Grandmother's Flower Garden Paper Piecing Tutorial

Hi everyone!! I had so many email requests for instructions on paper piecing a Grandmother's Flower Garden, I thought I would give a tutorial a try. I want to warn you though...I am not an expert on this. I have tried so many things along the way, these are the steps that work best for me. Please feel free to use all or as little as you'd like...I just hope this helps!! It may seem long, but it's hard not to list everything.

For me I like to read something fast, not big long instructions. So I think I might just bullet before each picture, so it's a quick read.

Paper Choices

Choose one paper type and stick with it through whole project. Different paper thickness will give different sized hexagons.

• Freezer paper: found in grocery stores next to aluminum foil, $5-$6 for a huge roll. This is my paper choice and will be in the instructions. You can iron on fabric and use it over and over again. See warning below on the ironing part.
  
• index cards




• magazine pull out thingys that we all hate




• old cards: Christmas/birthday/any holiday card

Tools

• scissors
  
• hole punch
  
• stapler
  
• staple remover: not necessary but easier if you use the staple method

Freezer Paper Method:

• The picture below is a warning. Freezer paper has 2 sides: a dull side that will not hurt your iron and a shiny side that you will cry over if it hits your iron. SHINY SIDE DOWN on wrong side of fabric. I warned you. My job is done here.

Templates

• choose your desired size and cut one out of a sturdy cardboard or plastic
  

Preparing Paper

• cut a large piece of freezer paper about 18" long
• fan fold it, making sure each fold is a little larger than your hexagon template
• trace your hexagon template onto freezer paper, butt one straight edge next to the other...makes for easy cutting later.
• once you have traced them all on the length of paper, staple down each side on the INSIDE of each hexagon. This is to ensure the papers do not move when it's time to cut them apart.
  
  
  

Hole punch

• punch hole in the cut hexagons: this step is optional, but I do it for 2 reasons
• 1: you can place a small pin inside the hole through the fabric to keep the paper from moving
• 2: you can use a little wooden skewer in the hole at the end of the project to pop out the papers. see 2nd picture below this text.
• you really don't need to pin if you are using the papers for the first few times, because they really stick well when you iron them on. The pin is good for older papers or if you are using other forms of paper.

Staple Removal

• remove staples
• separate papers
  
  
  

Ready for Fabric

• place freezer paper hexagons SHINY SIDE DOWN on the wrong side of fabric, either on a strip of fabric or a square of fabric. Make sure the fabric is 1/4" larger on all sides
• iron with a hot iron just for a couple seconds: it doesn't take long to adhere.
• paper can be used (ironed) over and over again
  
  

Cutting

• at this point you can cut out each hexagon exactly or leave it as a square as seen below.
• if you leave it as a square there is less cutting, you can use squares you already have and no one sees the wrong side anyway.
• However, there may be some of that extra fabric in the way if you were to hand quilt it a 1/4" from the edge.
  
  
  

Hand Sewing

• fold over first edge of fabric over paper (picture 1)
• still holding onto to first edge, fold over second edge. (picture 2)
• with needle and knotted thread take a small stitch just at the intersection of the overlapped corner. (picture 3)
• DO NOT GO THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE. STITCH ONLY THROUGH THE FOLDED CORNER. (you'll see why later)
• proceed to next corner, fold over edge and take another stitch. Still again, do not go through to the other side. (picture 4)
• when you have finished sewing all side it should look like picture 5 if you have trimmed the fabric and picture 6 if you left it as a square.
• the last picture 7 shows the right side of the fabric hexagon. See, no stitches on the front and nothing to pull out when you are done. The stitches that you put in on the other side stay in. NO PULLING OUT THREADS... WOOHOO!!!!

picture 1

picture 2

picture 3


picture 4



picture 5


picture 6

picture 7
See no threads to remove on the right side of fabric!!!

one less step




Making the Flower

• take 2 hexagons ( I start with the center and one flower petal) and with right sides together whip stitch across one side. I use tiny stitches, just taking a little of the fabric, being careful not to go through the paper.
• once the side is stitched, do not cut the thread. Open the 2 hexagons place another piece and begin stitching another side.

Examples

Here are a few pictures of some small flowers that I've made which will be sewn into pincushions. You can make your flowers larger, with more rows and follow the traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden pattern or you can applique a flower onto a quilt or fabric to make a pillow or a framed picture.


These next 2 pictures are the front and back of a flower that has already been sewn together. Just needs to be stuffed and whipped stitched closed.

This last picture is of a tiny one. Can you see all the threads on the wrong side that are just left there and don't have to be removed!


Well, I hope that wasn't too confusing. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. This was my first tutorial so go easy on me!! lol

Have a great day!!
~Karen~