A Beginner’s Guide to Foundation Paper Piecing

This article is an excerpt from BLOCK Magazine, Vol. 12, Issue 1

Last month, we took a deep dive into BLOCK Magazine’s guide to English Paper Piecing. Now it’s time to tackle EPPs distant cousin, Foundation Paper Piecing! While both techniques utilize paper to sew more challenging designs, each technique has its own unique steps and end results.

Have you ever admired a quilt with precise points and intricate shapes, and wondered how it was done? Most likely the quilter used foundation paper piecing to create it. You can do it, too! It’s easier than you might think.

Foundation paper piecing (FPP) uses paper templates to guide you through the construction of quilt blocks. The paper templates have lines and numbers that instruct you on how to place and sew the fabric. After all the pieces are put together, the paper is removed and you’re left with a beautiful block!

FPP can help you create precise, detailed, and unusual shapes. It can also make it easier to manage small fabric pieces and blocks, and to create crisp points. Some quilters use blank foundation paper when sewing together thin strips or bias cuts to stabilize the fabric and prevent wonkiness.In this article, we’ll explain how to create an FPP block using a paper template having a printed, numbered design.

Pick Your Foundation Paper

Many kinds of paper can be used for FPP, but quilters have differing opinions about what they like best or use exclusively. Paper qualities to consider include how easily it will tear away, whether you can see through it, how it stands up to the heat of an iron, its ability to feed through a home printer, and cost.

Paper made especially for FPP holds up well while still tearing away easily, doesn’t curl under heat, is translucent, and can go through most home printers. Missouri Star carries several brands of foundation paper.

Copy paper that you can pick up from anywhere that sells office supplies is the choice of some FPP quilters. It is both inexpensive and widely available, making it an attractive option for many quilters. But the general consensus among those who use it is to buy only lightweight, “cheap” paper. Heavy, high-quality copy paper will be too thick to easily tear away from your fabric and could pull out your stitches.

Other options include blank newsprint sheets, tracing paper, freezer paper, or lightweight paper that you’ve recycled. If you dislike tearing away paper, consider buying wash-away paper made for FPP.

Choose a Light Source

Other than typical quilting supplies and paper, you don’t need special equipment to try FPP. If you decide to do a lot of FPP, you may want to invest in a light board. When you place your fabric and FPP pattern on it, the light source under the board shines up through your fabric and paper to let you see how things line up. If you don’t have a light board, you can hold your paper and fabric up to a window to let the natural light shine through. This can be a little awkward, but it’s free!

Quilt by Number

When you look at FPP pattern templates, you’ll notice that the sections are numbered. That is the order in which you’ll place and sew your fabric pieces to the paper. In the case of a classic log cabin block, the center squares would be numbered 1 and 2, with rectangles numbered 3, 4, 5, and so on, going around the block.

For each block that you plan to make, you’ll need a piece of paper printed with the pattern. Photocopying a pattern is probably the most common way to achieve this. Always make sure you are copying at 100%, and compare the size of your copy to a test square on the pattern if it’s provided. You also could trace patterns from a book or magazine, although it’s more time-consuming and potentially less accurate. Use a ruler and fine-point marker to draw your lines.

Some quilters use their sewing machines as copiers! Remove the thread from your machine and set a long stitch length. With your pattern on top of a stack of papers that are stapled together, sew along the lines of your pattern. Your needle will create dotted lines. You then just have to write the numbers in the shapes that were created.

Tips for FPP Success

➤Work slowly. Completing one template piece at a time will help with not getting too overwhelmed with the process when beginning.

➤Use an add-a-quarter ruler to avoid cutting away seam allowances. This helps keep your seams tidy.

➤Shorten the stitch length on your sewing machine to about 1.5 (18–20 stitches per inch) This will help with tearing away the paper once finished.

➤Keep in mind that the printed template will be the back of the quilted block, so the fabric top will be a mirror image of the template. You will be placing your fabric pieces on the back side of the paper and then flipping it over and sewing with the paper facing up.

Foundation Paper Piecing Step-by-Step

Ready to begin? Start by placing a piece of fabric for Section 1 right side up on the back side of the paper. Pin or glue it in place. The fabric must cover the entire shape by at least ¼” on all sides. This step of checking to see that the entire shape is covered sufficiently is where the light box or other light source comes in handy, as it will help you to see the printed lines through the fabric. You’ll be checking coverage for every piece you place.

Next, cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than the overall shape of Section 2. While still working on the back side of the paper, lay the Piece 2 fabric faceup in Section 2 and then flip the fabric over onto the Section 1 piece. The two fabric prints are now facing each other, and they should overlap the seam line between Section 1 and Section 2 by ¼” or so. It’s okay if it overlaps more than that, as you will be trimming the seam after you sew. Place a pin along the seam line and flip the fabric open to test coverage. Hold it up to a light source to check. If Section 2 is completely covered by at least ¼” on all sides, flip the fabric back so it’s again lying on top of Piece 1, hold it in place, turn the paper over so the printed side is facing up, and prepare to sew your first seam.

With the paper facing up, position your needle so it is a few stitches before the beginning of the line between Sections 1 and 2. Backstitch or lockstitch, and sew along the line and then a few stitches beyond the end of the line. Backstitch or lockstitch again. Please note: The “few stitches beyond” rule applies to seams within the block. When you stitch a seam that extends to the outer edge of the block, continue stitching for ¼” beyond the end of the printed line.

Fold back the paper along the seam line you just sewed so the paper is out of the way and trim the fabric seam allowance to ¼”. Unfold the paper and flip Piece 2 open to cover Section 2. Press.

You’re ready to move on to the third section. Follow the steps for Section 2 and then continue this process in numerical order for all pieces of your block.

Rip It Up: Removing Your Foundation Paper

When the block is complete, it’s time to remove the paper. Tug the square lightly to loosen the paper from the stitches, and then begin ripping the paper out of each section. A fine tweezer is helpful for grasping little pieces in small, tight spots.

If you’re using wash-away foundation paper, you can skip this step. And some people who will be displaying their quilted blocks as wall hangings rather than throws or bed quilts choose to leave the paper in. It’s up to you!

To finish up, just give the block a press and square it up. You did it!

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• ➤Mastering English Paper Piecing: A Beginner's Guide to Getting Started

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