Foundation Paper Piecing Tutorial

If you need simple patches like squares, cut the fabric with a generous seam allowance following visual judgement. For more complicated shapes, print the block and cut it into single patches. Pin these templates on the fabric and cut out the fabric with about double seam allowance.

Print the paperpiecing pattern on paper (paper as thin as possible). Cut out all sections on seam allowance line. Place the first piece of fabric on the plain side of pattern, so that the whole patch is covered. Then place the second fabricpiece right sides facing on the first one. The seam allowances have to fit where you have to sew the first seam.

Hold the paper with the fabrics sides together, turn over, hold in front of a light and verify that the whole patch + seam allowance is covered with fabric. Maybe you pin all together with a needle, so nothing is able to shift. (Tip: If you are not sure whether the fabric matches perfectly, sew a test seam with very long stitches.)

Hold the paper with the fabrics sides together, turn over, hold in front of a light and verify that the whole patch + seam allowance is covered with fabric. Maybe you pin all together with a needle, so nothing is able to shift. (Tip: If you are not sure whether the fabric matches perfectly, sew a test seam with very long stitches.)

Flip the paper over and trim the seam allowance to 1/4 inch, either exactly with ruler and rotary cutter or simply with a scissor.

Turn over and flip the sewn patch open. Fingerpress the seam thoroughly. Add the next piece of fabric following the numbers.

Again check against a light if everything fits, sew. Cut the seam allowance ...

.... flip, fingerpress, adjust the next fabric-scrap, sew. In this way sew all pieces together following the numbering, until the section is finished.

Press every finished section and cut off the fabric around the seam allowance.

Now the finished sections have to be joined: Lay together both sections right sides facing and check that right seams get together. For this purpose fold the upper seam allowance back ...

... or pin needles through the corners and other important points ...

... turn around and see if the points match each other.

Sew together the sections.

Now the block is finished but, you still have to remove the paper. Therefore stretch the block in all directions carefully; the paper will loosen. Now gently peel away all paper, so the seams won’t get stressed too much.

The heart-block is finished!

Here you can downlaod the tutorial as pdf-file:

paperpiecing-e.pdf

this files includes the pp-pattern for the heart ;-)