I am terrible at searching this forum, but I did try to see if this has been addressed before (so a link to an old thread will be welcome, too)...

The quilt I've designed with EQ6 and starting right now has 4 NY Beauty blocks in the corners (because I'm a complete masochist). I've tried "paper piecing" them before, but the results were not very good.

So I'm looking for some tips on how to get a NY Beauty block to come out w/o the points chopped off and the curves smooth.

This is the design. I call it "Goose in a NY Minute" (because it uses the following blocks: Flying Goose Variation, Hourglass and NY Beauty)

I can't help you, but that is sure a pretty pattern.

That's very creative. I like your borders, very inventative. The only way I've done the curved borders like your cornors were by paper piecing. I can't think of another way that would work, atleast for me anyways.

Idea! Have you tried PP'ing the curves individually and then sewing them together?

Yes, I agree, pp piece the curves individually and than sew them together to make the block.

How do you paper piece a curve? I haven't got that to ever work for me. The zig-zags are all straight line, so I can do those PP'ed.

I think it was on quilter's tv where I saw a tutorial by Eleanor Burns on an alternate way to do the NY Beauty. She used an interface-based applique. May be worth a check. Sorry I don't have a link.

Ula Lenz has wonderful paper pieced NYB blocks and her points don't get chopped off: http://www.lenzula.com/pattern/free/nyb.php

You might want to try freezer paper paper piecing where you don't sew through the paper--you fold it and sew next to the fold.

I have used that method before too and it works best for me when I use the zipper foot on my machine because I have better edge control. On my machine I can move the needle to the edge of the foot.

http://dquilts.blogspot.com/2007/04/...per-piece.html

http://www.planetpatchwork.com/fndpiece.htm

As others have recommended, I freezer paper piece NYB blocks.

I HATE conventional foundation piecing where you sew through the paper, but the freezer paper mothed is different and I love it.

Check out this tutorial for the basic method:

http://www.twiddletails.com/store/in...age=page&id=21

I piece the spiky arcs this way, for sharp clean points. Very easy.

Then to the curves:

For the solid arcs, I cut a piece of freezer paper for each, iron it onto the wrong side of the fabric, mark the curve on the fabric along the freezer paper with fadeaway marker, and pull the freezer paper off (keep it for next time, it reuses beautifully about half a dozen times).

I mark the curves on the spiky arc fabric the same way, pull the freezer paper off - then I pin the curves with tons of pins along the marked lines, and sew very slowly.

Done. 8-)