Paper-piecing question
02-29-2012, 05:34 AM
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Covington, Indiana
Posts: 1,659
1) How small of a stitch do most of you use?
1.0 on a Janome
2) Problem solving. If you use a smaller stitch & your fabric on the back bunches up. What do you do if the stitch makes the paper fall off and you need to unpick the fabric?
I just carefully unpick with a very sharp stitch ripper. If the previous pieces of fabric are somewhat large thus may be loose and flappy ... I tack it down with long basting/machine stitches. And remove later. This can help to avoid fabric bunching up.
3) I was taught to put you stitch at 0 at the beginning & end of your square you're putting on. Sometimes this doesn't knot the fabric & it comes apart. Do some of you backstitch? Or what is a better way so the stitches don't come apart?
No need! Tiny stitches plus crossover of other rows of stitching will anchor your seams.
Likewise for regular non-PP piecework .... if it's going to have another row of stitching crossing it, you should be OK. In principal, the only place where a lock-stitch should be necessary would be on the final row of stitching on your quilt ... the borders.
4) Do most of you pin your pieces or just do it by feel?
No .. pinning can create bumps and not keep the fabric as smooth as you want.
If I need it held in place, I use long running/basting machine stitches, as mentioned above in #2.
Another question that's often asked is what paper do you use?
regular photocopy/printer paper.
How do you remove the paper? and when?
The fine/short stitches makes it pretty easy to remove the paper when the time comes. In fact, I sometimes find that the paper wants to fall off too soon. I keep a roll of painter's tape handy, for band-aids to keep it together til the time is right!
If I'm covering over a seam, once stitched and before the next seam, I take the paper off, just the 1/4" seam area and then do the next seam.
Thanks for your help!
You're welcome! and hope it does help.
1.0 on a Janome
2) Problem solving. If you use a smaller stitch & your fabric on the back bunches up. What do you do if the stitch makes the paper fall off and you need to unpick the fabric?
I just carefully unpick with a very sharp stitch ripper. If the previous pieces of fabric are somewhat large thus may be loose and flappy ... I tack it down with long basting/machine stitches. And remove later. This can help to avoid fabric bunching up.
3) I was taught to put you stitch at 0 at the beginning & end of your square you're putting on. Sometimes this doesn't knot the fabric & it comes apart. Do some of you backstitch? Or what is a better way so the stitches don't come apart?
No need! Tiny stitches plus crossover of other rows of stitching will anchor your seams.
Likewise for regular non-PP piecework .... if it's going to have another row of stitching crossing it, you should be OK. In principal, the only place where a lock-stitch should be necessary would be on the final row of stitching on your quilt ... the borders.
4) Do most of you pin your pieces or just do it by feel?
No .. pinning can create bumps and not keep the fabric as smooth as you want.
If I need it held in place, I use long running/basting machine stitches, as mentioned above in #2.
Another question that's often asked is what paper do you use?
regular photocopy/printer paper.
How do you remove the paper? and when?
The fine/short stitches makes it pretty easy to remove the paper when the time comes. In fact, I sometimes find that the paper wants to fall off too soon. I keep a roll of painter's tape handy, for band-aids to keep it together til the time is right!
If I'm covering over a seam, once stitched and before the next seam, I take the paper off, just the 1/4" seam area and then do the next seam.
Thanks for your help!
You're welcome! and hope it does help.
One last tip, the fabric piece can always be too big but too little means ripping out a seam. Hate it when it folds over and is just doesn't cover what I thought it would!
02-29-2012, 05:58 AM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Akron, Ohio
Posts: 493
I am so glad I read this post as I started paper piecing a few months ago and did not think about folding and stitching close to the line and had not seen how to do this any place. I use a .8 stitch and have not had a bunching problem - just an "operator" problem not cutting big enough pieces, although lately, I have learned my lesson. Stitching next to the paper line sounds like a great idea and I am going to try it soon. Thanks for the info.
