Foundation Paper Piecing
Click here for a printable pdf file of these instructions
Click here for a printable pdf file of the pattern for the sample block, Washington Sidewalk
Click here for a printable pdf file of the pattern for the sample block, Washington Sidewalk
Reasons for Foundation Paper Piecing:
- The component is diagonal in the block, and/or you can’t figure out the measurements. (I.e. a diagonal Flying Geese component, etc.)
- The whole block is diagonal, you can figure out the measurements, but then the block will have unsupported bias edges. Unless those edges are supported, they can stretch a LOT, and that is not ideal for further sewing this block into a larger project. The foundation paper acts as a stabilizer and keeps the block from stretching. In this tutorial, I will show making this block, which is called Washington Sidewalk.
- The block is an artistic block with no regular piecing. As long as it is all straight lines, it can be made with foundation paper piecing. I can’t post the pattern for this heart-shaped artistic block, as it is copyright-protected, but I wanted to show an example of artistic paper-piecing, so I do show the making of it in the accompanying video tutorial (top of page).
Special Supplies for Foundation Paper Piecing:
- The pattern for the block or component. If the block is made of multiple units which are first Paper-Pieced, and then sewn together, you will need enough pattern units for each one you are making. For our sample Washington Sidewalk block, you can download the pattern at the link at the top of this page. You will notice that there are two different corner units, and you will need two of each corner, as well as three of the center units.
- Rulers. Regular rulers can be used, but the rulers listed below are better than regular rulers for foundation paper piecing, and this tutorial will use these rulers.
- Add-a-Quarter or Add-a-Quarter Plus Ruler
- If you use the original Add-a-Quarter ruler, you will also need a thin, firm, straight edge, like a postcard, to make crisp folds of the pattern paper.
- Add Enough ruler. Made by the same company as the Add-a-Quarter. This helps with measuring what size piece of fabric is needed to cover a section of the pattern.
- Add-a-Quarter or Add-a-Quarter Plus Ruler
- Straight Pins
- As many of your usual pins as you want, but at least two (2) of them need to be plain, flathead pins.
- As many of your usual pins as you want, but at least two (2) of them need to be plain, flathead pins.
- A pressing mat or something else flat but cushioned enough that pins can be poked straight into it.
- Basting Glue. Optional, but is very convenient and recommended.
- Marking pen. I like Frixion® pens for marking on fabric, as these pens are heat-erasable.
- Usual quilting supplies: fabric, cutting mat, rotary cutter, sewing thread, sewing machine, iron, etc.
Printing, copying, or drawing the pattern:
- Make sure your pattern is full-sized.
- Many patterns now have a small, 1" square drawn on it so you can check that it is full-sized.
- When printing a pdf file, there often is an option to scale the printed file to the size of the paper. You don’t want to do that, you want to check the box that says Actual Size.
- When photocopying a pattern, make sure the original is flat on the glass. If it’s not flat, the copy will often be distorted.
- I usually just use regular paper, but you can use a lighter-weight paper, if your printer can handle it.
- Many patterns now have a small, 1" square drawn on it so you can check that it is full-sized.
- If you are drawing the pattern, again, make sure it is full-sized. If you are a beginner at foundation paper-piecing, it is best to stick to patterns others have drawn until you understand how they work.
- This is where ¼" graph paper really comes in handy.
- Figure out what units can be done as one, and what units need to be paper-pieced separately then sewn together.
- Draw the pattern at full-scale, showing the pieces as their finished sizes. Then, when a pattern unit is drawn, add a ¼" seam allowance all the way around it.
Doing the Foundation Paper Piecing:
Note: Because the fabric I used to make this model is dyed, it doesn’t have a Right or Wrong side. If you are using printed fabric which has a Right and Wrong side, it will be important to know which side of the fabric needs to be up in each step of the process. To make it easier for you to follow along with the pictures of this tutorial, I have written an “R” on one side of each piece and a “W” on the other side.- Measure how big a chunk of fabric you will need for each piece.
- Using the Add Enough ruler, lay it on top of the pattern section to be measured.
- You will notice that the Add Enough ruler doesn’t start its measurements at 0, but at ½". By using the Add Enough, you are automatically going to have the needed ¼" seam allowance all the way around this piece of fabric.
- Align it so that the longest edge of the piece is along the bottom of the line of the ruler.
- Make sure that the rightmost point of the piece is on the right upright line.
- If the rightmost line goes straight up or angles up to the left, the rightmost point is the right edge of the bottom line.
- If the rightmost line angles up and to the right, make sure the rightmost point of that angled line is on the right upright line of the Add Enough ruler.
- Note where the leftmost and highest points of the pattern piece are and then round the measurements up at least another ½". Foundation Paper Piecing is one of the few techniques where I have you make your pieces oversized.
- Cut a square or rectangle of your desired fabric to these measurements.
- If you are using a regular ruler, use the same technique as with the Add Enough, just make sure you place the ruler at the ½" lines, not the 0 lines.
