I am planning to try my first PP soon, and have a question regarding marking on the paper. I have heard conflicting info about how best to mark the paper...

I am planning on using Golden Threads paper and was thinking I could print the sheets using my Epson inkjet printer, or trace the sheets individually with pencil or Sharpie markers. I've heard/read that sometimes the ink, sharpie or pencil can bleed into the fabrics when you sew over the lines. Does anyone have any first hand experience with this?

There seems to be a lot of conflicting information out there on this topic...

Thanks for any help you can be on enlightening me on this process!

Print it, don't trace. Your lines won't be as accurate if you do.

I printed mind on a epson printer had no problem. I would print them tho and not trace for your lines may not be as accurate. Have fun!

I always print mine on regular printer paper and never had any bleed, a sharpie might do it tho.

I print all my paper piecing patterns on my laser and ink jet printers. And when I need extra copies...I make the pattern in EQ-7 and print one copy and then take it to FedEx-Kinko's and print whatever number the pattern requires. Golden Threads paper is wonder...but somewhat expensive. Saving this cost on paper depends upon the size of your project and the number of blocks you want to make.
I agree with the comment about tracing...it is not accurate and paper piecing is all about accuracy...that is...giving your blocks more accuracy as you just sew on the lines. If you PM me with questions when you actually start your project, if you have any, I would be glad to help. I do a lot of paper piecing. If you are doing a whole quilt top with all paper piecing, I do prefer the printing to be all done on the same copier...for size consistency.
Also, remember...you can "pencil" your paper piecing patterns with the color of fabric you want to put in each spot...sometiimes before copying...this can save you a lot of marking time.
Good luck and enjoy the process...it can be a little bit difficult to start (but what learning curve isn't?) but the rewards are great and it is so much fun when you actually "get the process"

Since you haven't started yet, I will give you one more option. Have you heard of using freezer paper? You don't have to sew on the line and therefore, there is no ripping of the paper. Check this out:

http://www.twiddletails.com/store/in...age=page&id=21

Instead of marking each paper, you copy the design onto the freezer paper once. Layer several pieces of freezer paper and trace the design into the other copies using the needle of the sewing machine with no thread. The wholes make it easy to fold the paper back and there is no need to peel paper, which can ruin your seams.

Great ideas to experiment with; thank you all!

I have had Sharpie bleed thru and onto the fabric :shock: I had only used the sharpie to mark the center for the placement of the first piece of fabric - so it wasn't a total loss :wink:

I use my copier to do my pp copies. I had gone to a copy center and bought a ream of the cheapest paper they had. It was like newsprint. Works great. I use "Golden Threads" for quilting my designs on my finished quilt. I do the 'dry needle' method of marking the design on the paper.

print away! just let the ink dry before using the papers. the only time i ever had a problem was not paperpiecing...with paper piecing you sew right on the lines, so it is not going to show anyway. when i messed up i drew on plastic cling wrap with a sharpie, then stretched it across a quilt top and quilted...and the black marks went right onto the quilt top, and being a sharpie were permenent :(
but lots of people use it just fine without mis-hap. i guess i did not let the ink dry enough. but again, with paper piecing it would not matter because you sew on the lines and they are inside the seam allowance.