I’m not a huge fan of paper-piecing. Â While I love the results, I don’t enjoy the process, and I hate removing all the paper…
But, if you wait 60 years, the paper just peels off itself!
And you have a little historical reading as well!
Any paper-piecers out there?
Lori
40 comments
Maria
Did you ever try freezer paper foundation piecing?
Love it, love it, love it!!!
Easy to remove, and moreover you can re-use the same templates 4-6-times.
I don’t know how to attach PDF or photos here…..
Catherine
J’aime bien suivre blog, je m’initie au patchwork depuis peu de temps et vous lire me permet de perfectionner à la fois mes techniques de couture et mon anglais …
Je suis incapable de coudre avec précision et donc, depuis que j’ai découvert le paper piecing, j’obtiens de meilleurs résultats !
Barb
I love pp. I use use drier sheets for small patterns or printer paper. When I am sewing over another piece I remove the paper first so it doesn’t get trapped underneath. I really enjoy Carol Roam &Regina Greasy.
Lori Kennedy
Thanks, Barb. Do you employ used or unused drier sheets?–Must smell good either way! I will look at the works of Carol Roam and Regina Greasy–thanks for sharing!
Sharon
I love, love, love paper piecing for intricate, angled blocks with tiny pieces. I would never use newspaper though – too messy. I use a thin paper, fold on the seam line after, and the paper will usually tear off easily.
Lori Kennedy
Hi Sharon, I found out rather quickly that there are a lot of dedicated paper-piecers out there. I think I may have to give it a try again…I feel like I am missing out!
Diana Fink
I am right there with you on liking the results but not the process. All that paper removal is not fun. I would rather like to be able to just make perfect blocks without relying on the paper to guide me.
Lori Kennedy
Me, too, but you can’t argue with the results that the paper-piecers get. Diana, you and I might have to give it another whirl???
thecheekydiva
I love paper piecing. It allows me to do the kinds of blocks I could never do without it. With a great pattern and starching after every line of stitching, my blocks come out clean and sharp and my pals who don’t quilt seem to be impressed. It’s such an easy method that it almost feels like cheating~but I hate tearing out the paper too. I always use tracing paper for my patterns, and just trim it so it fits in a copier or our printer to get the block foundations.
I know I haven’t made a comment here for quite some time, but I am still reading, and wait every week for your Tuesday Tutorials. Keep up the great work!
Sherry
Barbarabieragueldesigns.com teaches paper piecing using no paper! You get the same great results as paper piecing without the paper!
Lori Kennedy
Sherry, thanks for the link. I’ve never heard of that technique–but it sounds like all the advantages without the tearing–can’t beat that!
wombatquilts
I am an avid paper piercer and love the cris, detailed results the process allows you. I have managed to train my husband to help with the paper removal which speeds up the process.
Lori Kennedy
You are a smart girl! Do you have a “Guide to Training Husbands” that we could reference???
wombatquilts
Ah unfortunately that is a guide which is beyond my skill level. I just lucked into a great guy who does not mind ripping paper or basting a quilt or two.
pamelajeannestudio
I’m with you. I love the results, but the process (and removing paper) is a pain. I have a vintage top much like yours. Interesting reading–and at least you can easily date the quilt!
Lori Kennedy
My sister purchased several old quilts at an estate sale. Made me feel kind of sad…
Patricia Faye
I love to Paper Piece. I’ve made numerous quilts of various bed sizes & use the thinnest papers I can find. I usually have no problems removing the paper, sometimes a light spray of water helps!. I like to remove the papers from the blocks while sitting & watching TV in the evening. I’m addicted to it too, but the results are perfect!
Lori Kennedy
Patricia, I completely agree, the results are perfect—I was surprised by how many dedicated Paper Piecers there are out there. I really think I need to try it again!
ashley828
PP is totally foreign to me. I think I’m going to need to youtube it a few times to even understand it.
