Paper Piecing- When do YOU remove the paper?
 

Good Morning, I'm working on paper-pieced blocks from Betty Blais' pattern, Kimonos. I was thinking about this all night and finally decided that I should ask all of you this question. When should I remove the paper on the back of the blocks?

I haven't trimmed the blocks down to size yet.....and I know that with paper piecing the fabric grain goes in all kinds of crazy directions. If I remove the paper before trimming, there probably won't be as much distortion later. The paper is holding everything in perfect shape at the moment but when I quilt it there might be more chance of it not laying flat if I wait to remove the paper till the whole quilt is put together. What do you think?

I have 4 more blocks to go.... 20 total to make this a bed quilt instead of a wall hanging. Since I started this 5 years ago, I'm wanting to get it done and off my UFO list.

I paper pieced the Farmer's Wife Pony Club quilt--all 90+ blocks. I removed the paper after each block was completed. I kept them on my flannel design wall so they'd stay nice and flat. When it was time to sew them together, there was no distortion even tho a lot of edges were bias or off-grain.

I also pp a Storm at Sea wallhanging and didn't remove the paper until the whole thing was sewn together--what a night mare that was! It took forever to get the papers removed and was much more difficult. The results were the same-no distortion but for me, I'll remove papers after each block is complete.

That's an adorable pattern and l love your block.

Like JanRN, I PPd the FWS, also the PC (which JanRN also did!). I press the block, as I do each seam, trimming the seams as necessary. For the outside pieces, I always extend them beyond the seam lines marked on the paper. After all the piecing is done, I remove all the papers, and press again, with a shot or two of Best Press. Then, I do the final trimming for the outside ragged pieces, and square up accordingly.

Like JanRN, all stays nice and firm and square by removing the paper as you go. Besides, I wouldn't want the long drawn out task of removing all the papers from the whole quilt. It isn't much of a job when doing it as you go.

I'll look forward to seeing all of your Kimonos together! It must have been a fun quilt to do.

i don't have to remove the paper as I use the fold back method of paperpiecing... love it!

Beautiful block!! I remove the paper at the very end - or once a block has been attached and completely surrounded by other blocks/borders. I like to keep the 1/4" seam allowance around the outer edges for accuracy. It may not be necessary but it gives me a guide and some reassurance that I'm putting everything together correctly!

This is my method as well.

I remove my paper as I finish a block. It would not be a fun job to wait and do them all at one time.

I understand there is a new wash away kind of paper that you can run through your printer...haven't tried it yet.

I've never heard of this method. Is there a tutorial somewhere?

I leave the paper on until all the blocks are joined together. There's too much risk of stretching a block, or some part of it, if the paper is removed before all four sides are secured by stitching to the next block/sashing/border.