English Paper Piecing by Machine with Rob Appell

[@gloriamcphail4589]

Great video. Can't decide what I love the most,; the stunning scenery,the fabric,the machine ,the fabulous technique or your tattoos 😂. God bless you and your family.

[@DH-qz2so]

....gives new meaning to the term...."Trunk Show!"

[@ladonnamcalister1310]

😂yes

[@debbiebrugman1238]

🤣 right? I like this kind of trunk show.

[@joannecarlow2153]

What a great technique for machine sewing the hexis together. Great video! Thanks, Rob. Sewing] out in the woods surrounded by the sounds of nature, there’s nothing better than that.

[@JUDYSHULTER]

Would love to see a video on camping/quilting, tips, equipment, electric, tools, tables, etc. Love the idea!

[@sharonbrown2468]

I love your lime machine and your beautiful project!

[@sharonkulick7307]

Love the machine sewing method! Would never have thought of machine sewing out of the back of my car!

[@judytyler1870]

This video came at just the right time! I'm about to start a hexi quilt, and I didn't want to hand stitch it!

[@mattiloveland2393]

Great idea! Thanks. 😊

[@janetwhiteman171]

This was a joy to watch . Who knew we could do them on the machine? Camping looks like fun .

[@alexandra-zaza-burns]

You can also use water soluble stabiliser for this. Woven interfacing is better if it’s going to stay in as it’s softer.

[@deidrabenson361]

Thanks so very much for sharing!❤️❤️❤️

[@venitacoffin204]

I’m not the only one!!!! I’ve been doing EPP like this for a few years now! 😊

[@StitchinHeaven]

Oh good, glad to know it will work out in the end! sometimes I get a bit too adventurous

[@shelliefuller5070]

The sound in the background was very peaceful.

[@StitchinHeaven]

Oh, thanks for saying that, my mic cut out when the tutorial started, so I was afraid the river and birds were being too loud. I am glad you liked it

[@karenillingworth4937]

I use a zig zag stitch ensuring that the needle goes off the fold, on the fabric, off the fold. On the fabric etc. On the right side, it looks like it has been hand sewn, and it lays flat.

[@bella-bee]

But not on a little Singer 99!

[@subliminalphish]

I remember my grandma doing paper piecing . She sewed her quilts by hand . It took time but she did a great job . Her seems met up properly . This brings back memories from many many decades ago. Thanks

[@carlsass4500]

As always a joy to watch you in the backcountry!

[@francespiquemal8813]

I just love the background music of nature and scenery.

[@missthready]

I like to do a very small zig zag on the top. I love the interfacing trick! I use wash away appliqué paper!

[@bbymks5]

Will the wash-away work if you hand piece or is the medium weight embroidery interfacing better for hand work?

[@lizaddison-duenas4351]

Same

[@lizaddison-duenas4351]

Same missthready

[@busybeenature9092]

It’s a wonderful hexagon projects. We have been doing all this and many more art and craft works throughout our lives, and so did our mothers and grandmothers. We can see things done by them in their possessions. Still there will always be something new to learn everyday. Thanks for this wonderful video. 🙏

[@SuperBettyboop23]

Wow nice going love the sewing on the Hexie quilt Great job Rob and the colors are awesome ❣️✂️🪡🧵💖❤️💗

[@ingridbowers8102]

Thank you for sharing this technique Rob. I do enjoy hand stitching but machine is so much faster! It's so fun seeing you sew on location from the back of your car!!!

[@veliatorrez6523]

Absolutely gorgeous thank you. Happy camping and quilting.

[@terriflanigan942]

Beautiful colors and beautiful scenery! Thank you!

[@constancepeterson6156]

My favorite episode. Thanks

[@kyrastuart1920]

I absolutely love your sewing machine!

[@juanelleschwarzwalder880]

Thank you! I absolutely love you green Singer sewing machine.

[@lifeofjoy9404]

Feral Quilters Unite!👍🙌💪😃

[@joycedollar1198]

I have a 1929s hand crank I take camping so I can sew where ever we are. Will have to look at how that battery system works

[@moominkraft6427]

I like your iron. It looks cool!

[@beverlyosborn5240]

Nice to see you again ❤️🧵🇦🇺

[@bethkoch11]

Very pretty quilt. I like the technique because I'll do almost anything to avoid hand sewing. I've worked with the Featherweight fusible interfacing before and it's great. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished quilt, with backing and quilting.

[@jeanetteberry4280]

I think that is a wonderful quilt and a wonderful teaching. I will follow that way of doing the quilt. I wish I can find that same size template. You have your quilt is very beautiful. Thanks for sharing.❤

[@patismith204]

All I can say is WOW!

