Has anyone done this in paper piecing?
 

I have recently viewed several Utube videos where they use freezer paper and sew along the folded seam, iron open, fold back the pattern, trim, add a fabric and repeat. Hard to describe, but I am hoping those of you who use this technique already understand this meager synopsis. I was astonished to see that this process allows you to peal away the entire sheet of freezer paper, reveals the finished block, saves the pattern... and NO MORE tedious removal of those sewn paper parts!

Here is my question: if you have a copier or are willing to trace any given paper pieced pattern onto freezer paper can this technique be universally used? I know it will enlarge the pattern fractionally, but if done everywhere and with precision... everything should be proportional or am I wrong in my thinking?

I have also seen this technique, but have never tried it. I hope we can get some feedback from someone who has actually used it. Seems to me it was discussed before, but not recently.

I totally agree with PaperPrincess. I have never tried this either. I have an older H/P printer and I don't put anything thru it except paper.

i use the fold back method and really like it... but i just use copier paper. from time to time, i use glue stick on a section to keep the paper and sewn fabric aligned.

This is new to me. I'll have to look at youtube.

I haven't seen this technique. Do you happen to have a link so I can watch?

there's a book out there on this too. Can't remember the name.

The only drawback to this method is that often with PP you leave the paper on the edges of the block to provide stability. There are lots of bias edges in PP and if you're making something with a lot of blocks, things can go awry without the paper to stabilize things.

I paper piece a lot and the freezer paper method is the only way I do it now. I never sew through paper. There are lots of tutorials on the internet, but this is the one that clicked for me: http://www.twiddletails.com/store/in...age=page&id=21

And I order 8-1/2 x 11 freezer paper from here: www.cjenkinscompany.com
Since it's flat instead of on a roll, I've never had a problem printing on it.

I've done this but found it too hard on my hands ... the folding of the paper, that is.

If I wanted to do it again [no] I would use whatever paper I have on hand, not necessarily freezer paper. Then something like cardstock [like what those political ads that are mailed to you.]

I used this method on most of the blocks for my Dear Jane quilt. I traced each block from the book - that was before I knew freezer paper would go through my copy machine. I'm not a real fan of PP, but this worked well for me.

Several months I posted a link about it. It's called No Tear Paper Piecing.

here is the video that got me to thinking differently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqMiC1_JdqQ. I strongly believe almost any pattern can be done this way...and seeing that the evolving block is supported with the freezer paper until it is all together...bias might not be that critical or am I looking at this the wrong way?

I use this method every time I paper piece and love it. You can use the pattern several times before it will no longer stick, I run my patterns through the printer as well and have had no problems there either. I don't do a lot of paper piecing but this method makes it much more enjoyable for me. Have fun withit!

Exactly right Tartan! It's easy but the ruler is a must!!

I love the Freezer paper method of PP. But I did not run any of my FP through a copier. I made multiple patterns by tracing or transferring my pattern to one piece, then adhering several pieces of FP together. You just hit them with the tip of a hot iron and it sticks them together. I usually did 4 at a time with my marked one on top. Then I followed the drawn lines with my sewing machine with no thread in the needle. This not only transferred an accurate pattern to all pieces, it also perforated my fold line so it folded with no effort. I made the below quilt using this method and had no issues with all the bias edges. I found I could reuse a pattern piece about 5 times before it quit sticking. The method is also very thoroughly described in Judy Mathieson's book "Mariner's compass, Setting a new course" which is where I learned the technique from. Oh and I did not use an add a quarter ruler, I just used my regular ruler when trimming. Some of my units were so large that the little add a quarter ruler would have been no help at all when constructing this quilt.

Don't you all have a small ruler that has the 1/4" marking on the edge? I sure don't need one more ruler to find a place for.

wow, great quilt, Feline. I think the method works well for the beautiful star and geometric patterns, but it doesn't work for me on the fussier, pictorial blocks. Sometimes the pieces are just so small. A thread's width makes the difference at a crucial seam.

