I think most any paper will do, but you have to make your stitch legnth as small as you can (without running in place)! I use 20 lb. bond because I copy most of my patterns of the internet and I don't have any trouble.

I have never tried this, and it seems like a good idea, but doesn't ink jet ink bleed when wet? I have used phone book pages just recently for the first time, and I love the type of paper because it is a firm foundation and then tears off easily, but I worry about the ink on that, too. It tends to smear off on my hands.

I use copy paper all the time for paper piecing. Sometimes stitches do pull out. Try to pull the seam from either end to make it taut, that helps. Also if you do wet the paper, BEWARE, a lot of copy inks run like crazy and will stain your fabric permanently! I learned this the hard way - black copy ink on ivory fabric. Also, if you can crease or fold the paper against the seam, this will help release it. This is especially easy on seams joining blocks together. Good luck! Paper piecing is not supposed to be icky!

Thank you, I was wondering about interfacings - just hadn't tried it yet. :-)

Mary

I've used printer paper, not the best. Really like the idea of using phone book paper, always alot available and free. Thanks

I have stopped using paper most of the time I use light weight interfacing "sew in" and just leave it that way and I have found that my block are more square. I like paper piecing alot but this is the only way that I have done it in the last few years, I found it to be the best way after doing Jenny Meyers Moon Glow. Pulling the paper caused it to dissort too much and a light bulb went off and yes it does take some time to trace the pattern but I am so much happier. I hope this helps a bit for you.
Good luck and happy stitching.
Johanna S
Las Vegas, NV

I started PP w/ copy paper, switched to tracing paper and now only use freezer paper. With freezer paper, you first crease all the lines of the block, then press the fabric to the paper. When you sew, you go right next to the fold and never actually sew thru the paper. After each piece is sewn on, you press carefully, without getting the iron on the shiny side. This holds your pieced fabric to your pattern until the whole block is finished. Carefully remove the freezer paper and you can use it over again, sometimes 7 times, before it isn't shiny anymore. You can order freezer paper that will go thru your printer, online. With this method it's not necessary to lessen your stitch length, but I usually stitch w/ 2.5, since I generally have small sections of pattern = 1/2" wide.

When I am making several of the same block, I stack several paper patterns and after removing the thread from the sewing machine I sew along all the sewing lines on the pattern. This adds an extra set of perforation lines which assits in the tearing process. I have actualy used this method to create my extra patterns, instead of photocopying them. I use either copy paper or vellum depending on the intricacy of the pattern.

Shorten the stitches even more... if you are using 15 stitches per inch (measure an inch) then go to 18-20 per inch... your stitches shouldnt be breaking, even with copy paper. The *folding* at the seamline helps too. I have used 20 and 22 pound copy pair for hundreds and hundreds of seams and never had the stitches break. How old is your thread? And as someone above said, printer ink will run on light fabric; I wouldnt moisten it.

I read somewhere you could use sandwich paper, the big square kind like tissue paper. It will tear off real easy. Good luck