Basketman

This may take more time, but if you score the fold lines with an old fashioned tracing wheel, this action allows you to fold the paper pattern at the intersections without the need for heavy card stock and if you can guesstimate your 1/4" seam allowance ...your sewing speed in vastly improved. This technique, along with a shorter stitch length, makes tearing away the paper MUCH easier. The few places where it resists, can be misted with water and it all but falls apart and your stitching remains unaltered.

QuiltE

...........I'd think twice before using the old fashioned tracing wheel, as you run the risk of cutting your threads

Guess What? .... I have done a lot of PPing, and have never had problems taking the paper off, even with heavily pieced, intricate designs. I don't use anything to fold the paper against. In fact, if there are a lot of seams, it may come off sooner than I want, in which case, I just put a band-aid on, using painter's tape, til I am ready to remove the paper. You can sew thru and iron on the painter's tape without any problems. As for misting the paper? .... no need at all!

Yes, BasketMan the secret to success is to shorten the stitch length, right down.

indymta

Quilt E's suggestion to shorten my stitch length (I had gone from 2.2 to 1.8) down to 1.0 did the trick for me
Removed the paper from my first batch of 16 HSTs without pulling out threads. Also pulled the paper toward me as suggested and from the middle. I'm getting ready to sew another batch. Again thanks to all for the suggestions.

QuiltE

Glad it's working for you ... you're on the way to being a PP Queen!

indymta

Quilt E...the triangle paper is probably the closest I'm going to get to PP. It sure does make it easier than all the marking and squaring, once one learns the tricks! I'm more optimistic about this quilt now.

QuiltE

Never say no ... consider this your first step into the land of PPing!

ILoveToQuilt

A tip I use when PP...start and stop the stitch line a few stitches past the line (into the seam allowance area if necessary). Sometimes, especially if I am using triangle papers (Thangles for instance) I will chain piece them and cut them apart later. This seems to work well for me. I also shorten my stitch length. I often will fold the papers on the stitch line (from outer seams inwards) then tear away (I use copier paper and don't have any issue with pulling the papers).