Great tutorial!!Thanks!

Thank you! The quilt was a real challenge, but well worth the effort - he LOVED it! P.S. I have three other sons that look pretty much just like him - I think they are all kinda cute myself! ;o)

I can't find online where to buy his ruler, do you have an idea?

Thank you, Dawne

Alright. I tried it again, my PP, and used a simpler pattern. This one came out better. You won't believe what I did though! I had everything sewn and was getting ready to sew the 4 small squares together. I decided to trim the last material off under the white piece I had just sewn on.
So, I got it all lined up and cut it off, and then.... I realized that I had cut off my white fabric too!!! The one I had just sewn on. So, I had to take the 1/4" that was left off, cut a new piece of white and sew it on again. I'm not really having alot of luck doing PPing. I hope it gets better. I find it confusing.

I just did my first PP yesterday, and I am so addicted!!
It could have come out a little better probably but I just love the look. I read amma's tute a dozen times, and then ordered Carol Doaks DVD on paper piecing! and once that light bulb finally went off, I was hooked!

Marilyn,
Super job. See I told you, you can do it. I have that light blue fabric with the pink flowers.

That's a great block.

One of the things I love about pp is that the back when I'm all done and have taken off the paper is all perfectly pressed. It's the only time when I do have bulky seams that are going every which way.

Love PP. I have Carol Doak's books and her patterns are easy. One book is birds. My ASG group is doing the 12 blocks for a quilt. They're very easy compared to some other patterns.

I put pins at the end of each stitching line to locate my next piece. I have the ruler too but often find I can eyeball the 1/4".. I use very thin computer paper and 15 stitches to the inch. I like CP because it holds together better if you have to ripit and let's face it, you do have times when you have to ripit.

I cut my patterns another 1/4" outside the dotted line but don't trim to that line until I put the sections together. Has been very accurate so far. I don't remove the paper until all blocks are together. Then a final press.

I use a wooden presser as I piece and then an iron press when the block is finished. Have had some eally goofy mistakes but the were sure good for a few laughs.

Tip for ripping PP - if you very gently ease the two layers apart with your seam ripper to give you a start, you can cut through the stitching with a sharp rotary cutter while holding one edge up and to the side with your other hand - I use my mini one for this - and I do it quite often! LOL

Curves aren't hard. You sew the curve of the pattern then when you are ready to add the next piece, you take tiny tucks in the curved piece to make is lay flat and sew the next piece on the tucks.

Danmar and Ninnie...great looking blocks!!!!

I bought mine at my LQS...but you should be able to order one maybe from somewhere online...Google Sewline glue pen...I bet you will find bunches of them.

LUV2QLT, You did a beautiful job? That is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I love to PP!! I've just learned how too and I agree, my points point!!! :thumbup:

I just learned to PP last month. I did a couple of Christmas ornaments and was pleased with them. I'm working on a tulip but ran into a problem with a curved leaf. I'll post it when I get it finished. Thanks for all the discussion & tips. A lot to learn but it's so worth it. Thanks everyone!

I just did my first one yesterday. I did find it confusing at first, but it's getting better! Here it is:

Thank you Krazy Girl!!! I saw your first PP too. You did a great job on it. Did you have problems making it? I didn't want to use any of my favorite fabrics for this, just in case I decided I needed to throw it in the trash!! :lol: :lol: :lol: Keep posting pictures of your projects. Maybe it'll give me the inspiration to keep trying. I sure hope so or those Mariner's Compasses and New York Beauty's and others are really going to be a problem!!! :mrgreen:

Love this pattern. Would you share?

Thank you Sandpat! I appreciate it. I'm wondering if I'm going to get the hang of this or not. I need the encouragement! :lol:

well i have 2 more patterns printed out. Im going to do the snowflake and 700 member celebration one.

If we start this pp habit, does this mean we need to keep more of our scraps?

(I'm so disorganzied already!)

I love PP and have taught a class in it. My avatar is PP, and it's a queen sized quilt.

One hint I haven't seen mentioned on this thread: when pressing, do not use steam, and use a cloth on your ironing board as sometimes the ink from the paper will transfer.

