Help! Is there an easy way to remove paper from paper pieced project??
 

I joined the 2012 UFO thread and decided to start last night. Started with the smallest project, a wall paper pieced wall hanging started in a paper piecing class in the spring. It is small Christmas trees on a black background, so I thought it would be the one to finish first. Well, OMG, now I know why my "little" paper piece wall hanging is a UFO. All those little bitty paper pieces to remove, ugh!! I will finish it, I will finish it, I will finish it, but I need help. Are there any hints to remove itsy bitsy paper pieces? Please???? The Christmas trees are only 3 1/2" high, teeny, tiny, pieces.

A cuticle stick along the stitching works wonders! Or, you can lay a damp towel on the project to make it easier to remove the paper....

Dont know if this will help now, but before I sew the papers I poke a hole in them with a needle. Gives you something to geta hold of after they are sewn. I also set my stitch link to about 1.5 The needle perforates the papers more and they almost fall out. Hope this helps. Merry Christmas!

The easiest way is to make sure your stitches are smaller than usual so that they perforate the paper easily. I score the back with a stylus and then rip it out from there.

some people use the washable paper...find it at Joann's but expensive use coupon. some use tracing paper and put that thru copy machine, I haven't tried that yet. I use regular photo paper and don't have a problem if I use the 1.5 stitch

If you've pieced the entire top, you can pull and jiggle the top and that loosens the little pieces. Or, sit in front of the TV with a trash bucket in front of you and as you watch, peel the pieces. There doesn't seem to be a really quick and easy way. I find though that having perfect points makes it worthwhile. the time I've saved in not having to readjust and re-sew is spent removing paper. It's a trade-off, I guess.

Next time you could use a light interfacing instead of paper, then you don't have to remove it.

Give it to your hubby?

<giggle!!> Or one of your kids!! Actually, the other ideas are good. I also use a pair of tweezers that are made to remove slivers, I believe - they have a pointy tip.

It sounds like you used regular paper for the piecing. Take a Q-tip, dip it in water and run it along all the seams. Then in a few minutes the paper will be easier to remove with tweezers in hand. Good luck to you. I am sure you wall hanging is worth the trouble.

I agree that the Q-tip dipped in water is probably your best bet at this point. For your next adventure in PP, reduce your stitch length and use a lighter weight paper. Good for you in tackling your UFO's!!

I use the freezer paper method for paper piecing. You don't sew through the paper. Do a google search.

Tweezers or a shishkabob stick works really well.

smaller stitches, lighter weight paper, and use spray bottle of water to spray on the paper.

After my first big paper piecing project I vowed to never use paper again. I use lightweight translucent vellum. It doesn't shred and comes off usually in one piece. It's printable and comes in 8 x 11 1/2 sheets. I don't feel guilty at all not using the cheap paper.

I recently did a paper piecing project with really small pieces and was having trouble removing the paper as well. The 2nd block I made I got a little wiser and creased and folded the paper really well before stitching each seam. That weakened the fibers in the paper. I also used paper meant for paper piecing, it rips easier. I also shortened the stitches. Good Luck and I'm sure your project will be so very nice.

I've been known to throw a pp top into the washer before getting it ready to quilt.

REALLLLLY cheap paper, plus tiny stitch...1.5 is good, and then wrinkle, and sort of scrub the back of the piece together and most will fall off... the cheapest copy paper is more brittle and does perforate easily...

Use a damp sponge and dab at the pieces of paper use your tweezers. Been there done that one. But this really worked for me. Of course sit in front of the television so you can quit saying why the heck did I make this??

Tweezers with very fine tips, and the Purple Thang works great for "rubbing " paper out of small areas

All of your comments have been very helpful. Hope to tackle a PP project for 2012 and have been dreading the peeling of paper. Doesn't sound so difficult now.