[@bbymks5]

I'll be giving this a try!

[@maryrakas4901]

What a great idea with the interfacing

[@laurienahay371]

I absolutely loved this video! Two of my faves, stitching and camping!

[@diannenaworensky6698]

Nice video !!!

[@tammyshamlinhansen9866]

Love your technique, Rob . Thank you for sharing.

[@rebeccamulkern1051]

Do you get glue on your iron this way? I think I’d find it tricky to keep the iron away from the glue on the interface, especially as it’s a 1/4 inch seam, love watching you doing this, very clever

[@CrypticConversions]

Absolutely brilliant!

[@sheilahope7007]

Great video!!❤ hugs from Idaho

[@JudithBrummett]

super fun sewing outside. But challenging. We spend 6 months a year in the desert in AZ and I have a 1917 Western Electric that runs with power but I usually just hand crank it. I added a truckers wheel knob to my fly wheel. I also do traditional EPP and have never done it by machine. What I am doing most right now is purse/bag making but only at home with my industrial machine lol.

[@dottierobbins939]

I just saw a video the the little green bean and I think your idea is much better using the fusible instead of paper. Im really interested in how you got that machine to work without much power and actually if you could show the whole electrical set up, I’d really appreciate it!

[@MrsKuhn.2]

Woo-hoo 🎉🎉🎉love it!

[@karenbrunette6314]

❤looks great rob

[@laurabuckles7961]

Step 1: go to a party where they're giving out hexie key chains. 😄 Actually I like that it shows to use what you have! Will you eventually do a follow up video on backing (as in, do you use the iron on fusible to keep it down or don't iron), binding and ideas for quilting? Yeah, I want a lot, lol. Fun video!

[@CazkiwiNZ]

Nah… Step 1 is make a friend who will invite you to a party… And that’s far too much socialising for me! 😂

[@walterw9829]

I want to know where this place is and why there was't a single insect bothering Rob. What a fun outdoor trip.

[@StitchinHeaven]

Lack of shower, haha

[@keressabeverage2622]

Plus, it sounds like waves lapping, is that from strong wind on a lake? Nice!

[@VonnieOdette]

Thanks, Rob!

[@marycriss5930]

I would love to camp and sew as you are doing. Do you have any tips to provide for the camping set up? How is your car set up for sewing? Do you have a video for all camping ideas? Is there a sewing to camp group? How does the solar work? What are your recommendations? I love to camp and want to sewing and float in the river like this. I am so happy I found your video. I do get the Stitch' Heaven email newsletters and just enjoying all it has to offer. Even signed up for a class : ) I've been quilting/sewing for over 20yrs, camping with others(who don't sew) and need a new adventure

[@jackiehorn3724]

I never heard of a group. But how great would that be. I plan on working for the season in Yellowstone for their non profit. ( this will be my third season there ). I am going to take my featherweight. A pop up mosquito tent, a fold up table extension cord, and some bright lighting. It has to be a sturdy pop up mosquito tent because Yellowstone blows them down in some very dramatic storms they get there. But everyone who took a good sturdy pop up and sandbags to keep the bottom down kept their mosquito tent up all summer. I will be there in my campervan and will be plugged into electricity. But I am hoping to be able to keep my little sewing area set up the entire season. If the weather is nice and I don’t want to sew in the mosquito tent I can sew at my picnic table outside. I can boondock and still sew because my van has a generator. But in general for me. I take handwork ( which I love ) if I am boon docking as the generator uses gasoline. My camper is a class B campervan. So having an outside craft room I can be comfortable with in the rain or even snow is important in Yellowstone. As long as I can heat it and keep the bad weather out and open everything up in the good weather.

[@jackiehorn3724]

By the way. I live in the Amarillo area. Know what you mean about the issues camping here. But in spring and fall, and in some areas winter there is some great camping. However, here just due to the topography and difficult to predict weather it seems to me that an RV works best. If you do have an RV we could start a stitching group like this ourselves. And not need to worry about solar or buying a new motor for our machines as Rob has done. Just go to a campground with electricity. Many of them have the group sites with a gazebo that people could bring their small or portable machines to. Might be fun. For me my 2025 is already very full. But could be something to think about for 2026.

[@jackiehorn3724]

Maybe we could talk Rob into hosting a retreat or two for camping and sewing.

[@marycriss5930]

@@jackiehorn3724 You have some great ideas. I can't wait till I can do more camping and bring the sewing along. Yellowstone sounds awesome. What are the days of your season. I have always liked Yellowstone. My folks would take us there a lot for camping trips. That is how we would spend our vacations. I like the area when it is open. There are a lot of places that close for the winters. I would love to start a group! I would need an RV, maybe just a popup trailer. I enjoy a few amenities but could boondock for a bit. Frances McDormand did a movie I loved where she did work and boondocked. Great show. Got me really interested back then. Then life said hold on. Now I think I have a life plan. I do wool applique is about all the hand work for quilts. I do love to crochet too.

