Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Cut your own Templates for English Paper Piecing!

I am an avid English Paper Piecer!  I used to cut my own papers from freezer paper and thread baste. I am discovering that glue basting is so much faster.  Now, I have been spoilt with hexagons as I have two Fiskars paper punches which I use for templates.  I cut through four layers of paper at a time with them and the pile mounts up pretty quickly.  Last night I wanted to make papers for an elongated hexagon.  I grabbed my supplies and started tracing away.  One at a time.  I cut out a row and just wanted to scream - SO SLOW!  So I sat and thought about this problem for a while and came up with a solution which works like a dream.  You could use freezer paper like I have or any paper really.  So gather your supplies and let us cut some papers.  You will need your template, a pencil, scissors, stapler and of course your paper - lots of it because this is quick!
 Stack together four layers of paper.  I just pull a length out of the box and accordion fold it and then cut it off.
 Trace your shape out onto your paper.  I don't like sharing a line between shapes because then you can't cut on the edge of the line without cheating the other side out of a microns worth of paper.
 Next you will want to get your stapler and staple along the shortest edges.  In the case of a hexagon, any side will do.  Notice how my staples will not get in the way of cutting.
Then you will want to staple opposite and diagonally across from the first staple.  This gives a really steady hold to the paper stack.
Now you are ready for cutting.  Cut the long edges first leaving the staples in place.  The stapled area will be cut of LAST!
 Next, clip of the two edges not stapled.
 Lastly you will snip of the two edges holding the staples.  Here are your four papers cut out very accurately.
 This stack happened really quickly.  Give it a try - it's so much faster than one at a time.

3 comments:

  1. So that's how a long hexi is made! Thanks for the short cut method of cutting them out too : )
    Lyn

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  2. Thanks for sharing your inspiration!!

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