I have a project for my job that is a lot of paper piecing and I absolutely hate removing the paper off of the back after it is done. I had to assemble the top and then remove paper BUT it is in the seams and everywhere.....does anyone have an easier way? Please say you do....

I fold it over and then run my finger nail down the fold, then it tears off slick as a whistle. I hold it along one seamline with one hand and tear with the other. I work down longer seams, holding and tearing.
Holding it along the seam line helps you from stretching out bias edges, even though they are sewn, they can still pucker or bubble up :wink: Or from putting undue stress on the stiches, especially at the beginning and ending of the seam lines.
It doesn't work as well on some of the thinner paper, which is why I only use copy paper.
Also, you need to have your stitch length set for really short stitches.
I have tried dampening the paper as some suggested, but it left more bits in the seams when it got wet and didn't tear for me... it just came apart :roll:

Hope this helps you :D:D:D

Also... if it is teeny tiny bits, and it doesn't show from the front? You could most likely get away with leaving them in there. Unless you are using a white or very light fabric that may show these bits if they would start coming loose :D:D:D

thanks but I have foundation paper and it isn't easy to get all of the little spaces.

find someone else to do it for you? Tweezers work well...and lots of patience.

Thanks. I wondered about this myself. I am making a Robot quilt for my daughter's school room, and am having fun with it. Unfortunately, I was too involved with the appliqueing of the many shaped Robots and forgot to remove the paper backing before sewing it to the quilt top!! I've now removed half of each Robot's sewing, and am hunting a long pair of tweezers, which I'm sure I had a few weeks ago.
I guess it means another trip to JoAnn's today. And I'll probably find a lot of other stuff that "may come in handy one of these days" and spend far more than I had intended when walking in the door.

you have to love those "I have to run to get this from the store" trips. always end up with a bit of fabric coming home with me.

Without a doubt, paper piecing with freezer paper grants no little pieces of paper left behind.

I always use small tweezer's to remove those little pieces that just don't want to come out. It works the best for me!!
:D :D :D :D

My PP mantra: Large needle, small stitches. Don't sweat the tiny stuff.

I agree with small stitches, the right paper and I pull the outside seams off after completion before I press. For example, I sew two pp blocks and then sew them together. At their combining seam, I pull off both 1/4 inch long pieces of paper. Then I just have the middle pieces to tear off once the quilt top is together.

I use small stitches and stamp tongs (really long and blunt end tweezers) works like a charm.

Do you shorten your stitch length when using pp? It helps and also the water spritz can be a life saver.

How I do my paper piecing blocks is I DON'T include the paper in my seam allowance. The paper comes off a whole lot easier this way. I also make the stitches very small. I don't usually have any troubles getting the paper off and tweezers for getting the small pieces.

Thanks you all have been very helpful. I have offered my child money to pick it off for me....hehe.

It's expensive, but there is also a product that is wash away. Meaning you copy off your pattern on to it and then just wash it away after you're done quilting. Joanne's carries it in the quilting section. I've never used it but the cost may be worth your time saved.

Thanks for asking this question. I have the same problem and am glad to see solutions

Learn how to Freezer Paper piece. It's easier and NO paper to pull out.

I invested (on sale of course) in a ream of lightweight vellum (not scrapbooking vellum) and it tears away with no tiny bits. It's the best I've used for paperpiecing. For other paper I use a pattern tracing wheel to run along the stitching line on the paper before sewing and it makes the paper removing super easy. I found it's best to remove plain paper from the block right over a big trash can.

Smaller stitches and spritz with water. Works every time.