Foundation Paper Piecing
is my favorite quilting technique. And as the name says, paper is one of the main foundation piecing supplies. Foundation paper piecing is used to create very accurate stitches and lines on a design, and I loooove accuracy, I’m a Virgo after all. But for me, it is also a great method to sew a stunning quilt block in a fairly short amount of time. You get amazing results without having to sew up an entire quilt. Whether you want to make some last minute gifts, some remarkable pillowcase or table runner for your home, this quilting technique is fun and easy. If you're new to this technique it can feel daunting, but don't despair, I wrote a great tutorial on how to master paper piecing in no time. When I first tried foundation paper piecing, I did not know a thing, and I mean really NOT a thing. I had an older quilting book, and decided to make one of the quilt blocks. I hadn't heard about foundation paper piecing before nor what it was about, or what supplies are needed. The pattern asked for paper, but did not specify what kind of paper, so I just used whatever paper I had at hand. As I worked my way through the FPP world I have worked with all sorts of papers and here’s what I think: Your choice of paper for foundation paper piecing depends on: a) cost b) scale of your project c) ease of use d) whether you like to work with a fabric glue pen or not. I also talk about paper for foundation piecing in my new book 'Adorable Animal Quilting'. Regular printer paper:
At the moment, this is my choice of paper. It’s easy to use and cost effective;
This is especially important since I am doing A LOT OF paper piecing. I can print any pattern right from my computer. And it is still thin enough to not be a headache when removing. Personal tips for the use of regular printer paper: > use regular printing paper in combination with a fabric glue pen. A fabric glue pen will be your life saver and you will never want to work without one again. > after you have joined two segments, remove the paper only from the seam allowance before pressing, that way you get nice flat seams (use a Tailor's clapper for extra flat seams) Freezer Paper:
Freezer paper works great with foundation piecing. It is easy, because you can just iron the fabric onto the paper and nothing slides off or moves, and obviously you don’t need a fabric glue pen.
It can become costly when you paper piece a lot. However, it’s a little bit thicker than regular printing paper and can get pretty bulky, especially when small pieces are involved. Because of its thickness, it’s not as easy to remove afterward. Personal tips for the use of freezer paper: > use freezer paper for blocks with large fabric areas, the possiblility of ironing on the fabric is absolutly wonderful for bigger fabric pieces. > again, definitely remove the paper from the seam allowance after joining two segments before pressing the segments. This assures that you get flat seams. (use a Tailor's clapper for extra flat seams) Foundation paper:
It’s wonderfully thin and perfect for tracing. It can also be used in your printer.
Another advantage is, that it’s very easy to remove when finished. However, it can become quite costly if you do a lot of paper piecing. And it tends to curl if ironed on. Personal tip for the use of foundation paper: > use it for blocks with tiny pieces in combination with a fabric glue pen. I personally like a little more structure and firmness in my blocks when sewing them, but if you prefer softness, this is the paper for you. > do not iron too much as it tends to curl up with heat, just very quickly and then use a Tailor's clapper or another heavy object to flatten the seams. It’s probably best to experiment with different papers, to find out which ones you like best, so what better way to do this, than with a free foundation paper piecing pattern. Happy testing ! Let me know what you think.
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Did this happen to you before? A stunning and cute quilt block catches your attention, you read the description, and it says it's paper pieced, so you're like...... OH NO, I cant do that! But I can assure you ( Obama style ) YES YOU CAN! I've been there, and trust me confusion took over me and I thought to myself : What do they mean, it's done on the reverse side? And how do I place the paper? And why this and what that? BUT first things first: You want to master paper piecing once and for all? You dont want to miss out on all those stunning quilt blocks that are paper pieced? Then read this blog post slowly, with you pattern at hand. You can also download this free pattern here to start practicing. Or if you like this star pattern , then grab it here. First and foremost, take your time to practice now and you'll be good to go for ever. 1. The pattern the pattern usually consists of a numbered overview, with letters and numbers on it. a colored overview ( so you have some inspiration) a blank overview ( this is for you to color yourself) and your pattern segments, again lettered and numbered, Each segment features only one letter, but has several numbers, this is the sequence of your sewing. Think of your pattern as a puzzle, each segment is one piece of your puzzle. 2. A few simple tips: Place the numbered overview in front of you. Cut out the pattern segments, along the dotted lines ( this is the seam allowance). Place the segments beside your pattern acording to the numbered overview. This is pretty obvious with the star pattern, but it becomes really important and comes in super handy with more complex patterns. 