Mr. Lion – English Paper Piecing

There’s something about finishing one of these Violet Craft English Paper Piecing Kits that makes me feel like I’m some very accomplished fine artist. They are so smart and well-crafted that, even though I veered from the color schema of the pattern, this project became other-worldly. I took my inspiration from nature and I knew as soon as I saw this pattern that I wanted to make a white lion. Here’s my inspiration pic.

To achieve this color way, I used these Pure Elements Solids by Art Gallery Fabrics:

• Snow
• Linen White
• Light Gray
• Sandstone
• Creme de la Creme

I also used Aurifil monofilament for the piecing and oh boy was it a dream. Zero tangles and zero breakage. 

Much like many of my EPP projects, this one started on a work trip while I was away from home for two weeks for training. So every night I watched him come to life.

Wooooow right? And once he was done, I knew that I needed the perfect fabric for the background. It took a while because the obsessive part of me took over, but I landed on this print from Pat Bravo‘s Indie Fabrics. 

And I know my love of straight line quilting with Aurifil 80wt on Felicia has reached addiction-level, but I can’t help it because it’s so dreamy. Loook at this Silver White goodness.

So now that I found the perfect background, I next needed the perfect backside. I knew that I wanted to use canvas and that I wanted it to feel earthy and grounded and had to compliment the front. And I found it in this print from Sharon Holland‘s Coastline Fabrics.

And here he is all bound and fabulous as a pillow.

I hope you enjoyed the journey of Mr. Lion as much as I did. And if y’all spot this EPP kit as your LQS, snag it because it was a blast!