Paper Piecing Pain!!

[Hitomi]

I am doing a really small paper piecing project and taking off the paper after sewing it together is such a pain! Got any ideas? I am using a long tweezer to pick at those pieces.

[ffq-lar]

Try paperless paper piecing. Use one paper with design on it. Fold and crease all lines. Use a water soluble glue stick to attach the first piece to the paper pattern. For the second fabric piece, place the piece to be sewn into position, fold the paper back on the creased line, and sew very close to the line on the two fabric pieces. I have even sewn so close that I perforate the fold a bit. Trim the fabric to a quarter inch (or an eighth if you are doing a miniature) just as you would if you had sewn through the paper. Continue in the same manner and then remove the paper by just pulling it off where it was glued. You can reuse the same pattern multiple times.

If you want help removing the paper, spritz with water to soften it a bit--let sit for a while and then rub off the paper residue.

[JustSewSimple]

"Paper piece" onto very light pellon and leave it in. That's what I do. I print the pattern onto the pellon and just leave it in after stitching.

[Guest Linda S]

Do you use very small stitches when you stitch these patterns together? I use regular printer paper and short stitches when I paper piece and I never have any difficulty getting the paper out.

Linda

[Zora]

Place the completed piece fabric side down on a padded surface, such as your ironing board. Take the handle end of a seam ripper or a pair of scissors, and run it firmly along the stiched lines. (But not so hard that you pop any stitches.) The paper will likely tear and will come off much more easily.

[Katydids]

I use Carol Doaks paper for paper piecing and a small stitch length and the paper pulls away easily and doesn't leave alot of small pieces. The smaller your stitch length, the more perforations you have in the paper so it rips away easier.

[Hitomi]

Thanks, I used Carol Doaks paper and small stiches (maybe 1.5). I used a water bottle to mist the paper and rubbed it as you suggested. The paper came off much easier. Then I put and backing on it and stitched and ditched around the wreath with invisible thread. You see the middle block? It's an 8 1/2 block, and I embroidered "Season's Greetings" on it. But it looks like that block is missing something. Any ideas on stitching it maybe? Seems like something is missing?

[Hitomi]

Here's a smaller photo

[seakitten]

Just a little fancy quilting & you're there. It looks great. I hope you are entering it in the Quilt Passions contest (deadline is Thursday & I have not started mine yet, so I may not).

[BobbieJones]

Beautiful!!!!!

[Sandra Darlington]

Your block is beautiful!!!!!

[meg]

i use a toothbrush (hard bristles) and just brush those pieces out. works great for me.

beautfil quilt :cool: