Paper-piecing question
 

I have a few questions about paper piecing.

1) How small of a stitch do most of you use?

2) Problem solving. If you use a smaller stitch & your fabric on the back bunches up. What do you do if the stitch makes the paper fall off and you need to unpick the fabric?

3) I was taught to put you stitch at 0 at the beginning & end of your square you're putting on. Sometimes this doesn't knot the fabric & it comes apart. Do some of you backstitch? Or what is a better way so the stitches don't come apart?

4) Do most of you pin your pieces or just do it by feel?

Thanks for your help!

I sit by a window and line the piece up then sew. I also have my stitch at about a 2 on ky machine which is smaller than most people. Ii have thought about going smaller too but ripping out small stitches is hard on me. I don't back stitch just stitch past fabric line. It holds perdy well. just make sure when.you trim after sewing that your fabrics are all laying rigbt. Been there riped and resewn that.

I do the same as sahm4605, set stitch on 2 and start before and end after the drawn line. It seems to hold up well.

this is what works for ME - your mileage may vary.

1. when I paper piece and actually stitch through the paper, I reduce my stitch to about 1 on the machine. However, I actually prefer to use the fold-and-stitch method, where I fold the paper out of the way and stitch right next to it. This way I don't have to tear the paper off when I'm done. When I use this method, I don't reduce my stitch length.

2. If the fabric on the back bunches up, I get out a magnifying class and carefully unpick. This is another reason I prefer to use the fold-and-stitch method of paper piecing.

3. I don't backstitch or reduce my stitch length at the beginning or end. That's too much work for me to do on every seam, and I've never had a problem with seams coming undone. However, having said that, when my top is complete, I DO make sure the seams around the edge of the quilt top are secure.

4. 90% of the time I don't pin. I nest my seams, and I also have a tendency to make small blocks, so I just hold it together with my fingers. If I was making a larger block, like 14", I might pin.

Peggy,
I'm doing my very first pp today. How do you get the fold exactly straight and how to make sure the printed line is just barely out of the way?

I use vellum paper. I can see through it to make sure the fold is straight.

If you don't have vellum paper handy, you can use a piece of cardstock, lay it next to your line, fold the paper over the cardstock and crease. Open it back up and make sure your fold is where you want it.

Hope this helps - thanks for the notification!

Which is why I don't like the fold method .... stitch on the line and tear away later!

I've tried both methods and prefer to fold instead of tear. To each her own!

1) How small of a stitch do most of you use?
1.0 on a Janome

2) Problem solving. If you use a smaller stitch & your fabric on the back bunches up. What do you do if the stitch makes the paper fall off and you need to unpick the fabric?
I just carefully unpick with a very sharp stitch ripper. If the previous pieces of fabric are somewhat large thus may be loose and flappy ... I tack it down with long basting/machine stitches. And remove later. This can help to avoid fabric bunching up.

3) I was taught to put you stitch at 0 at the beginning & end of your square you're putting on. Sometimes this doesn't knot the fabric & it comes apart. Do some of you backstitch? Or what is a better way so the stitches don't come apart?
No need! Tiny stitches plus crossover of other rows of stitching will anchor your seams.
Likewise for regular non-PP piecework .... if it's going to have another row of stitching crossing it, you should be OK. In principal, the only place where a lock-stitch should be necessary would be on the final row of stitching on your quilt ... the borders.

4) Do most of you pin your pieces or just do it by feel?
No .. pinning can create bumps and not keep the fabric as smooth as you want.
If I need it held in place, I use long running/basting machine stitches, as mentioned above in #2.

Another question that's often asked is what paper do you use?
regular photocopy/printer paper.

How do you remove the paper? and when?
The fine/short stitches makes it pretty easy to remove the paper when the time comes. In fact, I sometimes find that the paper wants to fall off too soon. I keep a roll of painter's tape handy, for band-aids to keep it together til the time is right!

If I'm covering over a seam, once stitched and before the next seam, I take the paper off, just the 1/4" seam area and then do the next seam.

Thanks for your help!
You're welcome! and hope it does help.

thanks, Peggy, for the explanation :)

I use 1.5 stitch length using copy paper. I sew #1 to the right of the seam between 1 and 2 to secure to the paper, making sure there is 1/4" from the printed line. Then I sew #2 on the line. Don't fold over and iron just yet. I place a large recipe card on the printed side of the paper, right on the line. fold the paper over that card, use a 'add a quarter ruler' and trim both fabrics #1 and #2 to 1/4" seam. Remove card, fold paper over and iron to set. I do this for every seam. I don't set anything to '0' and always use 1.5 stitch length. The last piece I sew the fabric down just outside the line into the 1/4" outside seam, just to secure it for cutting. I cut out the block. Then I fold the paper back and forth once on each sewn seam. The paper pulls away very easily from the sewn lines.