Lori Kennedy
Hi Ashley,
I may follow you to YouTube. I have done it, but gave up on the technique. There are so many avid Paper Piecers out there that I think I need to try it again. Make sure you check all the comments on this post, because several people left links to the products and techniques…
Joy French
I like paper piecing because of the results you can get with it that you just can not get with conventional piecing. I even prefer it to applique – needle turned or fused. Paper pieced quilts look more like patchwork than appliqued quilts. I guess that’s why I perfer it. I never paper piece a block that can be conventionally pieced though. I primarily use paper piecing when I am contructing themed quilts.
Lori Kennedy
Joy, do you have any photos you could share? I started a Flickr group site–The Inbox Jaunt Quilting Guild. I think people would love to see your themed quilts.
Sara
Please, please if you are a paper piecer or contemplating it: go to lindafranz.com and learn about Inklingo. You print the cutting and sewing lines directly onto the back side of your fabric. Totally precise, with matching lines in the seams so you can match in the middle of the seam as well. She even has a free download of a Lemoyne Star block so you can try it out. Lately on her blog (there’s a link from the web page) she has been discussing paper piecing (and how Inklingo is superior). Some people love paper piecing, however, and with Inklingo you can print your shapes on the paper if you want to. I have no affiliation, but I am a happy user!
Lori Kennedy
Sara,
Thank you so much for the link! That is why we all love blogs–we learn so much and we get the BEST references. I will look at that site this week. With all you dedicated paper piecers, I feel I have to give it another try!
Queenie
Wow! That is some find!
I’m not a paper piece person. The whole ripping the paper off and stressing the stitching is not my thing as the majority of my quilts right now are bed sized use quilts subject to laundry.
Have a great day.
Always. Queenie
Kristy @ Quiet Play
Hehe love it! Would love to see what the quilt blocks look like on the other side of the paper too 😉
I’m with Esther (ipatchandquilt). I design paper pieced blocks and it’s my most favourite quilt technique – though I definitely don’t enjoy removing the paper!
Lori Kennedy
Kristy, The other side of the quilt was a patchwork of all types of fabrics –polyesters, cotton, wool, denim, etc. Rather random. Clearly a patchwork of loved and well-used fabrics. It looks like a crazy quilt that never got embroidered.
ipatchandquilt
I am a pp designer so I do a lot of pp! 🙂 At least once a week, I think! I use a thinner than normal printer paper and tweezers afterwards. Pulling of the paper is not my favorite part of the process, but I love the results.
Esther
Lori Kennedy
I agree, the results are probably worth the effort. I like the idea of the light printer paper because it is so readily available.
Quilter in Motion
I do a great deal of a paper-piecing. You could say I’m addicted to the precision you get with PPing. Also, Lori, there are options that don’t require tearing off the paper. I often print the design on stabilizer and leave it on forever. There are sheets you can purchase that are water-soluble so you just dunk it in some water when finished and the “paper” sloughs off. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! You should try one of these methods.
Lori Kennedy
How do you print on a stabilizer–just with your printer. I’d love to try that. I agree, the results are fabulous, and if I could do it with no tearing–I’m in!
Debbie
I found this wonderful paper for paper piecing by Deb Krasik. It sews nicely, it comes off easily, but best of all,….you can see through it so you never have to guess where to line up the fabric! It’s great stuff!
Lori Kennedy
Debbie, Thanks for the tip. I love that you can see through it. I think that was part of the difficulty for me, the flipping to see, etc.
Ferne
The second quilt I made about 8 years ago was paper pieced and I fell in love with it. Everything is so precise. I do set my stitches to 1.5 and then it tears off easily, but it is a pain to rip out if you make an error and I do make errors. I have been using printer paper since this is where I get my designs from, but am anxious to hear more about Debbie’s paper source so I can give it a try.
beckyfiedler
Deb’s paper is awesome. You can order it here: http://debkarasik.com/store.php?cat=1
Lori Kennedy
Thanks for the link, Becky. I will give it a try!
Lori Kennedy
Hi Ferne–I can imagine it is difficult to repair an error when the stitches are that small! My eyes aren’t that good any more!
Ferne
I love paper piecing. I hope you will share a source for this paper it sounds like a great thing!
Carol Claytor
I’ve done some paper piecing but only for the really small , intricate, pointy stuff. Not really my go to thing but at least I do know how to do it.
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