Foundation paper piecing for beginners

What it is

In foundation paper piecing (FPP), you sew fabric to a paper printed with the block’s lines. You sew on the line, from the printed side, with the fabric underneath, so every point lands exactly where the paper says. Sharp, tiny or odd-angled pieces that would be hard to cut and sew accurately become easy.

The price is a little more fabric, since each piece is cut generously, and a block sewn one piece at a time.

What you need

• The foundation, printed at actual size. Thin foundation paper tears away most easily; plain printer paper works. Check the test square first: see printing at actual size.
• A short stitch, about 1.5 mm or 18 to 20 stitches an inch, so the paper perforates and tears off cleanly, and a size 90/14 needle.
• A thin card (a postcard) to fold the paper against, and an Add-a-Quarter ruler or any ruler with a ¼″ line.
• A glue stick, a small iron or a seam roller, and a light to hold the paper up to.

Why the paper is back to front

You look at the printed side while you sew, but the fabric is on the other side. So the paper is a mirror image of the finished block. A good pattern prints it reversed for you; don’t flip it yourself. Here is a 6″ Square in a Square: one section, five pieces, numbered in the order you sew them.

Cutting the pieces

Don’t cut to shape. Cut each piece a rectangle that covers its area with room to spare: its size on the paper, plus ½″ for the two seams and ¾″ to spare. For the 6″ block that’s:

The corners can be cut from squares cut once on the diagonal, but a generous rectangle is more forgiving while you learn.

Sewing, step by step

1. Place piece 1. Hold the paper printed side down. Put the A1 fabric right side up on the blank side, covering area A1 and at least ¼″ past every line around it. Hold it to the light to check, then dab glue to hold it.

2. Fold and trim. Lay the card on the line between A1 and A2, fold the paper back over it, and trim the fabric that sticks out to ¼″ past the fold.

3. Add piece 2. Unfold the paper. Lay the A2 fabric right sides together with A1, its edge along the trimmed edge. Hold it up to the light: when it’s flipped open, it must cover A2 and its seam allowances.

4. Sew on the line. Turn it printed side up and sew on the line between them, a couple of stitches past each end.

5. Open and press. Flip A2 open over its area and press with a dry iron or a roller. Steam curls the paper.

6. Repeat in number order. Fold, trim, place, sew and press for A3, A4, A5.

7. Trim the section on its dashed line, ¼″ outside the sewing line, through the paper and the fabric. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).

Blocks in sections

Most blocks can’t be sewn on one paper: a line has to run edge to edge before the next piece goes on. So the block is split into sections, lettered A, B and so on, each sewn on its own paper and then joined. A Pinwheel has 2:

Common mistakes

• A piece doesn’t cover its area when it’s flipped open. Always check against the light before you sew. If it’s short, unpick and use a bigger piece.
• Sewing on the fabric side. The stitching goes on the printed line, so the paper is always on top under the needle.
• A one-way print upside down. Every piece is placed face down and flipped. Pin it, flip it, and look before you sew.
• A block that’s too small. Nearly always the printer. Measure the test square, and the block, before you cut fabric for the rest.