I am doing a Mariner's Compass version by using paper piecing. Depending on which magazine or book you read, there seemed to be not a concensus on when one should remove the paper.

I see by many of the fellow quilters' avatars that there are many experts in paper piecing foundation. What say you?

I'm not an expert by any means, but I was taught to remove the paper from the back of paper piecing.

Did you remove the paper after you have pieced your top together or before?

I remove it after the top is complete. It adds extra stability and it sure doesn't hurt. I really don't know why you'd want to remove it before and chance pulling bias seams out of whack.

My common sense told me the same thing, but I did read somewhere to remove the paper after you've finished sewing the pieces on the foundation and before sewing the blocks together. I think it might have to do with the inconvenence of removing the paper when the project is so large in a pieced top. I guess.

I have read that you remove the paper AFTER the top is done, so that's how I do it.

I only remove the small bits here and there, so they don't get trapped into the seams, making it difficult getting to them later.
I really like the additional stability of leaving them in until the whole top is ready to be sandwiched and quilted.

Carol Doak, who I consider the all time expert in PP, teaches that leaving the paper on until completion stabilizes those pesky bias edges. My blocks are more true since I've been doing that.
karen

I'm not sure what you're supposed to do. I removed it after finishing a block (all I had to do was add a border and it was ready to be batted, backed and quilted, so I didn't need that extra stability!).

I'm certainly no expert, but I was taught to remove after the back is complete. Keeps everything in it's proper place.