Hi there, I hope someone can give me some advice with the NYB block. I have tried serveral times to make one of these but the end result is alway distorted & out of shape. I try really hard not to pull or stretch the work as I sew but the block and I end up out of shape. I have been using a tear away stabiliser and a walking foot but.........................thanks for any and all help.

Maybe try heavily starching your fabric before cutting it? It may help stabilize the fabric, minimizing the stretching/distortion :D:D:D

instead of a tear away use a stay in stablizer- even muslin foundation works well- if you are sticking with the tear away you should not remove any of it until the quilt top is together- or at least each block is attached to what it will be attached to.
stitch carefully on the lines with a shorter stitch length than usually used in piecing. anytime doing paper/foundation piecing you need a shorter stitch length.
when you flip each piece after stitching simply finger press it-carefully without distorting it. wait until the block is finished before pressing- then simply put the iron down and pick it up- do not iron across your block- another way of distorting it- press- don't iron-

I agree. Press, don't iron. And I only use a dry iron. Steam also distorts.

The people here are so smart. They have told you everything I know. I just want to wish you luck. I think they are a beautiful quilt

That's one of my very favorites and not b/c I'm a native New Yorker hee hee
I bought the foundation muslin to do one b/c I'm scared to death of those points!

Personally, I would starch my fabrics, then paper piece a new york beauty, after finishing all the blocks and sewn together, that is when I would take off the paper.

If you are paper piecing them, leave the paper in until after you have sewn together one whole section of the top. Then you can take the paper out. It will hold the blocks in shape until you they are safely sewn into their places. I know that trick works for me!!

Here is a link to a page with free New York Beauty paper piecing patterns. I agree with Jljack, leave the paper on as long as you can. Handle the sections as little as possible, and don't hold it up to show it off till its quilted. Too many possible bias pieces can be stretched. Don't forget pictures! We want to see!

http://lenzula.com/pattern/free/nyb.php

Wow! the quilts are fabulous. Thanks for the link. Will try the advice given and when I have a successful block to show off, will post a photo.