lindaschipper

Saw on pattern offered from Craft Town Fabrics yesterday that I really liked called Pie and Ice Cream Table Runner...but it's paper pieced. Something I've never done before. Well I ordered it telling myself that a new challenge would be good for me over the next few months as fall drags on to winter. Figured if I could get the hang of it, that it would make a magnificent bed quilt. Does anyone paper piece? Is it difficult? Recommended video's to watch or articles to read? Help will be greatly appreciated.

Mkotch

Once you get the hang of it, you'll find it pretty easy and well worth it. The thing to remember is that everything is backwards! Start with very easy designs - maybe a log cabin. There are many available online.

NJ Quilter

As Mkotch said, once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy. The first step is the hardest to remember. Put your fabric wrong side to the paper. Next piece of fabric goes right-sides together. Make sure your fabric pieces extend at least 1/4 inch beyond the stitching line. It's a tedious process but the results are great! Good luck.

JENNR8R

Here is the YouTube video that taught me how to paper piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqMiC1_JdqQ

I much prefer the no-tear, freezer paper method.

Iceblossom

Some of us do not get the hang of paper piecing very easily! I have friends who do it and love it and understand it, but even when they sit with me, I do not share the joy

It is on my list of techniques to try/improve. I think having a project you want to do really helps and also remind yourself that you are learning. If you get frustrated with the project you have chosen, maybe find a couple of other tasks to do first for practice, or use up some spare fabric.

I have a project that pretty much requires paper piecing but I got so frustrated (because I thought I'd get the hard blocks out of the way first) that it's been on the back burner for a couple of years now. I have "forced" myself to do some sharp angle V shapes on paper that I could have done the old fashioned way just to get used to working with the paper and from "the other side". I also have a baby quilt project planned that I should probably do to get back in practice again since my long sewing break before I try those tiny 3" finished hummingbird blocks again...

Quiltwoman44

Paper Piecing is sort of like sewing backwards to everything we normally have been doing. Just stay with directions and you should do fine. Have fun!

cat-on-a-mac

I resisted paper piecing for a long time .... right now, I don't remember why! Once I got started, though, I loved it. You need to get at least one "add-a-quarter" ruler -- makes all the difference in the world.

BTW, my avatar is paper-pieced.

Snooze2978

Years ago I decided to try paper pieciing and found I loved it. My 1st attempt was Jinny Beyer's Crystal Star, a wall hanging. Not for the faint at heart mind you but I found it not as hard as I thought it would be. 150 different fabrics. I bought Jinny's kit to make it which left me I think enough to make the smaller version someday in the future. I copied all the pages in case I decided to sell the pattern in the future too. I fell in love with paper piecing after that.

This pattern was a 1st in a couple ways.........1st trying paper piecing, the I decided to try metallic embroidery thread to quilt it on my quilt machine. All worked out well, then I gave it away as a gift to a couple I know. Have always thought I wanted to make the smaller version for myself some day as the scraps leftover should be just large enough to work.

Since then I found EQ8, you can take a regular pattern and turn it into a paper pieced pattern. I've done that a number of times to make sure it came out perfectly.

You'll find various ways of doing paper piecing. Some like to use the freezer paper where they pull the paper just far enough so you don't sew on it so you can use it over and over. I prefer sewing thru the paper as I can't sew a straight line to save my life.

Onebyone

Carol Doak is the queen of paper piecing teachers.. She shows her technique on YouTube now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV4LRtqIQNA She has a Facebook group and she puts new block patterns on it for free. She just had a new book published, all new star blocks. A few tips to help you.
Don't try to save fabric, cut it the size and then add more.
Use the add a quarter ruler. The new style has a bevel edge so no need of an extra flat edge to fold.
Fat Quarter Shop has wonderful classic block pre printed papers that come in a pad. They are great especially for beginners.
I use to use all type of paper but now I only use Ricky Tims Stable Stuff if I print the patterns at home.

joe'smom

I think paper piecing is fun and easy. The thing to do is choose a tutorial or make notes you can refer to, because at first, you have to review them a lot. I learned while doing a sampler, where I'd guess 30-40% of the blocks were paper pieced. That was ideal, because it was nice to be able to switch back and forth from paper to regular piecing.