This is the only way I paper piece. No tearing bits of paper out of seams. AND you can reuse the pattern a few times (if you've used freezer paper, it stays together better). I did Storm at Sea using this method and the points and seams matched perfectly. Some say it makes the pattern bigger but I did not have to adjust the border sizes at all so it couldn't be much bigger than intended. Two essential tools: the quarter-inch edge ruler, and cardstock. Any old magazine postcard will work, using it to fold back the paper along a seam to get it crisp and straight. I used a version of this method: http://www.sewwequilt.com/2011/10/gu...-and-look.html

I have just started practicing using the freezer paper method. I like your suggestion feline fanatic and will try it.

I found that when you sew through the paper pattern it frequently obscures the fabrics and the added piece can easily shift and cause you to rip and resew. I am thinking that by using this technique you are actually seeing, sewing and less apt to make a mistake...not to mention that the pieces on the bias are less apt to shift around, seeing they are being held firm by the waxy surface of the freezer paper and I would think this would improve accuracy?

BTW..GREAT quilt feline fanatic!

I took a class on Paperless Paper Piecing and used the book "Painless Paper Piecing" by Marjorie Rhine. It was wonderful. (If you are using a copier make a 1" mark on your original pattern to use it as a control.)

The book shows how to make templates and to mark so the "pieces" are on the straight of grain. This was one of the most helpful classes I've taken. Love paper piecing!

From my first PP I have done it this way! And I always will! It's wonderful! Here is a link for you:
http://www.twiddletails.com/store/in...age=page&id=21
Enjoy!

Yes to both of the above statements. This too is the only way I paper piece anymore. Removing the paper is way too tedious and time consuming for me. One hour to remove the paper from a 5" hexagon! No more of that! If you make the same block over and over, you can get up to 5 -7 uses from one piece of freezer paper. It depends on how many sections in the block and how many times it get's ironed before it won't stick any more to the fabric. With the freezer paper from cjenkins, make sure you iron the freezer paper to your pressing surface first before ironing it on your fabric. It needs to gather some lint and fuzz on it or it will be very difficult to remove from your block. Yes, you peel the freezer paper off after completing a block, but if you are gentle with the bias edges, it should be OK. I try to not have bias on the outside edges of the block, but sometimes you can't. I do only print on one paper at a time, so don't just stick a stack in your printer and hit start.

I fold the pattern over the edge of a coated card to get the fold lines on the pattern, instead of creasing with the seam ripper. I also use an open toe foot. You might need to move your needle over so you can have the right feed dogs under the seam allowance.

I use the freezer paper method all the time and love it. I create my pieces by sewing through the paper to create a sort of dotted line that folds back very easily. I sew through several layers at a time by stapling layers together and then stitching the whole stack at a time (6 or more). You can reuse the freezer paper templates so you don't need as many. When you remove there freezer paper, remove it in the order you sewed it. In other words start at one and peel in the direction of the numbers.

Our guild had a workshop one year and it is exactly what you are describing. My friend and I really love this method. You are exactly right that you can copy any pattern and it works the same. Great method as far as the two of us are concerned. Happy paper piecing!

Susan

We have done this. It works great.
1. The woman who showed us how to do it used a card to fold the paper. I think the seam ripper scoring works better. The fold lines are straighter and more accurate.

2. We used good quality copy paper; any good typing paper will work.

3. Glue stick is what is used to adhere the copy paper to the fabric. Works slick. Paper pulls off easily and washes out of the finished product.

4. One of my friends used her pattern 20 times.

5. The add-a-quarter ruler is nice, but you don't need it. You can measure that seam with any ruler. There is also an add-an-eighth ruler for when you are doing really small stuff.

I'm sorry but this video is too confusing and it seems like she is not quite sure of what she is doing, it confused me.

someone mentioned glue stick and copy paper as another way to go...tried in this morning and it also worked like a charm! I scored the lines using one of those spiky metal wheels(?) and got a neat folded edge. I will likely never rip away that newsprint again... plus I am saving trees, thread and clean up time.

Great idea Basketman. I have one of those "spikey metal wheel" things in my old sewing supplies. Now I have to look for it as I have not used it for years and years.

I used the spikey wheel and traced the pattern after I had laid over a piece of felt...great perforations