Help - another paper piecing question for Carol please (et al...)

I've never done any hand piecing at all, Suzie, so I'm afraid I can't help you there. However, I believe that paper might not stand up to hand work -- it might tend to tear too easily. You'd probably want to use fabric foundations instead. I think. ;)

Hi Suzie: If you want to hand foundation piece, I would suggest you use a product called "Fundation" which is like an interfacing cut in 8 1/2" x 11" sheets that you can feed through a computer printer or copy machine one at a time. This way you can print the foundations, or you can trace the designs on this material. You can leave this material in your project and machine quilt it. I wouldn't try to hand quilt through the extra layer. Since you are doing it by hand, I would suggest that you go for stars with fewer pieces. Although the stained glass patterns are pretty, there is an extra piece of black between each section (for thre leading) which increases the number of pieces per section. There are several star blocks with fewer pieces in 50 Fabulous Paper-Pieced Stars. You would follow the same sequence when hand piecing. Hope this helps, Carol Doak

I second, third, and fourth that emotion! This book was the inspiration that made my Starflake possible. Without paper-piecing I couldn't have done it. By working with the stars in Carol's book I learned TONS about what would be needed for mine.

Karen, Queen of Squishies

I think someone here [Hey! I see some water droplets out my window! Hallelujah maybe it will rain.] -- now where was I. Oh yes, someone has mentioned doing foundation piecing by hand. I can't imagine hand stitching tightly enough that I could then rip off a paper foundation. A cloth foundation would work ok, but it might be a hassle to get a pattern printed or drawn on cloth.

There might, just MIGHT, be pre-printed non-woven blocks for foundation piecing. I know that someone (whose name eludes me) has iron-on patterns--pineapple, log cabin, maybe courthouse steps.

I'm loving this too!

I believe it was Donna Poster who recently was on Simply Quilts that had iron-on patterns for 'foldy' quilt blocks. Nancycog in MD

Suzie, why don't you look at Jinny Beyer's books, they are all handsewn and hand quilted, I am not sure of foundation pieceing by hand, but there is no reason that you couldn't cut out the blocks and piece by hand..... worth a look anyway!

Moira

Well heck that just about settles it then - I'm gonna have to get Carol's book!

And after reading other comments, mebbe I'll stick to piecing over vilene, or tracing the pattern onto thin cotton... paper could be a problem...

Mebbe I could iron freezer paper onto cotton, trim it to size and run it thru my inkjet printer? then rip off the paper and stitch thru the cotton? that'd work huh?

Suzie B

-- "From the internet connection under the pier" Southend, UK

Thanks Carol - and to everyone else who suggested this book - I will certainly look out for it on Saturday! Not sure whether I can get 'Fundation' in the UK - any ideas anyone?

Its good to know that whatever question I come up with, that I'll get plenty of knowledgeable answers - thank you everyone!

Suzie B

-- "From the internet connection under the pier" Southend, UK

-- "From the internet connection under the pier" Southend, UK

I think I've gotten myself confused here - I want to do foundation piecing by hand, not paper piecing - *that* I can do already! Foundation piecing is something I tried a while back, and have just recently come back to - the current "Fabrications" magazine has a quillow pattern taken from Lynne Edwards new book (and I've just started it for a friend at work), and it advises using vilene to trace the foundation pattern onto, and stitch the fabric over the vilene. So now I've gotten all mentally creative (stop laughing at me Moira!!!) and want to go further.

I do have one book by Jinny Beyer, but its her colour confidence book, which is great for colour stuff, but not much good for patterns.

What started this off, is a visit to Quilters Haven yesterday for their 10th birthday, and seeing a quilt called "Spanish Stars" using the 'Barcelona' fabrics from Woodrow Studio... surf over to

and click on the link for their online current newsletter, plough through it and you'll find a picture of the quilt, its got sort-of half Mariners Compass blocks on point around a whole one in the middle, and as I'm far too skint to be able to afford the pattern and fabric, I bought the blue/green mosaic and plain fabrics, and the 3 background fabrics, and want to play with foundation piecing to get something similar.

And guess what I've just found loitering on my bookshelf? the Elm Creek Quilts book - which has the Elm Creek Medallion quilt on the front cover - with Mariners Compass foundation piecing templates inside - almost exactly what I was looking for!!! Jennifer Chaverini - you have just saved my sanity!!!

But I'm still going to buy Carols book though - I feel a need for more stars coming on... lord knows I need something to do with all my fabric!

Thanks guys!

Suzie B

-- "From the internet connection under the pier" Southend, UK

Yep yep yep. I saw her name somewhere just this morning and it clicked.

So....take the paper piecing patterns and copy onto heavy paper. Cut out the pieces on the lines. Ta Da! You now have the paper pieces for english paper piecing.

Are you even more confused?

marcella

Yep That'd work like a charm. I've pieced miniature blocks on muslin, and I thought that was just the cat's meow! No ripping at all. You don't have to quilt so much on a miniature quilt ( although you can and those are FABulous as well ) Something else you might like is stamping the fabric. There are nice big stamps ( and fabric ink ) for the whole block. Just stamp and start piecing. ( hmm maybe try woven sew-in interfacing? Would that be even thinner and lighter than cotton fabric?

Elena in Tx

Hullo Elena I had never thought of doing *miniatures* on a leave-in foundation; but, now that you've said it, it makes tremendous sense. I can hardly wait for my next miniature now. I can put the pattern on the fabric (I would attach it to freezer paper and draw, probably) and leave it in. No need for batting then, perhaps? or maybe a piece of (well-washed) flannel? I might well try the interfacing - I have some very fine stuff. Ooh! I love learning new things. Thank you. . In article , Elena writes

Heck Marcella - it doesn't take much these days!

Suzie B But thanks for the suggestion!

-- "From the internet connection under the pier" Southend, UK

Ha-ha! That pre-supposes that I have anything in my computer to transfer to the paper/fabric combo!!! I do all my own drawing (I like that part!) and it usually has to fit into a weird, invented design. I'll make a note of the address, though. One of these days I might feel like trying some CAD. My computer is very under-used! LOL Thanks ever so much.

In article , Elena writes

Oh my - now thats clever - I saw this for sale today and didn't get it

- guess wot I now want for Christmas...

Suzie B

-- "From the internet connection under the pier" Southend, UK