Miriam, here is a paper piecing pattern picture:

http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.49008...19631&pid=15.1

The areas on the paper are numbered in order of the seams to be sewn. Paper pieced blocks can be very detailed, and rather than cutting tiny pieces of fabric, rough cut pieces of fabric are used similar to a "sew and flip" method with trimming after sewing.

Paper piecing is wonderful if you want accuracy. You don't "lose" your points. It took my quite awhile to wrap my brain around the process. Latest block from a BOM I am working on.
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That's beautiful, Caroline. Miriam, there are tons of videos and info. about paper piecing on google.

Cecilia, My Tanta (Aunt) Cecilia always sewed things together by hand. At first I did not understand but she was VERY thrifty. Now I sew many things together. Love your ideas.

Caroline,

Your paper pieced block is beautiful! It does a much better job of showing paper piecing than my diagram did.

Oh what fun !!! Letty

I'm not sure how you'd go about sewing a paper envelope? Is it like a normal envelope, or a folded rectangle with a seam on the end and up one side?? sounds like fun, unless you're a postal worker and it won't run through the super fast sorter machine... Sew stuff together.. what a great idea!

Is there no end to the lengths quilters and sewing machine aficionados will go? This board is a delight:)

I also sew a razor into parchment paper while travelling; takes less space than a plastic container, and also better for environment. I sew all presents together now also. Such fun!

And Miriam, I don't think sewing one's taxes together will trigger an audit; I think tax-processors have a dead-boring job, and maybe a stitch or two would brighten their day. I could be wrong; you could get that surly stereotype who grumbles and sends you to the gallows... that does happen...

:-)

I sewed the Christmas presents, too - I bought a lot of $1 a yard Christmas print and made bags. Lately the DGKs like to KEEP them and PLAY Christmas year round....