amethyst

I am practicing foundation piecing on scrap material while I wait for my fabric to arrive. I am planning on doing a foundation pieced quilt for the first time.

On my practice block, I am running into an issue. I can make beautiful squares and rectangles, but when I go to sew them all together into a block, there is way too much material at the points and my machine is struggling to get over the "hump". I never ran into this with traditional piecing because we are instructed to press the seams in opposite directions. Is this just an issue that I have to learn to deal with when doing foundation piecing, or am I doing something wrong?

I'll attach some pics so you can see what I'm talking about.

Onebyone

Foundation piecing is not the same as paper piecing so I don't know which one you are referring to. In paper piecing you can do opposing seams as in regular peicing or press open. Foundation piecing is sewing on a base usually strip piecing.

eparys

Your blocks look great. Whether you piece then conventionally or paper piece then you will have the same issue. I just did a Storm at Sea topper and I ironed all the seams open. My DH took a closet pole and ran it through the table saw and took off about 1/3 of it so the pole sat flat on my table. I place the right side of the block down and use that iron on. Works great.

Also, in order to get my points spot on, I put a pin at the tip of the point I wanted to match and then through the point where it matched on the other block. Then as I held that pin vertical, I put a pin next to it ti hold it in place.

amethyst

My bad. I’m doing paper piecing

bearisgray

Sometimes there will be a wad at a seam line. Sometimes one can plan ahead so that there will be less bulk at an intersection. Sometimes one has to wrestle with how to press or decide to live with the pile up.

Peckish

Honestly, I had the exact same issue with my paper-pieced storm at sea. It's just something you have to do your best at, and then accept your results. I pressed my seams open, used a lot of steam and a weight to get them as flat as possible, and was pretty happy after it was quilted.

BTW, did you see the paper-pieced pdf pattern I attached in the other thread?

amethyst

ok, thanks for your experience. I’ll have to try another practice square. All the videos I’ve watched on paper piecing seem to just show the seam being pressed to the side. I just thought that was how it’s done. But I suppose there’s nothing to stop me from pressing them open. That should help (I think).

yes, I just saw that. Thanks so much!!

cjsews

I think with the points of your diamonds coming together with the same points of the other block you will just have to deal with this bulk. If it was a single seam you wouldn’t have so much fabric. But, you have 2 seams with 3 pieces of fabric X 2.

amethyst

Ugh. Ok. Do you think it will be easier if I iron the seams open?

rryder

You can always hammer them flat. That’s what I do when I have lots of bulk.

Rob