Paper-Pieced Tips This is a great technique to sew odd angles or shapes, elongated points or triangles. Paperpiecing is the process of placing fabric on the wrong side of printed pattern, align two pieces of fabrics right sides together, flip stack to the other side and stitch on marked lines. Refer to construction steps for detail instructions.
Tools and Supplies
• Sewing machine for paper-piecing use 90/14 needle, stitch length set at 18-20” per inch (or 1.5) and use an open-toe presser foot. For piecing project together go back to normal settings and presser foot. • Rotary ruler and rotary cutter • Optional: Add-a-Quarter ruler
• Paper--lightweight copy paper or Carol Doak’s Foundation paper works best but regular copy paper will work as well. • Scotch tape for pattern repair • Card stock or a file folder
• Flat-head pins (example flower-head pins)
• Iron
Making the Copies Make one copy (patterns on pages 130– 133) checking accuracy of pattern to state size noted on pattern (in red). It is important that size noted on pattern and printed pattern match in order to complete this project successfully. If size varies adjust copier to achieve the measurement listed on pattern then print the appropriate number of copies for each. We recommend making a few extra for testing fabric selection, placement and if an error occurs while sewing the unit. Print all copies from the same copier to avoid
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distortions. Home printer setting should be set so paper-pieced patterns are at 100% do not fit page to printer margin.
Important: Trim about 2 ” away from outside pattern trim line. Pattern will be trimmed later after all fabrics have been sewn to unit on trim line.
Cutting Chart The fabrics for the Bed and Lap quilt note which blocks the fabrics are used in but doesn’t list the paper-piece number on chart due to lack of space (Pillow chart shows actual paper-pieced number). All patterns have the fabric size marked for each section refers back to quilt layouts and block diagrams on page 133 for fabric placement guide.
Instructions
All paper-pieced units are sewn in the same matter follow step instructions to make units. Do not remove paper from units till all units are sewn together into blocks.
Making the Paper-Pieced Units
Make twenty-four copies for each paperpieced pattern using Carol Doak’s Foundation Paper, lightweight copy paper or normal copy paper. Set sewing machine stitch length to 1820 stitches per inch or 1.5. It is recommended to make one unit first to test fabric placement especially when sewing angle pieces together. All step photo diagrams show sewing PaperPieced Pattern C together.