Matching Foundation points and seams
 

I am fixing to start on the quilt, Storm At Sea. It is foundation pieced and there's a lot of points and seams to match. When I foundation piece, I have problems matching up the seams and points. Regular quilting is not as hard, since I can open up the seams. In foundation piecing, you don't open the seams. Any help that you can send my way will be greatly appreciated. And, do you remove the paper before you sew the blocks together? ~~Ann~~

Anndr, I just finished pp a Storm at Sea. I leave my papers in until I complete all the blocks. Then when it's time to join the blocks, I remove the paper from the outer seam edges where I plan to join the blocks. This way I can see all the seams and points that need to be lined up. I also found that the quilt lays flatter if I press open those seams. I remove all the other paper (what a pain LOL) after all my blocks are joined.
Hope this helps. Would love to see a pic of your finished project.
Just thought of another hint: instead of trying to pin through all the layers when joining my blocks I use those little red binding clips; they slide off easily when you get to them while sewing and don't distort the blocks at all the intersections like pins do.

if you iron your seems oppsite each other, when you put them together the will nest. as quilters call is. iron one seam one way and one the other way. or if you don't like that then just place the points together and pin them carefully then sew - removing the pin just before you get to it.
good luck

JanRN's the pro as she's done the SAS via PPing so recently.

When I've been doing the FWS/PC blocks, I leave the paper on as I join the seams. To get the matches, I stab pins thru the seam line to the opposite piece where they should match. Leave them stabbed in there, and standing straight, and pin between the normal way. Then pull out the straight stabbed ones (clear as mud?).

Then stitch on the line. Press seam open. I leave all the paper on, excep the outer 1/4" of the seam, which I remove as it will get buried with subsequent seams. Like JanRN, I leave all the papers on til the end, as it keeps my 1/4" seam liines marked all the way thru to the finish.

Press after every seam. Then a good pressing at the end. And finally, remove the papers! :)

You could also use the "don't sew through the paper method." That way you can press your seams whichever direction you like. Fold the foundation on the lines and sew right next to it. Use a dab of glue to hold each piece onto the foundation paper or use freezer paper foundations and & mini iron to temporarily stick the fabric onto the foundation.

If you starch the fabric until it is as stiff as paper and keep track of your Half Rectangle Triangles (mirror images boggle my mind on some days), you can rotary cut & piece Storm at Sea.

I can't believe the first quilt I attempted was Storm at Sea without paper piecing. Between the pressing and custom quilting it worked out. It was grandsons HS graduation gift.