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#1
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
I'm doing a paper piecing demo at our next guild meeting. I've done paper
piecing for a number of projects and I feel comfortable doing it... but maybe you all could help me out also. For those who do paper piece... 1) Any favorite tips or tricks you are glad you learned along the way 2) You top 2 recommendations for paper piecing beginners 3) Any fun patterns to demo you can recommend? 4) Anything else??? For those who have never paper pieced... 1) Why? Fear? Confusion? or just prefer not to? 2) If you are "afraid" ... what is it you are afraid of? Please be specific. 3) If you have tried and become frustrated... what was the source of your frustration? 4) Anything else??? Thanks for you input! Kate in MI |
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#2
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
Kate, that guild meeting isn't in Petoskey is it?
Okay, having just done my very first paper pieced block last night here's what I found helpful and/or frustrating about my experience Piece done: Pineapple Block Frustration: Looked really funky the first few rounds Helpful: Fold on the just stitched seam line and trim 1/4 inch from what was hanging over the edge Helpful: use BIG pieces of fabric to make sure you have the space covered -- I have one log/stripe that is like a mm short of leaving a gap in the middle of my block -- Alex Anderson's recommendation was to cut approximately to what the piece actually was -- this was NOT a good suggestion for me, those pieces were more frustrating for me trying to make sure I had them placed JUST right so as to not create a gap. Got sick of it and went BIG. Frustration: Attempting to do it on my own without seeing it done (pictures in the book were one thing but actually seeing someone sit down and do it in front of me may have made it go easier) Suggestion: If you can somehow get what you are doing from your point of view (literally) put up on a big screen that would make for a great demo for someone like me Your guild sounds fun, I wanna join that one! Until last night, I was terrified to do it, was sure I'd mess something up. (can't be anymore specific than that, I was just sure *something* anything would go wrong *snicker*) Tricia ==== http://photos.yahoo.com/chirparrooo |
#3
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
I just taught a paper piecing class. (Fons and Porter's New York
Beauty pattern). Fold and crease the paper along the sewing lines *before* you start sewing. Makes it easier to trim the seam allowances and to tear off the paper later. Use an *add a quarter* or *add an eighth* ruler to trim the seam allowances. Open toe foot on the sewing machine; adjust the stitch length to smaller than usual. I use a 14 (or 90) needle. I made a sample of the arc piecing for each step of the process for each student or table of students. That way they could hold it in their hands, twist it about and ask questions. Great fun was had by all. After 3 hours, each student left with one beautifully made New York Beauty block. joan |
#4
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
One More thing -- ease the needle down at your point BEFORE lowering
your foot to make sure you are starting at the right point -- if you ease slowly enough you can adjust the block's placement before stitches are made. Tricia ==== http://photos.yahoo.com/chirparrooo |
#5
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
"Kate G." wrote in message ... I'm doing a paper piecing demo at our next guild meeting. I've done paper piecing for a number of projects and I feel comfortable doing it... but maybe you all could help me out also. For those who do paper piece... 1) Any favorite tips or tricks you are glad you learned along the way 2) You top 2 recommendations for paper piecing beginners 3) Any fun patterns to demo you can recommend? 4) Anything else??? This is weird. I just signed up to do one at our annual mini workshop. I have a couple of tricks I use. Number 1 is that I use a spot of glue stick glue to anchor piece number 1 to the wrong side of the paper. The second thing I do is that I use 2 long pins (I use the flower head pins) to pin the subsequent pieces in place, in preparation for sewing. I make sure the pins penetrate the paper, I pin out at the edges of the fabric piece, I turn it over and make sure the piece is wide enough. I can tell by where the pins are whether it clears both edges. Does this make any sense? I have my stitching line and the pins should be on the outside edges of that line. Another thing that works for me is that even though I use paper designed for paper piecing, since I work mostly in miniature, sometimes the paper is hard to remove. I spray the paper with a fine mist of water and let it dry. It tears out a lot easier for me. My biggest mistake is trying to scrimp by and not using a big enough piece of fabric. I look forward to reading other people's comments. Cindy |
#6
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
I did read the other posts Kate!
