Trying to tackle Farmer's Wife, and doing most in paper piecing. Most of the blocks are pp'd in sections. I've learned that I should leave the paper on when joining the sections BUT when I do, most times the seams on the sections have been sewn to the paper with the seams going in the same direction. So when I try to join the sections, there is huge bulk and I cannot "nest" the seams. I am very careful about piecing the individual sections as numbered on the pattern, but still the seams come out wrong. And even if I remove the paper, the seams are still sewn wrong. Is there a trick to getting the seams to lay (lie?) in the correct direction so when sewing the sections together, they will nest? I am soooooo frustrated by all this! Would appreciate any and all help!

i press my seams open and if i'm going to sew in that paticular area i remove that little bit of paper

unstitch enough to press seams in different directions to nest
pin the 1/4 inch seam on the 2 pieces you are joining, set machine to long baste stitch and baste together
check match, and sew again with regular stitch length if they match
if not unstitch the basting only enough to match seams and baste again
hope this helps. check out Carol Doaks web site for additional tips

pinning at each (join) is important- often sections go in the same direction- you stick a pin in exactly at a point on one section- then line up the other piece and put the pin in exactly where it needs to be to be lined up-
then when you have them exact you put a pin on each side of the first one to hold the 2 sections in place while sewing- you do this at each point you are trying to line up- then as you sew- sew slowly right on the line (which is lined up perfectly underneath because you pinned well) removing each pin as you get to it-
open it up---perfect block with perfect points/joins :)

Thanks for these suggestions. I wonder tho, if there is a way to sew the paper-piecing to the fabric so that the resulting seams sewn onto the paper end up in the correct positions for nesting when seaming the 2 sections together. (Being still attached to the paper, I can't "turn" the seams correctly as the seams are hidden under the paper.) Hope this makes sense! I've looked all thru Carol Doak's books and watched her dvd and still don't find any mention of this problem I'm having.

When you paper piece with freezer paper patterns, you can press the seams either direction after they are sewn. Just a thought.

I like the freezer paper idea but I've not tried it myself. What I have done is remove the seam allowances from my foundations before I start sewing on them. Then, when you go to put the subsections together, you won't have the bulk of the paper in the seams to fight with & it makes lining up the seams easier. You just have to remember that your fabric must hang over the edges of your foundation paper by at least 1/4" and when you trim it, just lay your ruler down so that 1/4" is always hanging over the paper to maintain your seam allowance.