# Paper/Foundation piecing quilt blocks - I think I'm in love!



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I took a paper piecing quilt block class today. Mirror/Mirror was the design. The class was 10 am - 4 pm. I got all for sections done and sewn together.

How neat, and it makes the most amazing points and so sharp looking. The way we did it, was just like Paint by Numbers.

Has anyone else done this, and found a great like/love of this "new to me" medium of sewing.

Hope some of the rest of you do this and find it fun.

(class two, intermediate, next weekend).

Angie


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

kind of quilting! The only way I can get those corners pointy dependably. I did a wall hanging - Christmas nativity scene with 1200 pieces a few years ago. It was so fun to watch it 'appear'. The only part I don't like is the mess and how much more fabric it seems to take to do it. I have a New York Beauty I did with cloth and I loved that - no tearing away the paper. But I couldn't have hand quilted it either - too thick. Sometimes I print a pattern with the computer printer using a piece of fabric ironed to freezer paper that has been cut to the size of a sheet ofpaper. Then I have the cloth pattern I like to use.


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## threadneedle (Nov 14, 2006)

I have found paper piecing helps me to be more accurate and have sharper points. You do have more waste using this technique though. 

For anyone who hasn't tried this yet, try to use light weight paper to sew on. When I first tried this technique, I printed the pattern onto computer paper. It was so hard to tear off later that a few of my stitches came out. Now I use a light weight paper which tears off easily if you score each seam after sewing it. I believe I also saw some water soluble paper piecing paper in a catalog but I've never tried it.

Callieslamb - Wow, 1200 pieces! Someday I want to make a New York Beauty and I will definitely paper piece it. Do you have pictures of your projects?


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## MrsL (Oct 30, 2007)

I've made one small quilt, which hangs in the stair well with paper piecing; I really enjoyed it, as it was soemthing idfferent. Here it is:










I've just Googled New York Beauty - big mistake, I need to make one of those now too


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Nice quilt you have there Mrs. L.

and that New York Beauty that is mentioned.... well, I had to go google what you're talking about.

I did find these FREE blocks.... is this it, or shall I still keep looking?

http://quilterscornerclub.tripod.com/free_ny_new_york_beauty_quilt_block_patterns.html

Next week we are going to be doing "Shattered Glass". They said we probably will not get completely done, but far enough that we'll have no problem with the rest of it.

Angie


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

One of the squares I made for one of Melissa's swaps was paper pieced. I love the method! It seems no matter how many years I piece quilts, I still can't get those nice sharp points or get every block to line up perfectly. Paper piecing solves all that. 

You do have a lot of waste; well "I" have a lot of waste because I'm always cutting the pieces much larger than I need to so I don't mess up. 

It is also a very easy method and goes really fast. The only problem I have is that on the first couple of blocks, I have to stay pretty observant, organized, and "think"...lol. It takes me doing a few sections before I start feeling comfortable enough to relax and have fun with it.

I use regular copy paper and haven't had any trouble tearing it away. I use tweezers to pull any little bits of paper left.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I made a wall hanging that way and enjoyed it a lot.


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## peacebaker (Dec 30, 2005)

How funny--I just had my first PP experience and it didn't go well at all!  

I'm in a class that's 99% regular piecing, but one block was challenging so she showed us this option--I just couldn't wrap my mind around it, I think I'm a plain ol' piecer at heart. I could see the appeal of it, but my brain couldn't put the block together backwards and upside down  

I'm sure I'll give it another try someday, maybe I should have started with an easier block! Just funny how there are a lot of different techniques and one hits you better than another.

Don't you love classes? I'm on my second at our community center, and I've learned so much. Kind of wish I hadn't tried to teach myself for the last 15 years


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## jesuisdiana (May 24, 2004)

I love this method too
I have a simple program I bought from Electric Quilt - much less expensive than their regular quilting software and it has hundreds of paper piecing patterns, you can print them out on your computer at whatever size finished block you want. I also just use printer/copier paper.


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## ladyrua (May 26, 2006)

I love this method - it was taught to me as a child and I've used it ever since! It's really the best way I've found to get those sharp corners and complicated stars, etc to look right. Plus, it's a documented technique of our ancestors, which I find appealing in the era of "machine sew everything". 

A note on the paper used - I found it was tricky to use a heavy enough paper to feel through the fabric and keep the lines straight, and yet be thin enough to rip away. Here's my trick - your seams should *barely* be catching the paper, so as long as your stiches are tiny, you have to do very little "ripping". Just remove the basting threads and voila! the paper almost falls out!


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