So, adding a bit: However many seconds extra it might take to cut your pieces to the correct shape, it is *worth* it. This is especially true with triangles. Test your piece the right way round on the other side of the paper from you, so that you are sure you will have it the correct side up and that it is orientated correctly and so on ... Check twice and sew once (with those reduced size stitches, unpicking is slightly more difficult). Sew beyond the intersections - pulling the paper off will put a strain on the last one or two stitches. I always used to reverse stitch, but now I believe it makes too much of a lump. Might not matter if the pieces are big enough - but always do it beyond the intersections. However much I have done, I still always hold the whole up to the light for every piece. My favourite piece for demonstrating is square in a square, because you can put as many as you like and it goes together really well (you can do it sequentially round the centre square, or opposite sides - slight difference in appearance). PP Log cabin is good to know. Mariner's Compass is a beauty to show. It might be fun to show them how to do paper piecing without actually sewing through the paper. Judy Mathieson does this nowadays. All that happens is that you fold back the paper before you sew. Everything else is the same. It means there is no paper tearing away, and you can use the pattern more than once. You could mention the fact that some patterns are done in sections to be joined later (but this is not usually a beginners' trick). Oh dear - how long is your meeting? g Have a great time. .. In message , Kate G. writes I'm doing a paper piecing demo at our next guild meeting. I've done paper piecing for a number of projects and I feel comfortable doing it... but maybe you all could help me out also. For those who do paper piece... 1) Any favorite tips or tricks you are glad you learned along the way 2) You top 2 recommendations for paper piecing beginners 3) Any fun patterns to demo you can recommend? 4) Anything else??? For those who have never paper pieced... 1) Why? Fear? Confusion? or just prefer not to? 2) If you are "afraid" ... what is it you are afraid of? Please be specific. 3) If you have tried and become frustrated... what was the source of your frustration? 4) Anything else??? Thanks for you input! Kate in MI -- Best Regards pat on the hill |
#7
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
"joan8904 in Bellevue Nebraska" wrote in message oups.com... I just taught a paper piecing class. (Fons and Porter's New York Beauty pattern). Fold and crease the paper along the sewing lines *before* you start sewing. Makes it easier to trim the seam allowances and to tear off the paper later. Use an *add a quarter* or *add an eighth* ruler to trim the seam allowances. Open toe foot on the sewing machine; adjust the stitch length to smaller than usual. I use a 14 (or 90) needle. I made a sample of the arc piecing for each step of the process for each student or table of students. That way they could hold it in their hands, twist it about and ask questions. Great fun was had by all. After 3 hours, each student left with one beautifully made New York Beauty block. joan Ooooo! What a great idea. A sample. We won't have machines at our workshop, I don't think. Think they will be mostly instructional. Cindy |
#8
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
"Tricia" wrote in message oups.com... One More thing -- ease the needle down at your point BEFORE lowering your foot to make sure you are starting at the right point -- if you ease slowly enough you can adjust the block's placement before stitches are made. Tricia I start sewing a few stitches ahead of the line. That way I can ease into the line. The other row will cross those stitches making it even more secure. Cindy |
#9
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
I too have just taught a paper piecing class.....LOL Everything I was
going to say has pretty much been covered except I cut a ruff template out of every piece I need (a lot are doubles) and I fold a cut strip of fabric up, lay the template on it, and cut with my rotory cutter. When I am done I have a peice about an 1/2 larger on every side then I need. (EQ5 has the option of printing out templates and you can delete the ones you don't need in the printing mode. Watch out for pieces that are reversed and odd shaped but all of my students were amazed how much fabric they did not waste. Mary A Friend Is Like A Good Bra. Hard to Find, Supportive, Comfortable, And Always Close To Your Heart! http://community.webshots.com/user/moondancewa |
#10
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Paper Piecing Demo - what would you want to see or know?
I'm a number 3, but I still like knowing how to do PP. The frustration
was getting gaps of non coverage because I didnt make my piece of fabric large enough. What I learned that helped was realizing that one more seam (to add the missing bit) would hardly show at all. The other problem I have is that Im unable to visualize what way a piece of precut (to size and shape) fabric should lay so I cut HUGE pieces of fabric and punt... er.. trim to size after sewing. I'm spatially confuzzeled. Diana Kate G. wrote: 3) If you have tried and become frustrated... what was the source of your frustration? 4) Anything else??? Thanks for you input! Kate in MI |
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