I am very knew to quilting and I just don't understand paper piecing. Wouldn't it be faster just to go straight to the fabric and start cutting instead of cutting paper and then the fabric?

to get precise points and such Paper piecing is the easier way it does make a mess though!

some people do cut each shape out first when paper peicing but i do a method called strip paper piecing which is less laborious.

Go to ehow.com and ask how to paper piece. They have a great tutorial on paper piecing. And why would you cut the paper ?

why are you cutting the paper. and i just cute my material in strips big enough to cover the area of the paper. is is messy but great for blocks that would otherwise be very tedious that i could never do without the paper

Paper piecing isn't just cutting the paper, you have lines drawn on the paper that direct you to stitch on an exact line. It makes your finished work have very nice detail and looks precise. I personally don't like using paper and instead trace designs onto a thin muslin and then leave it on the back as an added stabilizer. It's never been too thick and I don't have the extra problem of the mess involved with removing the paper pattern when you're done stitching. Paper piecing generally is for patterns that don't play off one another and the lines don't necessarily line up together. That was rather unclear, huh? What I mean is - it's not like stacking and matching seams like putting together squares or triangles. Here's an example from one that I did - a round TUIT. You've heard people say that they'll do something someday - when they get around to it? Well, I handed these out at a church group one time, "Round TUITs", along with a devotion. They were colorful and easy to do with the PP pattern. It's in three sections which are put together matching seams after all the PP is done. Here's a photo and link for the pattern. http://www.paperpanache.com/free/guestpats/atuit.htm

Photo and link didn't come through

Peggy, did you post the photo and link for the round TUITs?

LOL give me a minute... searching for my pic took me a moment..... sorry I'm so slow :) It's there now

I'm sorry, Peggy, didn't realize you had just posted. Thanks for sharing that link. It's so cute! I also looked at your blog; I like it.

Thanks. I just wish I posted more often. With this board and trying to move my shop and make some things up, I just can't seem to keep up. lol

The first time I tried PP I had myself thoroughly confused. It took some time to get my head around the regular PP technique where the pattern is printed on the top side of the paper but the fabric is UNDER the paper. Of course you have to pay attention that the fabric is in the correct orientation AND large enough to cover the piece. I finally got it but I didn't like ripping the paper - I didn't have my stitch length small enough.

Now I sometimes use freezer paper on the TOP of the fabric. I perforate the pattern with an old needle first so I can bend the pattern as needed. I use the zipper foot to sew along the paper. No ripping and I get similar results.

Where is the link to the "Round Tuit's" ? I'm curious! oops... found it .. thanks! Really nice!

I might have asked this before, but what is a tuit?

You don't cut the paper, you sew the fabric to it.

It's a play on words. When you procrastinate you say "I'll get around to it". So there are the round tuits.

Here is a link to a quilt I made with paper piecing. It would have been impossible to do with regular piecing. It had 675 pieces. The smallest piece is about the size of my little fingernail. With paper piecing, all the points are accurate.

Wow, scowlkat. That is amazing!!

Just Amazing!! Did you have a pattern .. do share the name.

You do not cut paper, then fabric in paper piecing= the design in printed on the paper, and sometimes it allows you to accomplish shapes, points that would be impossible any other way. check out the Carol Doak Site to see examples of why some of us paper piece....and go ahead and show me how to do it easier with out paper...

Very, very good example skowlkat, and beautiful work.

Thanks guys. I designed and pieced the quilt using the technique developed by RaNae Merrill and my quilt is in her book entitled "Magnificant Spiral Mandala Quilts". Her instructions are wonderful and the group that worked along with her (via internet) while she wrote the book has so many quilts that make mine pale in comparison!

I titled the quilt "Pieceful Sea" because of the starfish and shells I see and of course because of the numerous pieces - I am kind of corny when it comes to naming things!

WOW, that is an amazing quilt. You must have the patience of Job....thanks for sharing your beautiful work.

I don't know how to do it with paper,let alone without the paper. I'm still very confused so I'm gonna check out the Carol Doak site you suggested and also the how to website another suggested.
Thanks!

Thanks everyone. I'm gonna be looking into this, sounds like it will make my quilting easier. I'll be checking out the websites suggested.