FOUNDATION PAPER PIECING
Learn the technique to piece each block
Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) designs are constructed from several smaller pieces to build a bigger design. Those smaller pieces are labelled with numbers on the template, which you sew together in numerical order.
When you are sewing, you will sew along the printed lines – the FPP template will face you with the printed side up and the fabric that you will sew onto it will be right side down, with its wrong side against the back of the template. The finished sewn block will be a reverse image of the template. In this technique focus, we are going to use this month’s house plant block as an example, but the steps will be the same for any FPP template.
CUTTING OUT
1 Before you begin, refer to the image of the finished block to work out which fabric will be used for each section of the template. Cut the fabric pieces for each section of the FPP template, making sure that the pieces will be at least ¼in larger than the section they will cover, all the way around. You will trim off excess fabric later, so if you are new to this technique, then it’s best to allow a larger seam allowance, around ½in.
One way to prevent yourself from cutting fabric too small is printing out an extra paper template, cutting the pieces out and using them as templates for cutting out your fabric, adding the seam allowance around each piece.
2 Start by finding Sections 1 and 2 on the first paper template (Template A) on p86 and taking the fabric pieces for each section. For this template, Section 1A is a leaf fabric piece and Section 2A is a background fabric piece.
3 Hold up your template against a light source – windows are great for this! The printed side of the paper needs to be facing you. Take the background fabric square and hold it to the unprinted side of the paper template, with the wrong side of the fabric touching the paper and the right side of the fabric facing the light source. Hold it against the window to make sure that the fabric covers all of Section 1A and has at least ¼in seam allowance all around. Pin in place (Fig A).
4 Fold the template along the line between Sections 1 and 2, and trim the seam allowance to ¼in (Fig B). Place the Section 2 fabric RST with the Section 1A fabric, aligning the raw edges on the side where Sections 1A and 2A meet (Fig C). Pin in place along the line between the two sections. Now you can fold back the Section 2A fabric and check that once sewn, it will cover Section 2A completely, plus the ¼in seam allowance all the way around.
5 Set the stitch length on your sewing machine so that it is smaller than usual (we recommend around 1.5). This will make it easier to remove the templates later, as your needle will perforate the paper as you sew. Sew along the line on the template between Sections 1A and 2A, extending the line a few stitches at each end of the printed line (Fig D).
6 Fold back the print fabric and make
sure that it covers all of Section 2A plus a ¼in seam allowance all around. Then fold back the template on the seam to expose the seam allowance, and trim to ¼in (Fig E). Unfold the paper template and press the fabric open (Fig F).
7 Repeat steps 4– 6 to piece the remaining
sections together on the template, working in numerical order. Trim the pieced template along the dashed outer edge of the paper template.
8 Repeat steps 2–7 to piece all templates
for your block. Refer to the specific instructions for each block for the order of piecing the templates together to form the block. When joining the templates, identify any areas where seams should meet. Baste the two templates together and check the seam is aligned, and adjust if necessary.
9 Return your stitch length to the normal
piecing length. Sew the two templates together using a ¼in seam allowance and remove the basting stitches. Remove the paper from the seam allowance by tearing carefully along the seam lines. Press the seam open.
10 Repeat steps 8–9 to join all the
template sections to form your block. Once the block is complete, remove the remaining paper, press well, and carefully square up the block if required.