I am thinking about trying paper piecing. Any tips and instructions that will help me? I'm totally clueless as to this, but I see some paper-pieced patterns I'm dying to make..
Please help with links advice and general know-how
Thanks
emily

I love paper piecing. For me I used Carol Doake's patterns to get started. I don't have the link but if you google Carol Doake her site will come up. I have several of her books. They come with CD's that have all the patterns ready to print out. When you get hooked on paper piceing you will have to try a Judy Niemeyer pattern. My avatar is a paper piece pattern from Carol Doake.

It is loads of fun and you will love it! Just take your time. For me the 1st piece ALWAYS looks wrong, but it does work. Start with one of the really simple Carol Doake blocks and then go from there. Oh and...when you have the quilt all sewn together..don't get in a huge hurry to pull off the paper..you can loosen your stitches. Have fun and show us what you are doing!!

Here are lots of free patterns to get you started. You will love it!

http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/3971.asp

i order my patterns online from littlefoot.net

If you use a pattern, be sure to print off each page from a printer, not a copier. It's amazing how after a few printings, the copier will start to distort the page, and pretty soon you're an eigth or more of an inch off!

M

Carol Doak has a dvd that is excellent for learning paper piecing. She shows all the basics and all the extras.

took a Carol Doak class and I love her books the best way to learn

I don't use printer paper for foundation piecing - too hard to remove from the fabric when I'm done piecing. Instead, I use tissue paper. I trace or design a 'master' block and staple about 6-8 tissue sheets to it. Then I 'sew' on the lines of the 'master' with an un-threaded needle. That way, all the copies are exactly the same, and the tissue is easy to remove from the back of the blocks. I remove the staples CAREFULLY. Then I number the sections of each tissue sheet, and I also label each with the color fabric it will have. Fewer piecing mistakes. You can staple more tissue paper and 'sew' more copies to make as many blocks as you need.

I do the same thing to make templates for each of the foundation pieces and then sew chain-style. That way, I don't have to 'guess' when I'm laying the fabric on the foundations. Some people don't bother with this step, but it makes things go faster and much more easily for me. I don't spend as much time figuring out if my pieces are going to be big enough.

http://www.winnowing.com/ppp.html
This has a wonderful first PP block.

put your stitch down to practically nothing and the paper will come off really easy

I also use the Carol Doake book....it came with a cd....the best thing I think to remember is to go in the order they are numbered and don't be skimpy on the amount of fabric.....sometimes I had to redo a part or two cause I was off a little more than the quarter inch which left a raw edge so I had to redo that part.....Also a link on here and I will get it for you on how to paper piece using freezor paper....and I am anxious to try this method.....you may want to try that one first since it will save on paper and printing.....Good Luck.....hope this helped ya.....:-)

http://www.englanddesign.com/index.htm

This site has a video and is really tiny pieces ....just to show you how small you can go.........someone also suggested to iron several layers together to make more of a template pattern.....:-)

And press after every single seam!!

My avatar is also a paper pieced project. I used vellum paper and a very small stitch length. Also, back stitch at each end. I actually pulled the paper off prior to stitching the blocks together.

But good luck and have fun. I actually love paper piecing.

Go to About.com, scroll down to quilting and click on and you'll see Foundation Paper piecing, they have a tutorial that is very helpful. :D

Paper piecing is the BEST!! Take one block, cut it apart then measure the pieces. Use the patterns to cut your fabric. Much easier than cutting each time. Leave extra fabric and iron EACH time you sew. Take a damp washcloth and lay it on the paper side of the block. Leave for 3 mins. The paper comes right off. A toothbrush or tweezers take care of the little bits that are left.
English paperpiecing is great for hand work. PaperPieces have several shapes to use alone or in combination. Freezer paper can be used also.
This is one way to use your scraps!!
have fun

I also took a pp class now I'm working on Then New York Beauty.
It's fun but take your time and and consentrate on what you are doing.
Drema

I just finished the crown points in the New York Beauty.
I made 29 of them all the pp is finished now to assemble the blocks and put them together.
2 down 27 to go :shock:

Drema