic prizes!

Linking to Tips and Tutorials Tuesday, Fabric Tuesday and Let's Bee Social.