- Repeat these steps until you have a fabric square or rectangle of the correct size cut for each space of the pattern.
- Using the Add Enough ruler, lay it on top of the pattern section to be measured.
- Place the first piece of fabric at Space 1 of the pattern.
- Make sure the fabric extends at least ¼" beyond all sides of the pattern space.
- Using basting glue (recommended) or pins, attach the first piece of fabric to the pattern paper, Wrong sides together. When the pattern is face down, you should be seeing the Right side of the fabric.
- Place the second piece of fabric at its space of the pattern.
- Align the fabric piece intended for Space 2 of the pattern so that it extends at least ¼" beyond all sides of the pattern space, with the wrong side of the fabric on the wrong side of the pattern.
- Carefully turn the pattern and fabric over, without letting the fabric slip in relation to the pattern, and lay it so the right side of the pattern is up on your pressing mat.
- Using the flathead pins, pin straight down through each end of the line between Spaces 1 and 2. Pin through all layers: pattern paper, all layers of fabric, and down into the pressing mat.
- Carefully lift the fabric, pattern, and pins as a single unit up off from the pressing mat. Turn this unit back over so that the fabric is now on top. This is the reason these two pins have to be non-fancy, ordinary, flathead pins. The pins will stick straight up – be careful that you don’t stab yourself!
- With your Frixion® pen, mark a dot on the fabric where each upright straight pin pokes through.
- Lift one end of the fabric off from one upright pin, twist the fabric and place it back onto the pin through the same hole it came off from, but from the other side of the fabric. Use the marked dot to help you get it lined up correctly. Your fabric should now be twisted.
- Lift the other end of the fabric off from the second upright pin, twist the fabric in a similar way to what you just did, and again place it back onto the pin through the same hole it came off from, again from the other side of the fabric. Again, the marked dot is there to help you get the placement right. Your fabric should once again be flat, this time with the right sides of the two pieces of fabric together, the same way they would be for any regular seam you would sew.
- Using whatever pins you want, pin the two layers of fabric and the pattern together, then remove the upright flathead pins. You are now ready to sew this seam.
- Shorten your sewing machine stitch to length 2. This will perforate the paper better to help you for when you eventually need to remove the pattern from the unit.
- Insert this unit under the presser foot of your sewing machine, paper side up, and sew on this line. Your stitching should extend at least ¼" beyond both ends of the line.
- Remove the pins, and place this unit on your cutting mat, paper side up. Lay the sharp edge of your Add-a-Quarter Plus ruler along the stitching, with Space 2 NOT under the ruler.
- Using the sharp edge of your Add-a-Quarter Plus ruler to help you get a nice, sharp, straight crease, fold only the paper pattern up and over the ruler.
- Pull the Add-a-Quarter Plus ruler out from under the folded paper. Turn the ruler around and lay it on top of the fold, with the ridge of the ruler snug against the fold of the paper.
- With your rotary cutter, trim off all layers of fabric, using the flat edge of the Add-a-Quarter Plus ruler as your cutting guide.
- Turn this unit over, fabric side up, unfold the paper, open the seam, so that now you see the right side of both Piece 1 and Piece 2.
- Press this seam open, then use basting glue (recommended) or pins to keep this fabric from flapping loosely as you continue adding more fabric pieces to the unit.
- Align the fabric piece intended for Space 2 of the pattern so that it extends at least ¼" beyond all sides of the pattern space, with the wrong side of the fabric on the wrong side of the pattern.
- Place the third and subsequent pieces of fabric on their spaces of the pattern.
- Third and subsequent pieces of fabric are placed in a very similar way as the second piece was placed.
- Be aware where the seam is that you will be sewing. Sometimes Piece 3 is sewn onto Piece 2, and sometimes it is sewn onto Piece 1.
- These seams will nearly always be crossing previous seams. Always make sure that your stitching lines extend at least ¼" beyond both ends of the marked stitching line.
- When folding the paper pattern up, gently tear the paper at any previous seams you have crossed.
- Finishing the unit
- Once all fabric pieces have been applied, you will still have lots of little corners of fabric sticking out.
- Lay the unit paper side up on your cutting mat.
- Using whatever ruler you choose, with your rotary cutter, trim all the layers at the outer trim line. This outer trim line should be ¼" beyond the finished size of the unit. For most patterns, this line has been drawn for you. I have seen some older patterns where you are told to add that ¼" seam allowance yourself.
- Sewing two Foundation Paper Pieced units together.
- Carefully match seams, the way you normally would, with the right sides of the fabric together.
- Sew on the designated seam line.
- Tear the paper off from the seam allowances where you just sewed the seam. Leave the paper on the rest of the unit, as it acts as a stabilizer to keep any bias edges from stretching.
- Open your seam and press the seam allowances to one side.
- When your whole block is complete, you may remove the paper pattern from any pieces which are completely surrounded by stitching. Leave the paper on the outside, unsupported edges until you sew the block further into your project.