Relaxing EPP and Quilts UK

There's little else I find as relaxing as hand sewing, in particular some good old English paper piecing. I became slightly, well very, addicted to EPP hexagons and diamonds a while ago and have been known to sew at airports and on trains while listening to a gripping audible book.

Many visitors have caught me stitching up a new cushion design while on the stand at quilt shows - this new diamond cushion was half made at last week's event in Harrogate, and will no doubt be finished at Malvern this weekend.

And it seems I'm not alone, talking to fellow quilters and show visitors, there are so many of us moving towards this quieter, more contemplative type of sewing.

Great to do in front of the tele, but also to take on holiday or on long drives, or just to sit quietly curled up in a favourite armchair. Don't get me wrong, I still love knocking up a quilt on my Janome, and adore machine quilting, but I feel that EPP slows me down, relaxes me and turns off the outside world for just a while. In conversation at shows you may have heard me say this is my free therapy, and it's true! I have also heard people say "they don't have the patience for hand sewing", which makes me sad. I have actually found that it gives me patience, I have to slow down and take one stitch at a time, which really can't be a bad thing!

So why not have a go yourself? My EPP Diamond and Hexy Cushion Kits are designed to be small undaunting projects that you may actually finish ;) Each kit contains all the fabric you need to complete the top, including binding and wadding, plus a Sewline glue pen, thread, paper templates and full instructions. What's more, if you subscribe to my Newsletter before the end of May, you can get 20% off each kit, just in time for those summer holidays.

This week we're off to Quilts UK at the Three Counties Showground in the beautiful town of Malvern. This four-day event is the UK"s second largest quilt show of the year, and fingers crossed, promises to be a great weekend. The shows runs from Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st May, 10am - 5pm (4.30pm on Sunday). If you're in or around the area, it would be great to see you.

Linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers & Needle & Thread Thursday