Thank-you everyone for your answers. This has been very helpful for me and I sew appreciate it!!
:)

I probably do more like NanaCsews2 than any other method. It also helps to pre-fold your paper on all the lines before you even start sewing .

I do as most above!! I do pin mine though

I am trying to finish a PP(my first & last) It has been very frustrating for me & not fun at all. The paper is tissue(kit)& the blocks did not finish out the right size. I'm sure it was all me but if I ever do another it won't be more than 4 block wall hanging-LOL

I do 1.6 and I do backstitch. I don't pin, I just use my lightbox to line up, I hold it between my fingers, place it under the machine and sew

Stitch set at 1.5 and I dont back stitch.

Interesting idea to stitch beside the paper and not on it. Will have to try it.

I sew thru the paper with a smaller stitch. One thing I am adamant about is trimming my seams to 1/4" after done sewing. Then I don't run into extra floppy fabric on the back that can get caught up in other seams. Never had a problem with bunching of fabric on the back using this method. Also, when I am ready to remove the paper, I mist the seam with water, let it soak in and then remove the paper. This way it doesn't pull on my seams and distort my block.

1. I use 1.5 stitch length.
2. If the paper tears I use scotch tape. It is easy to sew over.
3. I start all my stitching 2 or 3 stitches before and after the line. I've never had it come apart during construction.
4. I only pin the first two pieces together.

I've found it very helpful to use a glue stick on the first piece, especially if I'm working with tiny pieces. Just a couple swipes with the stick holds it long enough to sew it down with the second piece.

WOW I've never seen the fold and stitch method but I can't wait to try it! Thank you for sharing and then explaining how to do it so easily! thanks

I print the pattern on freezer paper. Then I use photo paper or even a shiny post card, place the straigth edge on the printed line and fold along the line. The shiny surface gives the card/photo paper a good grip so it doesn't slip when folding,

If you can buy Carol Doaks DVD you will soon achieve perfection. Carol is an amazing teacher. You will get all the wonderful info right at your fingertips. I recently saw the DVD at Joanns, so you may be able to get it with a coupon. Either way, its worth whatever the price is.

I put my stitch length at 12/14 per inch wich translates to 1.5 on my Bernina. Your stitch is to small if it is bunching up.
There is no need to either back stitch or drop your length to 0. As long as you sew past the intersection or into the seam allowance several stitches. I have never had any seams come apart. If a few stitches get loose at the begining or end of your sewing it is okay because those stitches are not actualy part of the sewn seam. They are before and after the actual seam area.

I only pin pieces if they are large and flop over. I keep a lamp next to my machine and hold the paper section up to the light so I can see through the paper and line my fabric up with a 1/4" allowance over the line on the pattern piece.
You will get lots of help here from people and also do a search for some tutorials.
peace

I agree. Sewing through the paper on the lines is the beauty of pp: ACCURACY.
Go to www.quiltworx.com, click on learn more under Technique.
Use the folding template (I use a strip of template plastic - factory edge!) Add-a-quarter ruler is very important.
Set stitch length to 1.
You will be sewing over the ends of your lines of stitching - no need to backstitch. Start about 1/8 to 1/4" before the seam line and sew past the line at the end about the same amount. This sew over is included in the seam allowance so doesn't matter. Sew past the end on the outside edge of the block and leave a thread tail - Don't trim! The threads are twisted when they come out of the machine. This twisting usually keeps the seam together until you are ready to sew your blocks together. Just be gentle when taking the paper off. If you can get sheets of newsprint for your copies, it is a much softer paper and tears away easily.
Oops, Katybob reminded me. Use a glue stick on the #1 piece.

The problem I've had with sewing before and after the line is that I was taught to fold after I've sewed & cut the seam to 1/4 inch. When I do this the stitches come undone. So when are you cutting the 1/4 inch seam? (I hope this makes sense.)

I trim to 1/4" after every seam.

