Cutting Fabrics for Foundation Paper Piecing (No waste method)

How do you cut your fabrics for foundation paper piecing? When I tell quilters that I love foundation papaer piecing I often get asked about the cutting of my fabrics. How do you make sure the pieces fit? And, isn't it a method that wastes a lot of fabric?
In this video I'll show you how I do it. It always fits, and there is almost no fabric being wasted! Whoohoo! :D
I'm going to make the I LOVE MY BIKE mini quilt. The pattern for that mini quilt is available over here:
www.sugaridoo.com/product/i-l...
Both blocks are from the Sugaridoo Sampler.
T E A ~ F O R ~ I R E N E
Wanna support me in making these video? Hop over to: www.sugaridoo.com/tea-for-irene and click the donate button to send me a cup of tea :) Thank you so so much, you're the best!
S U G A R I D O O ~ S A M P L E R
www.sugaridoo.com/product/ebo...
This is a massive bundle of paper piecing patterns. The Sugaridoo Sampler is available as e-book in EN and NL.
- Where to find Sugaridoo -
Website: www.sugaridoo.com/
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/Sugaridoo
Insta: / sugaridoo
Facebook: / sugaridoo
- Credits -
Music credits to Bensound: www.bensound.com/
- Business inquiries -
Would you like to work together with Sugaridoo? Feel free to contact me at [e-mail]

[@diannedunleavy2405]

June/2024. Just found this gem. I am thrilled with this method. Thank you so much!

[@LisaLisa-zl9vu]

Finally!!! Someone who doesn't waste fabric!!!! Your mother taught you well.

[@mycrazycraftin_official]

She is so sweet and useful! Im learning and enjoying ligit the best accent ever! ❤❤❤

[@suzannakoizumi8605]

Yes, most of the other tutorials are so wasteful. Thanks

[@judithp6257]

This will help me a lot! Thank you!

[@susanvaughn7491]

The way you cut the fabric for this is great! I stayed away from paper piecing because of the wast!! I do more now!!!!!! Thank you

[@jo-annevandermey2704]

An organization tip. You can use wonder clips, mini binder clips or paper clips to hold your little units together before you sew. Or maybe you all ready do this. It wouldn't surprise me. I have been sewing a long time and I learned a lot from my mom but I am learning a lot from you too! We love visiting family in Holland. I love all the bikes.

[@HRHDMKYT]

I am astounded that you do not have more subscribers to your KZbin channel, Irene. I feel like you are the best-kept secret on KZbin!! You just need one little push, and as soon as all those paper-piecing fans (and quilters in general) find out about you, your subscribers number will simply explode. I have my fingers crossed for you that this happens very soon! Thanks for another great video full of very useful tips and techniques!! ~Diana from Toronto

[@maxinecook8736]

Irene. Just wanted you to know that i am on vacation in the state of Washington, USA WHICH IS 1900 miles from where i live in Indiana. I have bought a Bernina 770 QE. because i saw you demonstrating yours on you tube. My Viking/Husqvarna’s do not have stitch regulators for Free Motion Quilting. Now i have to get it home over an 1900 mile train ride. Can not wait. Thank you. Maxine Cook

[@jackiemobley8529]

I'm teaching myself to FPP and this video has been very helpful about cutting the fabric. Thanks, Irene.

[@carolejohnson1213]

I only recently discovered your tutorials. You are a delightful young woman and I've already learned so much from you. It's reassuring to know that the art of quilting is still alive and thriving among our younger generation. You are very inspiring to me and I'm already attempting to try your methods. Thank you very much!

[@DCSinger613]

Your tips and tricks have been immensely helpful in improving accuracy and lowering frustration! Particularly helpful are 1) taking the time to make cutting templates and marking colors (or the names of the colors) on them. So much easier to piece when the section is already in the right shape rather then just rectangles of fabric all the time, 2) pre-trimming the fabric for the NEXT sewing line (rather than trimming it afterward) - so much easier to line up the new piece. Thanks!!!

[@Elkycreates]

My mum was very strict on cutting fabric and preventing wastage. It took me years to overcome the fear of cutting fabrics.

[@jennifermaddock4382]

I usually cut a strip the size of my biggest pattern piece plus seam allowance. Then I will use the leftovers to cut the smaller pieces. Sometimes I can use trimmings from one piece to cut another one. Thanks for the tip on directional fabrics - that's great.

[@reneefelts7232]

You are sooo adorable ! Love your teaching style!

[@melniee2551]

You have so much patience to cut *everything* before sewing! I want to see the sewing progress as soon as possible! Thanks for your videos!

[@harperreads]

Great tips for cutting fabric for paper piecing. Thanks!

[@wendyhobson2174]

You are awesome but waaaay to intricate for me. I’ll stick to pot holders😱

[@cindiep2580]

Great tips! Especially directional fabric

[@connielorenz8329]

Clever tips. Love your channel and sweet personality.

[@heatherr9201]

Love it! I always try to get as much as I can out of my fabrics too!

