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Paper Piecing questions


yankiequilter

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I'm working on a paper pieced quilt and it's a bit of a struggle for me because I've only paper pieced once before and then had Jan Krentz holding my hand in her class while we paper pieced a Lone Star. Anyway, several times I've had to unpiece (guess I'm a slow learner - sometimes the same seam 4 times :D:P:P ) and of course that leaves holes in the paper. I'm wondering if there is a way to hold the previously stitched paper together so that the stitching line isn't separated. I've thought about tape, perhaps the repositionable tape, but after stitching through it, will it tear away from the stitches? I don't have any to try so thought I'd ask before I buy it. What do all you expert paper piecers do? OH! You probably don't have to unstitch and restitch!!!! :P

Also, I had a recorded episode of Quilting Arts that I watched earlier in the week and Andrea Bishop from EQ was the guest. She was showing an unfinished quilt that she had paper pieced and it appeared to still have all of the paper in the blocks, so it must have been very heavy. At what point can I remove the paper?

One more question - is there any downside to using more than one type of paper when paper piecing? I guess my concern here would be that the end result might be slightly different size blocks. I have some of Carol Doak's paper right now but am concerned about running out and having to use a different brand.

OK, that's all of my questions for now about paper piecing. Thanks for any help you can give me!

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hi carmen -

i have also used scotch tape.

i have always removed the paper before assembling the quilt and wriggle matched seams.

i ran out of paper and used copy machine paper for it but it is very hard to remove.

here is a tip i find useful - when you are ripping the paper off the back of the blocks - use a hard toothbrush to brush out the stubborn little pieces of paper that get stuck in the seams.

;)meg

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Hi Carmen.....

I've done quite a bit of pp'ing and what I have done if I've screwed up is: I've taken one of the original printed papers and put it into my printer, then put in some blank papers that you can buy and print more....it works just great....

Also, if needed I've used just regular scotch tape where I've needed to, worked just fine....

I love paper piecing - the end results are spectacular!!!

Let us know how everything goes.....

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I use a lightweight computer paper..the cheaper the better. Lay the pieced block on a padded surface such as your ironing board. Run the handle of your scissors or some such rounded object over the seams firmly(but not too hard), then tear the paper away. It works well. I don't leave the paper on all the units until the whole quilt is assembled, because it makes the seams kind of heavy to sew through, and the quilt is awkward to handle to remove all the bits and pieces. I love paper piecing!

As an aside to the paper piecing discussion:

If you do a quilt with a ton of half-square trianges, try using Triangulations software. It is a paper-foundation piecing method, sort of like Triangles on a roll, but much better. Its available at Connecting Threads.

I used paper piecing on a Mariner's compass, with hundreds of half-square triangles in the sashing and borders. Used the Triangulations software, and it was a breeze to piece the sashings and borders.

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Thanks, everyone, for all the tips and advice. I didn't think about not ironing the tape and that one could be really important! :D I thought that I read somewhere that the repositionable tape could tolerate the heat of an iron so may also give that a try once I get to town and can get a roll.

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I love paper piecing, I can actually get sharp points using this method. I'm like Kristina, I use a mid to lightweight vellum. It's more expensive then copy/computer paper but a lot cheaper then "paper piecing speciality paper. I also us a small stitch. I lremove my paper before sewing the blocks together (I do spray starch my blocks before removing paper). Never used tape. Have fun!!!

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I recently learned a trick.... fold your paper on the seam line, line up your fabric edges, and then sew... barely catching the paper. You will still have perfection with points and seams, but not much paper to pull off. Plus, you can generally use a pattern several times before it's kaput. I just did a mariner's compass with this method, and loved it. A number of years ago I did a NY Beauty, and it was a pain to get all of the paper out of those tiny points.

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Originally posted by rocket girl

I recently learned a trick.... fold your paper on the seam line, line up your fabric edges, and then sew... barely catching the paper. You will still have perfection with points and seams, but not much paper to pull off. Plus, you can generally use a pattern several times before it's kaput. I just did a mariner's compass with this method, and loved it. A number of years ago I did a NY Beauty, and it was a pain to get all of the paper out of those tiny points.

This is what I do except that I use freezer paper. I fold on the seam line, stitch next to it but not though the paper, trip the seam allowance, flip the fabric and press it to the freezer paper. Then I move on to the next seam. The templates can be use many times and the best part is NO paper to remove.

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I do quite a lot of paper piecing. I HATE the process but LOVE the results. I use paper piecing paper, a larger needle (size 14) and a very small stitch to really perforate the paper for ease of removal. I've heard a little about the fold paper and stitch next to the line method but haven't tried it. I will soon though. I remove all but the outer area papers of the blocks prior to sewing them together. Since you are seldom on grain with PP you need that out row of paper to keep it all stable.

Also, though, it is very expensive, wash away paper is wonderful. My only reservation is that I do not pre-wash my fabric and use a lot of batiks when PPing so sometimes the color running is a concern when removing the paper.

Good luck, can't wait to see the results.

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Okay, and the book I am using for the pattern says to use an accurate copier, (how would you know if it were accurate?) (that's not my question). If I were using the velium or the freezer paper do you draw the pattern onto the paper, or do you copy it? I've PP before, but with copy paper.

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MB, I usually copy mine, but if the pattern is in a book be very careful. If the pattern doesn't lie completely flat it will change the lines. If I can't lie the book flat, I trace the pattern. Vellum comes in different weights, I like the medium because it holds-up to the stitching but is easy to remove. I'm not at home or I would tell you the weight that I buy.

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So vellum will go through a copier okay? So do you go to a copy shop to have them done? The book I am working from just gives the pattern for the PP unit. So it says, "this side = "X" " so I have to measure my star points and get the "X" measurement, the the outside edge....did I say I hate math/numbers :(

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Originally posted by Mary Beth

Okay, and the book I am using for the pattern says to use an accurate copier, (how would you know if it were accurate?) (that's not my question). If I were using the velium or the freezer paper do you draw the pattern onto the paper, or do you copy it? I've PP before, but with copy paper.

As far as the freezer paper is concerned, make a copy of the pattern on regular paper and pin it to 6 or 8 pieces of freezer paper. Remove the thread from your DSM and stitch through all the layers. This "copies" the pattern on to the freezer paper and makes it easier to fold along the perforated lines. Since you can reuse the template, you don't need to make one for each block.

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I also use vellum, but need to say the current jet printer I'm using likes the vellum, but takes hours for the ink to dry, and not always do I want to wait. As the ink will smir if I don't let it dry long enough. However copiers are a dry process so you shouldn't have that problem.

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