3. Reverse side or mirrored image: As I mentioned before, foundation paper piecing is done on the reverse side of your paper. This means your pattern is your sewing aid only. Not as with 'normal' patterns, where you cut the fabric according to the pattern. I think this is the most important part about paper piecing, and can't be emphasised enough. NOTE: The paper is just your sewing aid . The paper is your base where you sew on, the lines of the pattern are your sewing lines. The block will emerge on the unprinted side of the pattern. And will therefore be a mirrored image of the numbered overview. > numbered overview > finished block 4. Sart sewing It doesn't matter which segment you sew first, you want to sew them all anyways, so start wherever you want. I will start with segment A here, just because I like starting from the right today :-) > set your sewing machine to 1.5 stitches /cm or 16-18 stitches/inch this will make sure the stitces perforate the paper nicely, but are not too close, so they don’t rip the paper. This will also make it easyer to remove the paper after you finish sewing your block. > Turn the first segment over so the wrong side (unprinted side) is facing you. Place the piece of fabric for section 1 right side up, onto the paper, making sure there’s ¼ to ½ inch of fabric around the perimeter of section 1. Be generous in the beginning; once you are familiar with foundation paper piecing, you can cut your fabrics a bit smaller. > Pin or glue this fabric in place. I prefer fabric glue. Everything stays nicely in place. > Turn the pattern segment over so the printed side is facing you. Fold the pattern on the line between section 1 and 2. ( I do this using a postcard, this gives you a nice straight and crisp fold) > Trim fabric 1 to a ¼” seam allowance using an acrylic ruler and rotary cutter. There is a specilty ruler for this, it's called ADD-A-Quarter-Ruler , which has a 1/4" lip and gives you a perfect 1/4" seam allowance. But any other ruler will work just as fine. > Choose the fabric for section 2 the same way you did for section 1, making sure the fabric covers the whole of section 2 and aprox ¼ - ½ ” around the perimeter of section 2. > Place fabric for section 2, right sides together with fabric 1. Aligning the raw edges of the two fabrics along the fold between section1 and 2. > Now, stitch along the fold between sections 1 and 2, right on the line. The more precisely you sew, the easier it will be to align your segments! If the line that’s being sewn starts or finishes at the ¼-inch seam allowance, extend that line right through the seam allowance by sewing all the way through it! > Flip open fabric 2 so the right sides of the fabrics are showing and press with a hot iron (no steam, as this can distort your fabric and paper ). Now you choose the fabric for section 3 the same way you did for the other two. Folding now the pattern at the line between section 2 and 3 and so on. You then sew each section the same way. Adding the fabrics in numerical order, as they appear on each segment. > When you're done sewing the segments, cut excess fabric along the dotted line. > Place the trimmed segments as they are on the numbered overview. This just makes your life so much easier when sewing the segments together. > Now sew the segments together according to the assembly instructions in the pattern. > After sewing two segments together, remove the paper only from the seam allowance and press the seams open with hot iron (no steam) as flat as possible. (This is where the tailors clapper comes in very handy , see blog post about clapper here. ) This helps reduce bulk, especially when there are several layers of fabric. It also helps keep your overall size accurate. before tailors clapper after tailors clapper > After piecing all the segments, remove the remaining paper and use the iron to press your finished block. And that's it .................. ALL DONE.
You can also watch a tutorial video here. What do you think? Doable, right? You will be a paper piecing STAR in no time. Why do you need a Tailor's clapper for quilting and patchwork? Have you heard of a tailor's clapper? Have you ever wondered what it is? And most importantly have you ever wondered if you need a tailor's clapper for quilting? The short answer is YES, you absolutely do. But let me explain a few details about my favorite quilting tool first. Here are some facts about a tailor's clapper and I answer the most frequently asked questions. 1. What is the Tailor’s Clapper? It’s a piece of wood, usually hardwood (such as maple ) used by tailors (duh) to get flat, crisp seams or creases. It is usually rounded at both ends and has often grooves along the longer sides so you can hold it easily. The tailor's clapper originated in the dressmaking world and was and still is used for nice flat seams without getting shiny from ironing. Imagine a pair of pants in a delicate material, let’s say silk. Now you iron the side seams, the result will be a seam allowance that shines through and an outside seam that's shiny too. This is every dressmakers nightmare. Not so with the tailor's clapper. 2. How is the Tailor’s Clapper used? As I mentioned before, the tailor's clapper originated in dressmaking, so of course it works perfectly for pressing your clothes, but I will explain the use of this tool here for quilting. You iron your seam briefly and then place the clapper onto your seam. The heat of the iron will be absorbed slowly by the wood so the heat stays in the fabric long enough to flatten the seams nicely, while the weight of the wood presses onto the seam at the same time. 3. What kind of wood is used for a Tailor's clapper? Tailor’s clappers are made out of hardwood. The wood has to be heavy and close-grained in order to do the job perfectly. The weight matters as well as the close-grain wood. If the clapper is to light the heat will be absorbed too quickly and ultimately your seams would not be as flat as you wish. If the tailor's clapper is made out of less dense wood, it can absorb the steam or humidity that stems from ironing which will result in breaking the tool. This is the reason why Maple is one of the most popular woods for a tailor's clapper. 