danna738

Paper piecing is really easy, and not at all expensive. You just need to buy Reynolds Freezer Paper, cut out your diamond pieces, iron them on the wrong side of the fabric and then cut out leaving a quarter inch seam allowance. You will be amazed at how crisp and clean your diamond points will be. I made a table runner that used hexagons, triangles and ciamonds to make sunflowers. I love it.

Flying_V_Goddess

I might have to go out and buy freezer paper. Well, I do have an unboxed roll of some sort of cooking-related paper that I've used to trace designs from various things, but I'm not quite sure if its freezer paper or waxed paper (is there a difference?)

Anyways, do you leave the freezer paper in or do you take it out?

Yvonne

http://www.quilterscache.com/StartQuiltingPages/startquiltingthree.html

Quilter's Cache gives some very good directions about paper piecing. Better than I could give you in this small space.
I started out using freezer paper (it is different from wax paper) but now I just use what ever paper I have on hand. You do tear the paper out when you finish so you need to sew with a much smaller stitch than normal. I use a 1.5 on my Pfaff. This will perferate the paper and make it easier to tear.

Here is the template Quilter's Cache gives you for storm at sea. It may give you a "little" help with your pattern.

http://www.quilterscache.com/images12/stormatseacornersB.gif

Flying_V_Goddess

I read the directions on that site and except for the part about using a small stitch and a 90/14 needle...I just don't get it. :?

patricej

I made you a variety of template and paper piecing patterns for 12-inch blocks and for 16-inch blocks. experiment with scraps until you find the one you like best, then go for it! :P

danna738

Freezer paper and waxed paper are not the same. Waxed paper is kind of clear and you can see through it. Waxed paper is white and you can't see through it. After you join the pieces, you remove the paper. Try it, I think you will like it. You can make more intricate patterns and this is perfect for diamond shapes.

lin

I've seen what you're talking about danna, but I'm not sure that's the type of "paper pieceing" that's being discussed here. I think what's being discussed is the type of paper piecing where numbers are written on different parts of a block and you lay your fabric down onto #1 face up, and add #2's fabric right sides tog. to it, (allowing the fabrics to cross over the lines to the different numbered sections by approx ½"), then sewing right on the line that was drawn between the two #d sections, pressing out, then continuing until all the numbers have been covered with fabric. That's the abbreviated version, but it sounds different than what you're talking about with the freezer paper. I always use a thin tracing paper when paper pieceing as it tears out easily once sewn with a tight stitch (like a #1), and it's easy to see the marked lines and whether or not you've got your fabric over the lines far enough.

Flying_V_Goddess

Awesome templates! Thanks!

Good thing I cleaned my room today. Found the stash of 1/4" yard increments of fabric I stashed away for testing out blocks...as well as a couple of ideas I had sketched out for two other quilts (one will require some more practice on my sewing skills and the other has a lot of pieces and is just plain time consuming). Anyways, I'm going to try the templates with and without the paper piecing...I still have my doubts about paper piecing so this way I can compare and see if it achieves the results I'm looking for.

Flying_V_Goddess

Hey, the abbreviated version helps...I actually "get it" now. Thanks!

lin

Oh, good! I'm glad it helped. :) :)