[@susandreyer9019]

I KNOW right?

[@dianakranning9843]

Great video thank you for sharing. I have made 6 runners using the quilt as you go hexi. I think this would be interesting to try.

[@ag5415]

🍀🐸💚Great (and relatable) vid! Love your Singer 99. 💚🍏🥝

[@rubyhoffman8053]

Love your videos.. ❤

[@JennCadyFiddlyBits]

😂❤ GREAT INTRO!

[@moominkraft6427]

Thank you so much for this video. And it came at a perfect time too! I came across a Christmas project using EPP but I'm terrible at handstitching. Problem solved! :D Also, I like the idea of using interfacing instead of paper.

[@nancyf18]

I'll try Paper piecing this way, I hand sew mine. Rob Thank you.

[@maryjanegibson7743]

Love the green Featherweight.

[@nancyf18]

The machine is a Singer 99k

[@juanitagreen5088]

Very interesting

[@vanniceabigelow6074]

The bumpy side is the glue side!

[@kathyann7153]

You should enter your hexagon quilt For next year's with The Great Wisconsin quilt show. That is their challenge for next year.

[@barbbaines3776]

Love, Love, Love this!!! What machine are you using?

[@ameliagfawkes512]

Interfacing is for clothing and, even then, I wouldn't use a glued interfacing on anything I'd wash (dry-clean only), because it's likely to crinkle. I love all the colour (yes, I'm going to copy that!, except for the machine - mine is an old Bernina 1015 (bought after going through several modern machines that were truly rubbish) in boring, slightly dirty-looking cream (I really am now wondering if I can have the enamel sprayed in lime green ...). I love hand stitching and even use a finicky, tiny ladder stitch for EPP or QAYG (or PatchworkAYG as it should be called, since you still have to quilt it) because, done well, is totally invisible. If you really have no patience for hand stitching and aren't bothered about the bumpy seams or potential wrinkling later, this is a great option, but you really want to be right up at the very edge and just catching both sides almost like a blind stitch. If you're going to be using batting and a backing cloth anyway, you could use a firm, dissolving interfacing to make the shapes and baste the pieces to batting and backing and use an attractive wide machine stitch to stitch both sides together, flat and quilting all at the same time. The first time you wash the quilt, the dissolving facing will disappear. You'd want to be sure to butt the edges up really closely to make sure the batting wasn't going to be seen. All in all, though, I think the old methods, tried and tested, are really the best, but it's great to see people experimenting. I'd like to know how you finished off this quilt.

[@glammamamma]

You know I chanted 😊

[@MelindasLifeandstyle]

Looks great. No backstitch necessary?

[@advisorc808]

Rob, I would like to get some more info on how you turned your machine into a low voltage to use on solar. I have about the same model that would be great for camping.

[@jocelynzahn1896]

Me too Rob

[@bella-bee]

I’m thinking the interfacing will make it too stiff overall, especially the glue. Do you iron a backing onto that? Yet there’s no glue for the seamed area (used already) and the backing won’t adhere at the seams and could look bubbly. I think this is great as a design concept and so pretty with the light shining through (window treatment?) but would not feel soft as a quilt, because it’s stiffened by the interfacing, the glue and the patches’ narrow seams which are 6 layers thick, counting the interfacing. Sorry, that’s what comes to mind. Hope you don’t mind my saying. Love the lime green Singer! She sounds so smooth! Is it a 99?

[@StitchinHeaven]

I was concerned about that, so I am not glueing anything other than the edges of the hexis over. That way the project will still have drape when finished. I do many triangle quilts that have much more bulk in the seam allowance, so at this point in the project, I think it will finish like a standard quilt. Also, I have used standard cotton as foundation in many projects, and the extra layer adds a density, but not a stiffness, if that makes sense. Either way, I better finish it soon so we can see, haha. Thanks for your comments, Rob

[@arvettadelashmit9337]

When you get ready to quilt, do you use an iron to fuse the top to the batting?

[@Freeyourself206]

Does the interfacing stay in forever or do we use the kind that washes out? Also, do we have to cut the interfacing pieces on our own?

[@christinequirion8112]

I think I heard you say that the interfacing glue is facing out - just wondering why? Is that to glue the edges down? Would you then iron the hexies onto the batting to baste it?

[@Kat_Yoi]

I'm in love with the colors of this! Where could I find the pattern? I've tried searching and nothing is coming up.

