I saw a tutorial this past week, posted by athenagwis, on "paper piecing with freezer paper" without sewing through the paper. I am going to do the quarter block log cabin and make a "thinking outside the box", but have been slow getting started, because I am not good at doing a log cabin. Just can never get my strips uniform. Well, I practiced this method this afternoon, and it worked. So, getting back to the title of this topic. I found that folding on the line, was another challenge to me. :thumbdown:

So, to be sure that I was folding right on the line, I dug in my sewing stuff and came up with this old device, which I think is called a tracing wheel. I placed it on my paper, on the line with a straight edge ruler, and ran the tracing wheel down it, therefore perforating the paper, making it easier to fold. I remember using it as a teen, marking patterns onto the material with carbon paper

The second picture is the scrappy block that I did, to see how hard it would be. I am so ready to cut my real material and get going now. But, I am off to take care of grandkids, so it will have to wait a few days. Also, I should get some other projects finished, before starting another. :thumbup: :thumbup:

clever.

great idea for using the tracing wheel

Why not slip in a piece of the tracing paper and have your line on your fabric ... and not have to deal with the folded paper?

That is a great idea! Right now, I am using my tracing wheel for propping up the lid on a miniature greenhouse I have seeds sprouting in. :lol: It was the only thing within reach! :oops:

I actually preforate my freezer paper with the unthreaded needle of my sewing machine. You can make several pattern pieces at once by stacking up the freezer paper and touching the tip of a hot iron in several spots. I have gotten up to 5 sheets to stick together this way. On my top sheet (shiney side up) I usually place a tracing or copy of my original pattern. I then stitch along the the lines for preforation of my freezer paper. I have never attempted to piece the freezer paper method without preforating it. I can imagine you would get very frustrated very quickly trying to fold exactly where you needed to fold.

Judy Mathieson has detailed instructions on this method in her mariner's compass book "Setting a new Course". Ever since seeing this method I try to PP with freezer paper whenever the pattern seems friendly to it. I much prefer it to not having to tear off paper when done and I love the idea of being able to reuse the pattern pieces up to 8 times before they quit sticking.

Great idea!

I have one of those, actually, a double, and have been trying to figure out what to do with it. Thanks for the idea.

I hate holding on to old things. Good for you for saving this.

Because then, I don't have to deal with tearing the paper off the seams.