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Learning to Quilt-Lesson two-Foundation Paper Piecing

There are two types of Paper Piecing. English Paper Piecing and Foundation Paper Piecing. English Paper Piecing involves paper templates that you then fold your fabric around, sew the two pieces of fabric together and then remove the paper. This I have covered in a previous lesson  https://www.sewing-kingdom.com/english-paper-piecing-epp-explained/uncategorized/

Foundation paper piecing is a method of sewing quilt blocks, which involves sewing through a paper pattern with the paper upwards, and the fabric positioned underneath.  The blocks start to form on the ‘wrong side’ as you sew and the paper is flipped back and forth as each new piece of fabric is joined to the one before it.  There are lines and numbers on the paper pattern, sometimes letters too.  The lines are the seam lines and the numbers tell you the order in which to sew each piece.  Letters are used when a pattern is sewn in sections e.g. A, B, C. The sections are sewn separately and are then joined together to make the block.  When the sewing is finished, the paper is removed.

For this lesson you will need;

*Enough fabric for your test block

*Foundation paper to sew through

*Scissors or rotary cutter and mat

*an Iron

Now print off a copy of our Practice Base Block, which is a five-inch square, including 1/4″ seam allowances. You can then either trace this block onto thin paper or bring it to a photocopier and make several copies to practice on.

Set your sewing machine stitch length to a small stitch…about 12-18 per inch, and then change the needle to a size 90/14. This will aid in the perforation (and later removal) of the paper foundation. The side with the numbers and square will be the BACK side of your block!

Cut a piece of fabric large enough to cover the area marked “1” with at least 1/4 inch extra all around. Centre the fabric right side up, on the unprinted side of the paper. Turn the paper over and hold up to the light to check that it covers the number 1 space. Pin into place.

Now cut out a piece of fabric large enough to cover the “2” space with at least 1/4 inch extra all around. Place these right sides together onto fabric 1 and pin into place. Turn the whole thing over and stitch along the line between spaces 1 and 2. Now fold the paper along the line and trim the 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Now turn it all back over. Press out number 2 unit.

Now cut a piece of fabric large enough to cover the number 3 space again with enough fabric around the edge to cover the 1/4 inch seam. Lay this right sides together over the number 1 fabric and pin it into place. Turn the whole thing back over and stitch along the line between 1 and 3. Again, fold the paper along the line just stitched and trim the 1/4 inch seam allowance. Turn again and press out fabric 3.

Now repeat this process again with area 4.

And again with area 5.

With the paper facing upwards, trim the fabric along the edge of the paper. You can now tear the paper away from the fabric carefully as to not pull on the stitches. (folding the paper a few times can help with this).

And that it, you’re done!

Now you have your block why not practice this more and make yourself a whole quilt.

I would love to see your picture of your blocks.

The fabric used was Gutermann Portofino range from https://www.sewing-kingdom.com/product-category/fabrics/gutermann/

All other quilting supplies are from https://www.sewing-kingdom.com/product-category/quilting-supplies/

Thank you for reading and Happy Sewing.

1 thought on “Learning to Quilt-Lesson two-Foundation Paper Piecing

  1. Great content! Keep up the good work!

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