All the previous suggestions are helpful for a newbie PP. I have just practiced PP, made two birds and am working (slowly) on a flower. The one area I have had trouble being I am so frugal with my fabric is cutting my pieces too small. Don't err on the side of too small if anything go bigger than you think you need. I had two places on my birds that were too small so made them unusable.

I second using Carol Doak's PP patterns. Easy to follow instructions..I used these to learn myself. And quilterscache.com has a ton of patterns for when you're confident in the technique.

Have fun :)

Christine

The best thing about Carol Doak's paper piecing is that she tells you how big to cut your pieces of fabric. I usually cut mine even a little bigger than she suggests. I was trying to be frugal once and used fabric that was too small. I ended up throwing the project away because I got so frustrated. Now I make sure I have plenty or use Carol's patterns.

Oh No! Not "the quilting words"! :shock: So funny!

I actually tried a PP pattern now and it is So EASY! Marcia Hohn's Golden Wedding Ring. http://www.quilterscache.com/G/Golde...RingBlock.html

Now that I understand more about how it works, you are right, Star Weaver isn't the best for PP.

Here is another great website with links for free Paper Piecing patterns:
http://www.craftytips.com/quilting/f...cing-patterns/

Ok so what kind of paper do you all use for your templates and do you run them through the printer?

I use Carol Doaks' foundation paper when I can buy it at 40% off at Connecting Threads. Otherwise, I buy newsprint and cut it down with a guillotine paper cutter.

Plain inkjet paper works just as well, but it's a little harder to remove if you don't get the stitches close enough and it's a lot more expensive than newsprint. :)

I personally use cardstock. Most LQS have cut outs of the shapes you need to finish a quilt. Also check out etsy if you don't have the time to make them yourself. I always purchase precut ones just because it would take me forever to sit there and cut them out myself.

Thanks that is great info - what I have been playing with is just not tearing away very well - Ill order some of the Carol Doak's paper and give it a shot...

Cardstock is fabulous for English paper piecing, which is a whole 'nother animal than foundation paper piecing. :)

If you try to do foundation paper piecing with cardstock, you are probably gonna have to bring out the "quilting words." ;)

I've tried copy paper, newsprint (unprinted, of course), vellum, and paper piecing paper. I like vellum and the paper piecing paper best. They both tear the easiest of all types of paper. The vellum is see-through, which is helpful with certain patterns or techniques.

However, another way around the tearing part is simply to NOT tear - fold the paper out of the way and stitch. This has become my preferred method of ALL methods of paper piecing.