How to Paper Piece

This month for Saturday Sampler we are doing a paper pieced block, which for many of us is our first time doing paper piecing! Amy put together this helpful tutorial with pictures that will hopefully help us along as we do our block this month!

Paper piecing Tutorial

Before you begin, starch and press all your fabric pieces. Sub-cut each piece and set aside.

Turn your stitch length on your machine to 1 ½ to 2. You want a tiny stitch when you paper piece.

#1- copy your pattern 2 times.

#2- Trim your pattern about 3/8” outside of the solid outer line. You will trim your block ¼” outside of the solid line when you are all finished.

#3- Fold your pattern. You will fold approx ¼” outside of each solid line on the interior of your block. I use a metric ruler and use the “shaded” part as my ¼”. I position my ruler so the shaded part is just outside of each line and fold.

#4- Fold ¼” past all the “sew”/ solid lines in your pattern. You do not need to fold the four outside lines. Your pattern paper should look something like this.

#5- Take your center piece. Your pattern says “green” so take a green square and glue the wrong side of the fabric to the wrong side of the paper. Use a glue stick and use the glue sparingly.

#6- Hold the pattern up to the light and look through the printed side of your pattern. Make sure that your fabric piece has covered the center square area. You will need a seam allowance on all four sides of that center square.

#7- Fold the pattern on the previously folded line between #1 & #2. Take a pair of scissors and trim off any excess fabric hanging past that fold line.

#8- Take one black triangle and place it right sided together with the green square. You will line it up along the edge that you just trimmed. Take it to your sewing machine. Carefully turn over your pattern, keeping the fabric pieces lined up. Sew along the line on your pattern that is between shape #1 and shape #2. Sew a little bit before the line and a little bit past the line.

#9- Press. Your seams will always have to go toward the last piece you just sewed on.

#10- You will now need to trim the seam allowance off of the edge by #3 on your pattern. Fold back the pattern on the previously folded line. Trim off any excess fabric.

#11- Place another black triangle right side together along this edge you just trimmed. Take your piece to the sewing machine, carefully turn it over so you can see the printed lines on your pattern. Sew exactly on the line between shape #1 and shape #3.

#12- Press.

#13- Continue these same steps adding each piece onto your pattern in their numbered order until you are all finished. You will always follow these same steps for each piece you add.

– Fold back the paper and trim the seam allowance from the seam where you will be sewing next.

-Unfold your pattern. Lay the next piece of fabric right side together, lining up the raw edges along the seam line.

-Sew exactly on the printed solid line.

-Press.

-Trim your next seam allowance.

#14- When your block is completed. Trim it to ¼” around all four sides. Lay your ruler so the ¼” marking is directly over the printed solid line and trim.

Your block should measure 6 ½”.

#15- Carefully tear off the paper. It helps to fold the paper along your stitching lines before you try to tear it off.

You are all finished!