I trim to 1/4" after every seam, too, and I very rarely cut through any stitching, so I'm not sure I understand what's happening. Don't cut 1/4" around the outside of the pieced portion until you're entirely finished with that portion. The only place you cut while you're putting it all together is 1/4" outside the fold after you've stitched and folded your paper back. Be sure to stitch several stitches before the beginning and after the end of the stitching line.

Check out the blog called ThatQuilt. It is a Dear Jane tutorial blog but she has a great method for paper piecing using freezer paper. There is a link to it on the blog, look down the right side of the page. I love this method! The way you get a straight fold line is that you gently score the lines (use the dull side of your seam ripper) before you start sewing. The lines are then straight and crisp. You don't have to stop sewing at the end of each line. The freezer paper helps stabilize your fabric, especially small pieces and bias edges. Excellent method!!

QuiltE...great tips. The thing that still trips me up is the reverse thing. Since I sew on the printed side, the finished block is really a reverse of the pattern I start with. Those darn triangles just don't go the right way. I write the fabric placement on the paper so I'm going to try reversing that before I sew this next time.

One last tip, the fabric piece can always be too big but too little means ripping out a seam. Hate it when it folds over and is just doesn't cover what I thought it would!

I am so glad I read this post as I started paper piecing a few months ago and did not think about folding and stitching close to the line and had not seen how to do this any place. I use a .8 stitch and have not had a bunching problem - just an "operator" problem not cutting big enough pieces, although lately, I have learned my lesson. Stitching next to the paper line sounds like a great idea and I am going to try it soon. Thanks for the info.

Oh GGal ... I can relate! The reversing is awkward. I had one PC block that I just couldn't figure out, so said, oh heck, does it really matter? And many times no, it does not!! That is, so long as you do it or not do it for the whole block. :)

I use highlighters to mark my fabric placement ... easier to watch as I work away, than to read little letters!! Besides, more colourful too. And as quilters we love colour, don't we!! :)

And relate #2 ... yup ... times where that piece is just a little shy of what's needed. So frog stitching is practiced!

I have a light bar, that sits under the plexiglass that surrounds my sewing machine, so it is very easy to lineup the fabric to paperpiece. I do not pin. Then when it is time to take off the paper, I just wet with a bit of water a Q-tip and run that down the seam, and the paper is easily removed. I do not tack the ends, as there is usually another seam that gets stitched right over that seam.

There was a pp demo at our group last night. She used a dab of glue stick on the first pc. I am anxious to try it. I think it can be fun once you get the hang of it. Some of the patterns are real pretty. Good luck to you . When I was a kid & didn't like to pratice my accordion, my mother would say,"pratice makes perfect.":thumbup: Rowena101

I trace the patterns onto a thin non-fusible interfacing and then I don't have to tear off any paper!

I too use freezer paper. With this method you fold back the pattern on your sew line and stitch right next to the fold. After you press and trim this piece, the sewn portion of the pattern will be stuck to your fabric, so all you have to do is hold the new strip in place and put under the needle. I usually make small blocks so don't need a pin at this point, but if you have large pieces over 6" long, you could pin it. When I used to stitch thru the paper I'd use 1.5 stitch length. Now with freezer paper pp, I use a 2. You don't need to backstitch, I just start and stop 1/4" in front of and beyond each sew line. If you need to rip out a seam, do it and then use clear tape to put your pattern back together if you're sewing thru it. If you're using freezer paper, you haven't sewn thru and perforated it, it's just folded- so no problem. If you haven't seen the freezer paper method, there's tutes on it on this board or on youtube. Good Luck!

I sew on a Bernina and I lower my stitch length down to 1.5 and use a 90 needle. Here is a link to Judy Neimeyers instructions.

http://www.quiltworx.com/pdfs/founda...perpiecing.pdf

Carol Doak does some really good instructions in her books and she also has a video but I couldn't find anything free on them. She does have a blog and has several free blocks out there.

There are as many different PP approaches as there are people doing PP BUT....after reading and hearing so many different ways to do it, I decided to learn ONE WAY that felt comfortable for me and stick with it. I used a JoAnn coupon and purchased the "Carol Doak Teaches You to Paper Piece" video and her method works for me so the video was a good investment. However, rather than tear the foundation out, I use the June Tailor "Perfect Piecing" foundation sheets (also from JoAnn when I have coupons etc.). The "Add a Quarter" and "Add an Eighth" rulers (from LQS and worth it!) have also been great for me. The video and the rulers were one-time "investments" and have more than paid for themselves in frustration avoided and time saved....for me, anyway!