Kathy has made two beautiful Liberty Travel Sewing Pouches for her EPP (English Paper Piecing). They are so that she can take her sewing out and about wherever she goes. She’s so obsessed with EPP that she can hardly bear to be without it. These are a great way of ensuring maximum sewing time while getting along with our busy lives.
I asked Kathy about her beautiful projects:
What was your inspiration for these Liberty Travel Sewing Pouches? “I wanted something pretty and portable to carry my sewing projects around so that I can sew on the go. I like the fact that I can get everything inside in a neat and compact way. It’s got space for my mini cutting mat (22cm x 15cm Jalcar A5), a mini rotary cutter, scissors, glue pen, ruler and pencil. It’s got a zipped pocket in the centre where I keep my paper pieces, a section for threads, one for materials and another section for prepped English Paper Pieces. I made one of the sides pleated so that it can take extra volume.”
Which fabrics did you use? “As soon as the organic Liberty Tana Lawn® arrived in the studio, I knew I wanted to make something gorgeous from it. I’ve used Millie A, Field Flowers C , Lodden B, Donna Leigh B, Betsy A , Elizabeth A and Elizabeth B and Claire Aude B. I thought these fabrics were really fresh looking and I wanted a vintage look for my EPP pouch. I was really struck by how well the colours of the organic fabrics went together. I put the blue tones of the Claire Aude in as I thought it needed a contrast colour. I also used a plain Ochre W as an edging fabric.”
How did you make the travel sewing pouch? “I made the EPP – English Paper Pieced patchwork for the decoration using 1″ hexagons. I sewed these together by hand as I love this gentle hand sewing process. I then machine appliquéd this onto my background cream fabric. I then added the wadding and lining and machine stitched this together around the outer edge. I constructed the pockets separately and attached these into the binding at the end. The middle pocket was constructed separately too and then sewn into the seam of the lining. The finishing buttons are from my stash but you can buy cute wooden buttons online from lots of places.”
The finished size of this Liberty Travel Sewing Pouch is 26cm x 18cm.
Why did you make the second pink version? “I made two as I initially felt that the larger one was too big although I’ve since decided that it’s actually the perfect size. The size of the pink version is 21cm x 15cm and fits perfectly into my handbag. I guess I made both to see how they would work for me in terms of transportation and sewing ‘on the go’. This one is more portable and manageable but I have decided that I like the larger one better as it can hold everything I need for sewing.”
Which fabrics did you use for this super cute pink version? “I used Mitsi C, Millie C, Strawberry Thief Spring B, Millie B, Nancy Ann A, Capel B, Field Flowers B, Betsy B, and Claire Aude A. I finished the project off with a plain Tana Lawn® Dark Pink E.”
What did you love about EPP? “I love the whole process of English Paper Piecing. I totally immerse myself in it and love being in my own EPP world. It’s so relaxing and therapeutic. I love each element – from finding the fabrics that work well together to cutting and construction. When you take the papers out and hold your work up to the light, it’s almost like a stained glass window of beautiful colours and design.”
“I am obsessed with EPP. So much so, that I had to make a matching needle case using 1/2″ hexagons. I bought a small bit of felt from Etsy and used a similar construction and complementary fabrics.”
I absolutely love these projects that Kathy has made using the Organic Tana Lawn® collection. From the colours she has chosen to the clever construction. I love the fact that they have lots of different compartments, made to the right size for EPP equipment and fabrics. Anyone can have a go at English Paper Piecing – it’s a great technique and a lovely way to get into sewing. Just give it a go and see where it takes you.
