Scrap41

Linmid, I leave the interfacing in my project, it is the thinnest interfacing I can find and it doesn't
hurt your project. I dislike ripping the paper out. I also cut my pieces larger than needed so
I always have enough to cover the next part. I am working on a string spiderweb and am using
the interfacing for the foundation, I glue the first part in the center and then sew different sizes
of strips to each side of the kite shape. I got the pattern from Bonnie Hunter's site:
www.quiltville.com. She has some wonderful scrappy quilt patterns for free and great
instructions too.

dellareya

I just returned from a quilters retreat. One of the classes was paper piecing. I'll admit it, I'm hooked.
I loved this method. I've tried it in the past and was very confused. A good instructor made the world of difference for me.
I loved all the info shared in this thread.

bluesnowdoe

she is great and has some good books

busy fingers

I had been trying on and off for quite sometime to get my head around this method until I found this website. It is only a simple pattern that she is demonstrating - but I think that you need this to understand this method - it is verbal and she does go slowly which I found very helpful. Good luck with it. Once the "penny drops" and you understand what it is all about you will enjoy it and the results are lovely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uaW2...feature=fvwrel

MdmSew'n'Sew

I agree, Marcia has a great tutorial, plus more PP patterns than the mind can fathom - and if you look at the alphabetic list of blocks, she notes which ones are PPd and also rates them for relative ease of construction - it's a great place to start - and to tackle more complex designs as you gain experience. I've even begun designing my own PP patterns after all my experience using Marcia's patterns. I love PPing, my blocks seem to come out perfect, points line up and seams are consistent

CAS49OR

It helps to have a back-light. You hold the fabric up in front of it to make sure you are covering the seams with your new piece of material. I made a paper-pieced quilt the first time at a Mariner's Compass class, it is my avatar. I also made a double sized quilt with a lot of pieced birds and flowers.

The main thing I have found is to not try to skrimp too much on the fabric. Fold it in the direction you are going with it to make sure you have enough fabric to cover the area -- plus seam allowance. In other words, leave enough fabric to overlap the next line and trim after the next piece.

When I started, I made the mistake of trimming the fabric before I turned it down where it belongs. OOPS! Make sure to fold it down, press, then trim.

Reading Carol's blog site I saw a great tip about using a tracing wheel to run along the solid line, where you are going to fold to trim, it makes it easier to fold the paper precisely.

zkosh

I love ppiecing using freezer paper. I learned it in a class, but the video Kitsie shared takes you through it. However, I was just looking at a book that I bought for the designs and patterns and discovered that there is a section in the front that takes you through all the steps using the method I love. The book is BLOCKS TO DIAMONDS by Cheryl Malkowski. I shows stapling a stack of freezer paper with the pattern on top and stitching through the lines without thread to create easy folding lines so you don't have to see through the paper.

Freezer paper templates can be used over and over and do not require tearing the paper away from the block. Just thought I would add this to the other info because sometimes I do best when I can study the steps on paper. Give it a try. It is a great way to piece accurately. I've done Judy Niemeyer (sp?) blocks this way with no problem and I have Carol Doak's patterns to do this way as well.

zkosh

The tracing wheel tip is good, too. I've been wanting to try the needle tracing wheel instead of sewing through the pattern to create "dotted" lines.

denveremerson

Thanks for this thread. I've always thought that PP was confusing, but I've looked at he tutes in the links here, and think I may "dive in".

1screech

Carol Doak has many free patterns and I watched a u-tube video either on her site or on her yahoo group. It was so clear that I never had a problem after I watched it. Cannot remember where I saw it but if you google her I am sure you will locate it. Hope this helps