Thread: Foundation/Paper Piecing

I'm working on a block for our County Fair Quilt Block Contest and decided on one that is Paper Pieced. I did a test block using a product I found at JoAnn's (Perfect Piecing) but it was hard to tear out when I finished, and I'm afraid the tearing might have stretched the block out of shape. What do you use as the "foundation" when you use this method? Thanks for your input!

There are a lot of discussions on this subject. I think the ones I have read say the newsprint the kids draw on is the best for tearing away. Do a search on foundation paper or just paper and I know you will find tons of opinions.

Be sure to use a very tiny stitch, that's important no matter what tear away you use. I use my seam ripper along the seam lines to remove stubborn paper, it just cuts right off. I use Golden Threads paper when I hand trace a paper piecing pattern and cheap newsprint tablet paper when I print the pattern. It helps a lot to take opposite corners of the block and pull taunt but not tight, that gets the paper torn from the seams.

I use Carol Doak's Foundation Paper and I set the stitch length at 1.8 on my Bernina sewing machine. Your stitch length should be very short for paper piecing.

and when you tear out the paper, you should put your thumb or other finger on the stitches and tear the paper next to your finger, moving your finger down as you tear. that helps stabilize the stitching. good luck

A friend bought a 2-pack of Dixie's Kabnet Wax (used for deli food) from Costco and gave me one box. She said it was so cheap she wouldn't even tell me the price. So now I have a box of 500 sheets of 10" x 10.75" "heavyweight premium dry wax paper" that would take a lifetime to use up. I use an old rotary blade to cut it down to 8.5" and it goes through the printer very well and tears away from the stitching easily.

i prefer vellum paper when i paper piece.

I tried a paper piecing technique I found with freezer paper, and there is no tearing, therefore,, no ripped stitches.

Here is a link:

http://www.twiddletails.com/store/in...age=page&id=21

I tried it and it worked great. I will never tear paper again.

Maria

Thanks Maria for the link. I thinks this will be a much easier way and lots less messy!

Thanks Maria. I may give the freezer paper technique a test run. That sounds like a good way to keep from having to spend time tearing. I appreciate everyone's suggestions! Thanks so much!