Paper piecing
 

Is there a trick to paper piecing with diagonal seams. No matter how I arrange it, my fabric that I have added (the one that has the 1/4 inch seam and is flipped over) is always too short. The diagonal is messin' with me. Suggestions, please.

If I'm not sure I'm going to have tons of extra, I will put a pin in the seam and flip the piece over to verify that I have enough. Usually the piece is large enough, but it needs to be moved up or down the seam to cover. I usually have this problem when I start a project, after I do a couple of blocks, I have figured out what I need to do to make it come out right.

Place the fabric just below the seam allowance of the point end with excess fabric on the wide end. Then you can trim after stitching/ flipping

I do the pin or hold in place and then flip as if it is sewed. If it covers and has enough left to trim, then I am good. If it is too far down, I adjust the whole piece up. After every adjustment, I go through the pin/hold in place and check to see if it is big enough and placed correctly. If it doesn't cover it with enough fabric to trim, then I try a larger piece. And....I get to rip at least one time. lol

I've only done a few blocks. The same thing kept happening to me. I just gave up on trying to conserve fabric and used a very big piece so I wouldn't come up short.

This is what I do for tricky patches. Take a piece of paper. Trace the patch you're trying to sew. Add a very generous quarter inch seam allowance all around except on the one side you'll be sewing. For that side, add half an inch. Cut it out and use that as a template to cut that tricky patch.

I learned a fabulous way to do paper piecing a while ago. Let's see if it translates to words, without the visuals.

First, I measure the size of a rectangular piece of fabric which will cover the space plus seam allowances, with up to 1/4" to spare. to do this, I take my square ruler, and lay the 1/4" line on the line on the pattern between the piece I just finished and the one I'm about to make. The main part of the ruler is over the space I need to fill. Shift the ruler so that you have slightly more than 1/4" overhang from the farthest point, then determine the size of the rectangle that covers the complete area with 1/4" seam allowance (then I round up to a nice number to cut the piece)

Now, to apply the piece - take your work in progress, and fold the paper pattern back (away from the fabric) along the seam line between the last piece you did and the one you are about to attach. Use a 1/4" mark on your ruler, and carefully trim the 1/4" seam allowance on the piece you just finished attaching. Keeping that paper folded back, align your next piece right sides together with the edge of that piece matching the edge you just cut - hey, it's a perfect 1/4" seam right there, bonus, right? Hold the paper up to the light - you should be able to see the folded section - make sure your new piece covers it completely, plus seam allowance on all edges/points. Pin if you like, or hold carefully and unfold the paper. Now stitch along the line. When you flip, it will cover perfectly, because you checked it against the folded paper first. Never fails! (unless you get distracted and fold on the wrong line. Ask me how I know :) )

There is ruler just for paper piecing called Add Enough. It's great for the odd shapes of fabric to be sure it is big enough to cover all the points and angles.

I do kind of like Peggy but don't bother with the template. Most PP units that are diagonal will be some form of triangle. I will often figure out how big I need it then cut big rectangles of my fabric and cut them in half again on the diagonal for my odd shaped diagonal piece. If I need a lot, like in NYB points, I will cut a strip that is 3/4" wider than my point unit is tall. Then find the angle and cut over size triangle units from the strip.

You have to preview your fabric before sewing to make sure it has enough length and width to cover the area. It is better to be bigger than smaller. You have to face the fact that a lot of fabric is wasted when doing pp.