4. Why you need the Tailor’s clapper for quilting? Geometrical forms, squares, triangles, circles etc. are the most popular forms used in patchwork and matching seams and corners are essential. Pressing is key for patchwork to get nice matching corners and seams. Most importantly pressing without steam and pressing with moderate heat or shorter pressing times. If you leave your iron too long on your fabric, in order to flatten those seams with several layers of fabric, you might discolor your fabric and ruin all of your beautiful quilting work. That's where the tailor's clapper is the perfect tool. You just leave it on your seams after you pressed briefly and let the wood do the trick. 5. Do Tailor's clappers work? You decide for yourself, have you ever seen flatter seams? I have to admit, can not live without my tailor's clapper. It is one of my absolute favorite tools. The seams are almost as flat as if it was just one layer of fabric, which makes joining quilt blocks and segments a breeze. You will find the palm tree quilt block pattern here. 6. The tailor's clapper and Foundation Paper Piecing Especially with Foundation Paper Piecing flat seams are key to precision and accuracy. You might say, why not just iron those seams? And yes you are right, but first of all you cannot iron with steam, as this may distort your paper, or dissolve the ink on your pattern and stain the fabric. And second, you can’t iron for too long, because it might discolor your fabric. But you need nice and flat seams, in order for your blocks to fit together perfectly. This is why the tailor’s clapper is the most perfect tool. As I mentioned before, you iron your seams quickly and then place the clapper on top. That way the heat of the iron is ‘trapped’ under the clapper long enough to nicely flatten your perfect seams. Tipp for joining segments: Sew two segments together acording to the pattern. Remove the paper ONLY from the seam allowance and press with a hot dry iron quickly, then leave your clapper on the seam for a few minutes till the fabric cools off. I actually use that time to sew the next segment :-) You will get the nicest and flattest seams ever. 7. What's the average size of a Tailor's clapper? The most common size for a tailor's clapper is about 2"-3" wide and about 8"-12" long. This will work perfectly for most quilt block sizes. Happy clapping....ahhh sewing :-) 8. Can I make my own Tailor's clapper? You absolutely can make your own, if you wanted to. Here are some good instructions to do so. But these Tailor’s clappers are also available online from many stores, form Amazon, Nancy's Notions to Etsy. Shop palm tree pattern here. Ingrid xx Spring is in the air and Easter around the corner, I want to introduce you to my new Easter Egg quilt block patterns. These are really easy and fun to make and will be perfect for using up all those leftover fabric scraps you've probably been keeping somewhere in a box or bag for a later use. Let's get to using some of your cutest scraps. I like to color coordinate my eggs, but its entirely up to you, you can also make some really colorful eggs as well, or mix and match just two colors in one egg, or use solids, or just stripes or flowers, the possibilities are endless. Let your creativity run wild. This Easter Egg pattern consists of three different egg styles. Fabric requirements per 6"x 6" finished quilt block: - for the background fabric: aprox. 10" x 10" piece of fabric - for the eggs any fabric scraps you have left over ( 12 pieces abt 2"x 3" ) These three different egg versions are so versatile and make it super fun to use those small fabric scraps. If you want, you can use some cute novelty prints and fussy cut them into the eggs for a little more excitement. You could make some 'I spy' Easter egg place mats for your Easter meals. Wouldn't that be super adorable? Of course a table runner would be equally fantastic. Let's make one egg together.... I'm going to show you how to make one of the eggs. I'm choosing orange, since I have quite some orange scraps leftover and also because I haven't made an orange egg yet. The egg block size is going to be 6"x 6" (plus 1/4" seam allowance so it will be a 6"x 6" finished block) and it's really quick and easy to make. A whole bunch of orange fabric scraps and the cut out pattern segments, that's all I need for the kaleidoscope egg version. Fabric requirements are : - 10"x 10" fabric for the background - and 12 little scraps of 2"x 3" There are 4 segments in this pattern. Sew up each segment as you would in any foundation paper piecing pattern. If you're new to foundation paper piecing, there's a tutorial with step by step pictures here on my website, or a detailed video tutorial here. I think I will be making a rainbow Easter egg table runner and will keep you all posted on the details. For now you can enjoy these colorful eggs and decide for yourselves what to make out of them. Happy Easter to all of you. xo |
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Ingrid Alteneder Archive
March 2022
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