on all foundation piecing patterns...there is always a "border" sewing line. the one before your seam allowance. after your done piecing the entire block, do you sew around that border line? i would think you do to hold down all the fabric edges, but i'm not sure....

also too, can i leave the paper in until after i sew the blocks together?

....hi not sure on the official take on this but I always use a long basting stitch to go just outside it to hold everything together.....then I sew the seam on the actual line and take the basting stitch out......also I take the paper out as I go...when the piece of paper is surrounded by permanent seams on all sides

It's just to show that it is the edge of the block. You cut 1/4 inch past that when you square up your block. No need to baste there.

I don't sew around the block and I leave all my paper on until quilt top is finished. There is more than one way to do it. Be sure and show us what you are doing:)

thank you so much! you ladies are awesome!

I never sew an outside seam just cut with 1/4" seam allowance and some patterns have this marked. Take the paper off after sewing together and that way you get to sew on the paper seam line for more accuracy and less stetching as these pieces are cut all kinds of ways.

I basted around my blocks just out side the stitching line. and I don't take the paper off until the blocks are put together. don't you just love paper piecing you can ust all those littie pieces?

I leave the paper on until the whole top is together. It helps to stabilize the whole block, not just the outside edges.
I had one quilt top bubble up in the center of the blocks. I suspect is was due to how much I had to handle it during putting it all together and folding it up to store it during the inbetween times.
Many PP patterns have a lot of bias all throughout the block and the block centers can stretch :D:D:D