Once you get accomplished at PPing, check out this site:
http://www.silverliningsoriginals.com/ In fact, go now and sign up for her newsletter (usually comes towards the end of the month), and she always includes a free pattern! I've gotten some real beautiful patterns from her - very intricate, but absolutely gorgeous! Check it out!!

I'll have to go look them up again to see what they look like. I printed out her beginner's block. Have you checked out the PP patterns by Ula Lenz??? They are really cool and she has a bunch for free in different sizes. She has Stars, New York Beauty's, and more. Check it out. There's probably something on there that you will want to make. I want to make a whole lot from there! Here's the link:

http://www.lenzula.com/index.php

Keep up the great work! I wanna see pictures!
Marilyn

It's a possibility!

I love it. I don't as much as I would like because of certain projects. :thumbup: It can be fustrating.

I forgot to mention. I trace mine onto tissue paper. You can get a big pack at the dollar store and it tears off easy to.

I love paper piecing too! I drew up a simple scrappy pattern to use when showing others that want to learn. Leave the paper on until all pieces are put together. I have one to make for my DD that I drew out onto interfacing...won't have to pull off any paper.

I love paper piecing too! I drew up a simple scrappy pattern to use when showing others that want to learn. Leave the paper on until all pieces and/or blocks are put together. I have one to make for my DD that I drew out onto interfacing...won't have to pull off any paper.

I loved it until recently when I tried making a larger piece called "Firefly." It's a beautiful quilt with pp suns--so points for the rays of the sun, and a half circle for the round ball from which the rays radiate. I fought tooth and nail with it and I the circle turned out terribly. I'm completely self taught as I am with all quilting. This is the first project in which I've obviously bitten off more than I can chew. I'm signed up for a class next week. Hopefully that will help because I love the fabrics, and I was hoping to use them all in this particular quilt.

Here are some useful points for pp:
1. I use regular copy paper, nothing special.
2. Use a short stitch because they make removing the paper easier and the fabric won't move.
3. Do not remove the paper until the piece is completely done!
4. Remember to trim your seams (once they've been sewed)to 1/4".
5. Press and starch each piece right after you've added it.
=============================================
I like copy paper, the regular stuff I use for my printer. But that is so strong
that ripping it out sometimes breaks the thread. So I spray it with water to
weaken the paper fibers. After it is wet, it will rip off nicely, straight or curved!!

Thank you for the pattern. I'll have to try it out. I absolutely love your little bluebird. And as for the back, How do you get everything trimmed to 1/4"? Yours looks so nice and neat. I'm not doing it right somehow and mine is really bad on the back.
Do you sew through the 1/4" seam line or only on the line to attach the new piece? Also, are the numbers on the patterns the order in which to add the pieces?? I wondered that last night.

Also, on your Tulip, all of those surrounding fabrics are just awesome! You have great taste!
Marilyn

Thanks for the tips. I had a hard time getting all of my paper off.

I just started paper peiceing and really like it! Nothing hard yet! I like this thread.

I love PP. I haven't done any for a while. To many other things to get in the way. I have Carol Doarks cd. I had just heard of using the freezer paper and love that idea. The tip about wetting the paper will be a good one to remember.

Done PP with copy paper, newsprint, and freezer paper.
Diffinately like the freezer paper the best, and no sewing threw the paper ie: no dull needles:) Used the newsprint for string quilt blocks, worked great for that.

I LOVE to paper piece! I have one comment to make, though. You suggest to "starch" the finished block. However, I found that bugs (especially carpet beetles) will eat the starch and destroy your hard work. They literally leave holes in the fabric. What I found is better is "sizing". This stiffens the fabric but is not a starch product. This starch problem has been verified by various quilt appraisers, teachers, etc., I am not making this up. Just thought I'd help. :idea:

Did someone mention snowflake? I'd love to see it. Can you direct me?

I love the bluebird. Can you tell me where to get the pattern?

I love it too. I'm self taught and have a problem with doing things in reverse. I've had to work out my own system. The quilt on my atvar was paper pieced, over 1000 pieces in a 36" circle.

WOW, that's awesome. How long did it take?