02-29-2012, 06:27 AM
#33
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,759
QuiltE...great tips. The thing that still trips me up is the reverse thing. Since I sew on the printed side, the finished block is really a reverse of the pattern I start with. Those darn triangles just don't go the right way. I write the fabric placement on the paper so I'm going to try reversing that before I sew this next time.
One last tip, the fabric piece can always be too big but too little means ripping out a seam. Hate it when it folds over and is just doesn't cover what I thought it would!
One last tip, the fabric piece can always be too big but too little means ripping out a seam. Hate it when it folds over and is just doesn't cover what I thought it would!
Oh GGal ... I can relate! The reversing is awkward. I had one PC block that I just couldn't figure out, so said, oh heck, does it really matter? And many times no, it does not!! That is, so long as you do it or not do it for the whole block.
I use highlighters to mark my fabric placement ... easier to watch as I work away, than to read little letters!! Besides, more colourful too. And as quilters we love colour, don't we!!
And relate #2 ... yup ... times where that piece is just a little shy of what's needed. So frog stitching is practiced!
02-29-2012, 08:43 AM
#34
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,386
I have a light bar, that sits under the plexiglass that surrounds my sewing machine, so it is very easy to lineup the fabric to paperpiece. I do not pin. Then when it is time to take off the paper, I just wet with a bit of water a Q-tip and run that down the seam, and the paper is easily removed. I do not tack the ends, as there is usually another seam that gets stitched right over that seam.
02-29-2012, 03:31 PM
#35
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Portland, Me
Posts: 108
There was a pp demo at our group last night. She used a dab of glue stick on the first pc. I am anxious to try it. I think it can be fun once you get the hang of it. Some of the patterns are real pretty. Good luck to you . When I was a kid & didn't like to pratice my accordion, my mother would say,"pratice makes perfect."
Rowena101
Rowena101
02-29-2012, 04:15 PM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Posts: 1,653
I too use freezer paper. With this method you fold back the pattern on your sew line and stitch right next to the fold. After you press and trim this piece, the sewn portion of the pattern will be stuck to your fabric, so all you have to do is hold the new strip in place and put under the needle. I usually make small blocks so don't need a pin at this point, but if you have large pieces over 6" long, you could pin it. When I used to stitch thru the paper I'd use 1.5 stitch length. Now with freezer paper pp, I use a 2. You don't need to backstitch, I just start and stop 1/4" in front of and beyond each sew line. If you need to rip out a seam, do it and then use clear tape to put your pattern back together if you're sewing thru it. If you're using freezer paper, you haven't sewn thru and perforated it, it's just folded- so no problem. If you haven't seen the freezer paper method, there's tutes on it on this board or on youtube. Good Luck!
02-29-2012, 04:47 PM
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: The Colony, TX
Posts: 3,364
I sew on a Bernina and I lower my stitch length down to 1.5 and use a 90 needle. Here is a link to Judy Neimeyers instructions.
http://www.quiltworx.com/pdfs/founda...perpiecing.pdf
Carol Doak does some really good instructions in her books and she also has a video but I couldn't find anything free on them. She does have a blog and has several free blocks out there.
http://www.quiltworx.com/pdfs/founda...perpiecing.pdf
Carol Doak does some really good instructions in her books and she also has a video but I couldn't find anything free on them. She does have a blog and has several free blocks out there.
02-29-2012, 06:22 PM
#39
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Southern California & New Mexico
Posts: 153
There are as many different PP approaches as there are people doing PP BUT....after reading and hearing so many different ways to do it, I decided to learn ONE WAY that felt comfortable for me and stick with it. I used a JoAnn coupon and purchased the "Carol Doak Teaches You to Paper Piece" video and her method works for me so the video was a good investment. However, rather than tear the foundation out, I use the June Tailor "Perfect Piecing" foundation sheets (also from JoAnn when I have coupons etc.). The "Add a Quarter" and "Add an Eighth" rulers (from LQS and worth it!) have also been great for me. The video and the rulers were one-time "investments" and have more than paid for themselves in frustration avoided and time saved....for me, anyway!
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