Don't know when exactly I started doing PPing but I love it!! When I have found (have sworn not to do anymore, filing cabinet is full of patterns) a traditional block I like I have made a master & copied onto thin paper (from DickBlick.com- really cheap). I recently tried to do a block in a swap by cutting pieces & found points just didn't come out right. PP is sooo exact....

Thank you for the link! Cute patterns!

I love paper piecing. The results are usually fantastic as you can see by the beautiful quilts shown. Here are some of mine: [ATTACH=CONFIG]587989[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]587990[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]587991[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]587992[/ATTACH]

The OP stated this is her intro to quilting? Well, if pp were mine, I would have stopped right there! I am not a fan of pp, seems I have to think backwards. I do agree about its precision, and if and when I want something intricate that would be my method of choice...but for me, if I can piece correctly, that's my first choice......

i also agree about the initial costs of that class she attended..quite pricey for a "beginner"....

I love PP, have done it a lot over the years. It does get easier. I am not home so can't post pics, when I get home I'll post some. I pre cut sometimes, if I am doing the same pattern many times, or if I have a set amount of a specific fabric (like for the Boom swaps). Or partially precut, like precut a strip width then sew from that specific set of triangles.

I agree with Geri B. PP (not English PP which is done by hand but foundation PP) seems a bit complicated and fussy for one's first exposure to quilting. $30 for a pattern seems very expensive as well, unless all the pre printed papers were included. And I'm not one for specialty rulers but if the class was geared to using it, the rest of the participants would be held up while the instructor tried to show someone how to achieve the same effect with a regular ruler.

all that said, I do love PP. I do precut shapes but not the way Judy N. teaches. The biggest downfall to most beginner PP is not having the fabric piece big enough for a specific shape, especially when it is an odd angle. I rough cut my angles from strips and have had amazing success doing it that way. Although I do have some waste I have fine tuned it to be minimal.

Here are examples of PP quilts I have made:
This is Agave Garden, a Judy Niemeyer pattern
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This is Saw Tooth Cats by City Stitcher
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And this is a Mariners Compass I designed myself using instructions from Judy Mathieson on how to draft MC blocks and do a different technique of PP using freezer paper and not stitching through the paper.
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Welcome to our board!

Paper Piecing is like regular piecing. Imagine putting a piece of paper over your pieces before sewing the seam. That's all it is. Sew the seam, turn it over, cut 1/4" away from the seam, open it up and press. Repeat. I like the new Add a Quarter ruler with tapered edge, no folding card needed. I usually start with a stack of scraps or if fabric is planned, with a stack of squares and rectangles. I paper piece the simple pieces like flying geese, nine patch, and pinwheel. Faster for me as every block is perfect. No redos. I use vellum paper. For small intricate patterns I use Stable Stuff that stays in the quilt.

Paper piecing is wonderful for some quilt designs. I took a class very early on that was a paper piecing for beginners class, to make a Christmas wall hanging. It gave me a lot of confidence. I still haven't finished a more complicated kaleidoscope quilt from my second paper piecing class, but have done a number of other projects. I would recommend a first class that is supportive of your status as a beginner, so you aren't overwhelmed.

First off, welcome to the quilt board! You've gotten a lot of great advice so far but I thought I toss in my own 2 cents. I've been in a PP club for several years and I like it, but like any part of quilting there are a lot of variables and (at least for myself) it might depend on your thought process. It can also depend on your skill level, the type of project and level of difficulty of the project.

Pre-cutting: There are some patterns it may not matter if you pre-cut fabric, but for myself, I'm working on a JN pattern and can't imagine trying to cut pieces as I go because of color placement. My other thought is if you are learning, learn how it should be done correctly first, then later on once you understand the process you can change it to suit you.

The class: IMHO, if the class instructor doesn't give you a list of required tools, you shouldn't need to worry about buying one when you get to class. Even then I would check to see if it really needed or if I has something similar. Consider if the tool will make a difference? Maybe you can cut strips a little quicker with the stripology ruler, but I cut strips with out them...I wouldn't have bought it myself. Again IMHO, if the instructor doesn't request fabric to be cut before the class, it should be a part of the class. The instructors should scheduled it so that a certain amount of the project can be completed in each class. If you've done all three classes and only finished one block it sounds like it wasn't planned very well, and I might even talk to the instructor or shop owner about your experience and satisfaction.

The costs: Paper piecing is more expensive than regular piecing. The patterns require more detailed work and may have the papers included. Your $30 pattern isn't bad if it came with the papers. You will need more fabric because it usually needs to be over-cut. The cost of the class doesn't seem to be out of line as long as you are getting the help and instructions you need to succeed.

It should get easier as you go and there is a lot of satisfaction getting those perfect points. In quilting you need to enjoy the process...the rest of it is just details.