Mariposa

Looks like you have a good start. Using bigger pieces of fabric should solve a lot of the issue.
Carol Doak has several great books out on paper piecing, which may be of help to you. Maybe also check out her website. :)

Scissor Queen

I've done quite a bit of paper piecing. Every once in a while you run across an angle that is so severe it's almost impossible to use a smaller piece of fabric and have it cover.

BKrenning

I did all the above tips when I taught myself how to paper piece plus some. I purposely used see-through paper so I could see that the fabric was going to cover. I also cut up some foundations to use as templates to make sure I got the angles correct & cut large chunks to make sure I had enough fabric. Cutting up the foundations to make templates helped me the most but I hate template cutting and only resort to it for those oddball angles.

I crease all my seam lines before I start so I can make sure the fabric will cover and I trim each seam before attaching the next piece. I also use glue instead of pins for the sub units. I will pin intersections of sub-units but I try to fold back or pull the paper out of the seam lines before I do that.

I also had to use the see through paper or trace the lines & numbers on both sides of the paper so I wouldn't get confused.

Butterflyblue

Triangles are the hardest for me, especially big ones. Everyone is right about cutting generously - I also put a couple of pins where the seam line will be - not perpendicular to it, as if I'm going to piece, but pins to mimic the stitches I'm about to make, then fold the fabric over and hold it up to the light to make sure it will actually cover what I want it to with an adequate seam allowance as well. If not I reposition and try again or cut a new piece of fabric. This saves a lot of ripped stitches.

The more confident I become of my paper piecing, the less I have to pre-test.

adyldrop

i saw a tute once that may help...she had an extra copy of her pattern that she cut apart. then she put each piece on the fabric and cut the shape with a 1/2" seam allowance. that way you won't be wasting a lot of fabric but you won't be using pieces too short either. after you sew each piece on, you trim down the seam to 1/4" to reduce the bulk.

amma

Here is a tute I made for PP. I show how to use one of the foundations for templates.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-25541-1.htm

1. Make sure ALL of the fabric is right side up, when cutting multiple pieces. (or they will be mirror imaged and useless)

2. When you cut out the foundation pieces for templates, the unprinted side of the template lays face up, on top of the right side of the fabric. (or they will be mirror imaged and useless)

3. Cut each piece with a 3/8" - 1/2" seam allowance

4. Chain piece your blocks. It is less confusing to sew all of one piece on, than to bounce back and forth :wink:
Pin the first few pieces to sewing side, on the sew lines to make sure you are lining them up correctly, then leave one of those out as a guide to how you need to lay the fabric on the next ones :D:D:D

sharkee

I thought paper pieicing looked so interesting but I just couldn't get the hang of it so I ordered Carol Doak's Teaches You to Paper Piece DVD and it was like magic, after watching it everything made sense. I also ordered the add a quarter ruler and it makes all the difference. I noticed that she even has it on sale this month for $16.95.
It's just like everything else it takes time but looks so good when you get it

Conniequilts

Amma, thank you for the link to your tutorial. I will reference back to it when struggling.

I do have Carol Doak's "Show Me How to Paper Piece". The project in that was very clean lined and easy to do. Last night (and perhaps I was too tired) I just couldn't get it to work :)

Thanks to all of this fantastic help I will be able to accomplish more tonight when I get home :) Will post pics.

rb.

I taught myself using Judy Mathieson's Mariners Compss book. Generous peices pre-cut, freezer paper template, folded back to sew against the edge, and hold up to the light with each piece added to make sure it covers.

Quiltbeagle

Is the bottom missing another piece or were they cut too small? I know it's confusing when you first start with PP, my pieces were forever either too small or backwards. Stay with it and it really does get easier.