Piece by Piece

I don't even pretend to know all that much about paper piecing.  I rarely use the technique even though I like the effect.  What I have found helpful piecing in this fashion is printing the full pattern on freezer paper and cutting it up as templates.  I print the "sewing" patterns on the back of junk mail - waste not, want not!

My favorite freezer paper is made by C. Jenkins Company - it's very sturdy and can be used over and over.  (In the long run, it's a real time saver.  I cut a generous 1/2" seam allowance around the template pieces.)

I put pins through the stitching line on the "sewing" side of the paper

The pattern template is pressed (dry hot iron) to the wrong side of the fabric - the fabric piece can easily be positioned for stitching.  (I remove the template before sewing.)  

The pins also keep the fabric in place.  I don't know about you, but my fabric has slipped out of place when flipping the piece over - I HATE unsewing!! - using pins, I have had no problems with slippage.

A tool I find useful is a wood folder - it give a really good crease to the paper which will make removing the paper later much easier.

finished block cut to size and ready to go!

Check out Pink Saturday for more interesting stuff!