Paper piecing?
 

I'm sure this is going to be a face palm moment but I don't know what it is.

Paper piecing is when you use a design on paper to guide your stitching. It produces much sharper points than you/I can get with regular seams/piecing. I can see how it would be beneficial for the "sharp points" reason, but in my experience a lot of fabric is wasted in most paper piecing. many people love it and only do paper piecing and some won't touch it.

Or there is English paper piecing where have a paper template,on which you baste your fabric on and the you whip stitch them together.
http://sunshinescreations.vintagethr...r-piecing.html

visit Carol Doak's web site for examples, tutorials, lots of hints & helps for paper piecing- she is the 'queen of paper piecing' and has many books/patterns available-
then visit "PaperPieces.com" to see examples of English Paper piecing---they are 2 different (animals)
if you visit the pictures catagory here on the board and browse the '50 stars in 50 weeks' topic you will see the 50 star blocks many of us made last year which are paper pieced from Carol Doak's '50 stars' book
if you visit the 'hexagon project' posts you will see the english paper pieced hex's i've been working on & check out 'grandmother's flower garden quilts' for other english paper pieced projects.

here is a link to Carol Doak's site http://www.caroldoak.com/free-quilt-patterns.php
this is directly to her free patterns and a great lesson on how to paper piece... this is where i learned to pp

I've been watching a video online. seems like a lot of work and fabric. Think I'll stick to my applique.

Dragon...you are right ...it is. BUT for tiny small precise designs, it cannot be beat. Its fiddly for sure and I'm not a true afficianado (sure I spelled THAT wrong!), but when I DO use it? I LOVE the outcome. Kinda like my scrappy backings. I cannot STAND to piece them...but when they are done, I am never sorry I slogged thru making them! Try it once and consider it a challenge. You might be surprised!