[@Denise11Schultz]

The pattern is called Grandmother’s Flower Garden, Rob calls it Grandfather’s.•Rob’s innovation to use fusible interfacing for the paper is Excellent! •There are many hex rulers available, my favorite is by Deb Tucker, Studio 180 design, maybe Stitchin’ Heaven carries them. •Any 60 degree ruler can be used to cut hexagons from strips. •Some rulers will measure the size of a hexagon along one of the six edges. Others will measure the size between two opposite sides, perpendicular to those edges. You need to notice that before you start. •As far as I know, no-one measures between two points, because that would get very confusing with the seam allowances on a 60 degree angle. •Deb has good instruction booklets, •and maybe Rob has a video. •It is a totally compelling sew, whether by hand or by machine. I hope you will have so much fun with it.

[@lindawalker8500]

Rob, what is the name of the quilt you have hanging up on the drivers side of your SUV? Do you have a video for it?

[@estherf5183]

Love the technique! Why do you not need to backstitch?

[@StitchinHeaven]

I do not back stitch because it is a total pain on that little singer, especially on a 2" seam. I will FMQ the project once complete to ensure it lasts the tests of time.

[@carenfitzpatrick7197]

Love the color of your featherweight!! That is my favorite color! What do you do about the fusible when your top is complete?

[@janined6586]

It’s not a featherweight 😉

[@CazkiwiNZ]

He tells you about the machine here - 18:30

[@evelyndesjardins8551]

So cool. I LOVE your vintage machine. What model is it? I've 'rescued' several...

[@sabrinabuoniconti5008]

Could use use "connecting stitch" as the term instead of top stitch? Interfacing is a great idea!

[@infinitejusticeone]

I am concerned about the "rough side is the glue side" facing out! What happens when you put on the batting and/or backing?

[@jeqaljeqal6508]

What motor is on your machine. How is it being powered?

[@gotyoubythezipper]

He said he's got it hooked up to the solar panel on top of the car

[@missthready]

I love to sew when we camp. (But we are camping in a travel trailer 😊)

[@Freeyourself206]

How many yards of each fabric does it take to make that quilt?

[@roseannecarratkinson4271]

I love your fabric. But i can't find it on the website.

[@StitchinHeaven]

try this link please stitchinheaven.com/search?q=rob+appell&_pos=1&_psq=rob&_ss=e&_v=1.0

[@nancychamberlin6664]

How do you keep from getting the glue from the interfacing on your iron?

[@StitchinHeaven]

Just do your best to keep the iron of the fabric, the glue does not run.

[@cathygrenc8297]

Looks great sewing in the wild. You are saying top stitch and I am confused….sorry….are you sewing the hexis together using just a tiny seam allowance or are you still using a 1/4 inch? Love your teaching style.

[@nancyf18]

The 1/4' seam is folded in then stitch close to the edge

[@StitchinHeaven]

Yes, right sides together, stitching very near edge. sorry for the confusion.

[@rebeccamulkern1051]

He’s sewing really close to the edge, just taking in a tiny bit of the fabric, just like when you hand stitch EPP

[@cathygrenc8297]

@@nancyf18thank you

[@cathygrenc8297]

@@StitchinHeavennot you….me..I haven’t English paper pieced before. Thanks for the info.

[@janiselibby8897]

When it is time to make your quilt sandwich do you iron your hexagons to the batting?

[@StitchinHeaven]

I don’t know, it is my first time, haha. I do think that would work, and I may try it!

[@diannplatt-roberts8692]

❤

[@ToniPearson-m3q]

Please share what your power set up is. We also camp and I do not hike, fish, or hunt. What is your power source?

[@StitchinHeaven]

I will do an in depth video for you, but to get you started, I have a small Jackery Brand power bank, that I can recharge as I drive or with my portable solar panel. The Jackery runs my 12V fridge, charges computers and cameras, as well as runs my sewing machine and iron. With the panel in the sun, I can sew all day with no power loss, therefore, sew all night too.

[@joannevaillancourt3113]

Edge stitching

[@AppLady87]

Micro steam portable mini iron from eBay.

[@WaterNai]

You mentioned that it’s easier if your machine has a thread cutter. Did you mean an automatic thread cutter, or did you forget about the thread cutter hiding on the back of your presser-foot bar? 😊

[@francespiquemal8813]

Rob I think you should trademark this technique. And maybe work with the makers of the fusible interfacing to make them into ready-made wedge shapes. Then we can choose between the paper or fusible one.

[@kathrynsvendsen8319]

Won’t the quilt be stiff with the interfacing in it? Will the glue from the centre portions of the Henie’s wash out if you don’t iron it?

[@missthready]

I love to sew when we camp. (But we are camping in a travel trailer 😊)