Okay I am curious about paper piecing. I tried to find a thread that explained it in detail but missed it. What exactly is it? Would this make them points easier for me.... :-) Just thought I would ask on here before I go doing a search on the net. I seem to understand everyones instructions on here best.

Thanks for anyone who responds. Remember I am still a newbie slowly venturing out.....lol

A quilt block on paper is used to make the block. You actually sew according to the numbers labelled on the block. Start with !,2, etc. That way you sew by number. Place#1 piece of fabric wrong side down on back side of printed block. You have to hold up to the light to make sure it covers the section. Place # 2 wrong side up ( make sure it is large enough to cover space #2 and flip over and sew through the paper and the 2 pieces of fabric on the first line. Move from # 1 til the last number on the block. I trim seam allowances to a quarter inch after sewing each piece and iron each piece after sewing. When you are done, the finished block will appear right side up on the back of the paper. Then, carefully teasr away the paper from the block.

Is there a pro or con to doing this than just doing the normal way? I am lost.

I don't have much experience in this area, but some of the things I've picked up just from paying attention here are: 1) use thin paper that tears easily, 2) use shorter stitch length so paper will tear easier, 3) someone suggested sewing on the lines before you actually start piecing, so the paper will tear away easier, 4) pick little pieces of paper out with tweezers. Good luck. Let us know how it goes. I found a block called flying saucers that I think would do well with paper piecing that I want to try for my grandson when I get caught up on other projects. Some people suggest paper piecing for log cabin blocks as well, but I'm not sure why.

It's just another way to piece a quilt block, Toni. You either like it or not! I like the sharp points I can achieve using the pp method.
Here's a demonstration I did awhile back for another member.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/1852.page

Hope that will help you understand the process. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
Yvonne

wow Yvonne I'm sure glad you put that here because I was planning to look for it today for my mom.

The one major plus to paper piecing is that it makes your points perfect. It's a great way to make a mariner's compass quilt. I like to reuse "reject" papers from the copy machine from work.

A couple of tips when paper piecing...
Often a copy machine will distort the original. Be sure to run a test and make sure it is perfect.

Finger press until you take the paper off. Sometimes the iron will release the toner from the copier and make black smudges on your fabric. This, of course, would be very bad! :(

M

It's a nice way to get points, especially spiky points like for the wild quilt below. I personally find it a bit messy and tedious, and it's not fabric-efficient, but you can get some REALLY nice blocks made that way. It's good for group projects, too, so the blocks all end up the same size. I don't often do it for entire quilts, but sometimes I will use that technique for certain parts of a quilt. Sometimes I use the fabric itself as a foundation instead of paper, like in the Tennesee Waltz quilt. Those spiky points are originally rectangles sewn to lines on the background fabric and folded over to make the triangles (Instead of cutting triangles). I trim away the excess seam allowance from behind. The rest of the quilt was pieced with regular methods. I find the pineapple quilt easier to sew on a foundation, too!

Toni, Here are a couple sites that are interesting, but I think the best way to learn paper piecing is to have someone show you in person. The actual technique is much easier than trying to decipher the written instructions. I put off trying it for a long time because I found the instructions confusing, but now that I've tried it, I love it. Yvonne's post is very informative and Patrice also did a class which included paper piecing.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/1852.page

http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/4260.page

http://www.nmia.com/~mgdesign/qor/technique/pfp.htm

http://www.geocities.com/pcpiecers/

http://www.ehow.com/how_2112357_foundation-paper-piecing-instructions.html

Toni...paper piecing is fun and all should try it at least 3 times:))I started quilting by paper piecing 5" very difficult blocks. OKay, no one told me they were:)). You will find online different bom's or groups that are sewing 'Dear Jane', 'Civil War Love Letters', etc. Many do these 5" blocks by paper piecing. You have to do a search on the above programs, and when you see them-how small-and how many-and the difficult stuff in them...then you have that aha moment:)). It is thinking backwards to paper piece somewhat like looking in the mirror and fixing your hair:0). (BUt, don't base it on that-never worked good for my hair):0)And, remember 1 thing...I use reg computer paper to print my patterns then make my stitch length less so at the end of the story it makes ripping paper easier. Sometimes, depending on the block, you still have to join 'parts' or 'rows' of the paper together and there attention is needed to keep points, rows, etc on target. You will have fun playing with this. Just do a word search out in the cyber world...much info out there. Keep us posted! Skeat