English Paper Piecing, Day Five

It's Saturday where I live and I have just a few more ideas for you. Have you ever considered the Pentagon shape? It's based on a 72 degree angle (at each corner). The inside allows for a 5-Pointed Star to fit in very nicely! Here's what I mean:

Sunburst Pentagon Wreath

Let's look at the Five Pointed Star. I stitched it using Dupioni silk. You can see several 72 degree 2" diamonds scattered on the floor in front of my model. Here is the star up close:

5-Pointed Star made from silk

And the back before I removed the papers. I will say it again and again: 1/4" seams are just NOT enough. I always add 3/8". And I don't use glue. And I don't stitch THROUGH the papers. I stitch in the corners through the folds.

5-Pointed EPP Star from the back

Let's see it pinned up close. I cut a background square 13-1/2". I then folded it in half vertically and horizontally. In order to position the star I had to FIRST align the Pentagon Wreath. That was easy to do with those folds. Then there's only one place for the star to be aligned in relation to the four edges of the background square!

Centered, pinned and ready to be stitched.

I didn't want to remove the wreath while I stitched the center, so I just folded half of it back.

Stitching from the center

And she's finished! I trimmed away the excess background fabric from behind the star and the wreath.

Sunburst Wreath with Silk Star

Check out my other Sunburst inspired projects in my Etsy store.

• Off Center Log Cabin
• Trip Around the World

I used this Pentagon Wreath to capture the center of a beautiful panel motif.

Pentagon Wreath using Spellbound fabrics by Windham

The first Pentagon Wreath I made appeared in Quiltmaker Magazine. I used the 1-3/4" Pentagon papers to capture this gorgeous kaleidoscope motif from Paula Nadelstern's Kismet collection. I made up kits for my EPP workshop students and have a few left for next summer (if we ever get to teach again!)

Pentagon Wreath using 1-3/4" pentagon papers

I made several other wreaths, but this one was such a fun surprise when I was looking for something to fit in the center of a wreath I made a few years ago. Another 5-Pointed Star. I actually like my stars to be multiple colors (like the silk one above).

5-pointed star inside my Pentagon Wreath

This is what the pentagon shapes look like ready to be stitched. Remember, I always give myself 3/8" seams.

Paper and fabric pinned and ready to stitch

And making 1/2 a wreath for another block:

Half a Pentagon Wreath

Here is THAT block:

Another wreath with an awesome motif in the center

So, now you can see a few things to do with a Pentagon shape for EPP. I hope you've enjoyed English Paper Piecing week. I have more things to share and they will pop up here and there in future posts.