Mini EPP

Aren't the above flowers beautiful? They were my choice from the garden centre but I can't remember what they are called. Such cute little clusters making such a powerful colour impact in the flower beds! I love the summertime when you can fill the garden with lots of colour and vibrancy, hear the bees humming with happiness as they dart from flower to flower. It's one of the best bits about Mother Nature I think.

All of our doors and windows are open during the day and early evening at the moment to allow the gentle breeze to flow through the house and sweep away any lingering Winter cobwebs. Evenings are spent sitting by the open doors watching the sun go down past the Roses and giant Clematis.

They are all twining together in the front garden, big blousey Roses and enormous dinner plate Clematis blooms, and one bright pink rose amongst them all, a sparkling pop of colour amid the fresh white and peachy cream.

Whilst doing some tidying up at the weekend I found a little packet of inch wide hexagon paper pieces to be used for tiny English paper piecing projects. I didn't have any particular project in mind but the idea of sitting by the open doors stitching these little tiny papers to brightly coloured fabrics from my stash was so appealing I started straight away.

There is something very soothing about EPP, it is perhaps more work than machine stitched projects as you have to prepare every stage individually, but there is such a sense of accomplishment at the end of it- and you all know how much I love hexagons. A win win situation!

I kept working round and round in circles until I didn't have enough hexagons left to do another full circuit, then made two little florets out of the remainder. I do have an inkling of an idea of what I shall do with these shapes but it has to mull over in my tangled creative subconscious for a little while longer - I'll keep you updated.

I treated myself to a couple of quilting magazines this afternoon, Today's Quilter (a new favourite) and Love Patchwork & Quilting because the free gift caught my eye- more tiny EPP pieces!! All different shapes!! Now there is a challenge I haven't yet done. I particularly like the star shape that has been created on the right hand side of the Geometric EPP Designs book below- not the project itself but the way the pieces have been put together. I think I shall have to have a play with this next!