[@GriswaldDingens]

You are an excellent teacher! Thanks for sharing your tips on fabric cutting for solids/all-over prints and directional patterns. I love watching your videos. xoxo

[@2missteri]

Ik verheug me al op volgende week, Kan bijna niet wachten 😃

[@WaterfallFW]

Thank you so much for your instructions on choosing fabrics and directional design pattern pieces. This will really help me!!

[@elizabethsawyer5906]

Such a useful video, thank you so much. I love paper piecing but have always been frustrated by cutting the fabric too small and this is a perfect way of avoiding that. 💕💕💕

[@tammyangus7027]

Thank you so much, I am fairly new to this process and this makes so much sense!!!

[@bonitanance6380]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing! Cant wait to hear about the sew along!

[@themirrorimagestitcher]

Thank you for these ideas What I’d really like to see is you now taking those precut pieces and sewing them onto the teabag template. Especially the directional pieces. I’ve struggled so much with using directional fabrics on odd angle spaces. I can’t tell you how much fabric I’ve wasted trying to make the pattern of the fabric be in the correct direction after it’s sewn.

[@mary-annz.reynolds7778]

Thank you so much! This is a great video and I'm going to make the bike quilt when I finish my Christmas gifts. I'm glad you're doing this quilt. It helps to see the process in paper piecing since I want to make the sampler quilt.

[@barbaraskaret9574]

Irene, your video is delightful as always! I love the suggestion of a second colored template to help with fabric cutting. Can I suggest you try using Lori Holt’s design boards to keep your units together? You can find free instructions to make these on either the Fat Quarter shop you tube channel (only 5 or 6 years old!) or on the connecting threads channel! Happy Quilting!

[@cnilsson2041]

Thanks for this explanation, indeed paper piecing is not my favourite technique in part because of the waste of fabric. I might give it a go, again especially with your patterns they seem so much fun. I don't know if you've already made one but I would like to see a video on how to use the fabrics you just cut out, the pieces are so small and I always have the trouble of "thinking back-to-front" (if that makes sense) and often don't have enough fabric to cover the area (even though the piece was slightly oversized) and have to rip out the seam and rotate the piece and sew it again.... (another reason this technique has not been my favourite). Love your happy videos.

[@beverlyjames2850]

Awesome project, but when a piece is smaller than my pinkie fingernail, I’m too intimidated to ever attempt it. You are so talented and brave.

[@670HARRY]

Thanks for the video. Hou baie daarvan!

[@miriampost-dam5908]

Yes is there another name for tea bag paper or very new? Can't seem to find it in New Zealand. Also can you show the back of the piecing how you handle bulk seams especially in the tiny bits that you cut out in this video? Ik kijk uit naar volgende weeks video :)

[@hannamaoam1111]

Great video Irene. I just made some blocks of the sampler and I had a little more waste than you. Your tipps will help with other blocks I will make ❤️

[@dianavoermans]

Nice Dutch subject😜🚴‍♂️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♀️💃🏻

[@tamiwilbanks836]

Wonderful!! Thank you

[@bridgetwhite5547]

Thanks.😊 that was very useful

[@JuliaDavis2541]

I use double stick tape to hold template pieces in position.

[@anneyoung1011]

Thank you that was great.

[@donnarichey144]

Too confusing for me. I am 77. Just am learning how to make a quilt. Thank for sharing. I love your videos.

[@bethmorano1452]

I thought so too. I am 71 and I am going to give this a try. Good luck with your quilt!

[@marygreen8238]

I'm not getting any your notification I click on all notification bell

[@RaggityAnn]

Manny years ago, I purchased a paper pieced Christmas wall hanging kit in the Netherlands. I’m an English speaking Canadian and not only was it written in Dutch, but also used metric measurement. (Canada uses metric measurement, but quilting patterns are written in inches). When I typed the instructions into the virtual translator I laughed when it said to take the “tea bag paper”. I thought it was a translation mistake. In the end I decided it was probably what we call “onion skin” paper. I’m not sure if it is still available or not.

[@LisaLisa-zl9vu]

so pattern pieces are always placed on wrong side of fabric when cutting? I didn't notice with the solid greys... I guess if you cut on right side of fabric you will get the mirror image and mess it up.

[@bobbiek2960]

Do you have a video where you sew those pieces? My machine would eat them up.

[@beckyhuntley9388]

If you arent concerned about directional print, do you need to be concerned about grain line?

[@sharenvirgin382]

What is the name of the paper you use for foundation piecing? Did I hear you say, “tea bag” paper?

[@karencarswell5724]

Hi Irena. Please could you tell me where I can get the tea bag paper.

[@mary-annz.reynolds7778]

You can also use parchment paper or tracing paper.

[@connieolson8497]

But tea bag, you don’t have to tear it off! Just leave it

[@OriginalnotCopied]

Do you have any pointers on how to BUY the right amount of fabric for the foundation paper piecing patterns? I have about 10 that are themed but I have no idea how much to buy to keep from over or under-purchasing.

[@terenaschoenberger]

Where do you buy your tea bag paper? I have not seen it bigger then well a tea bag size.

[@themirrorimagestitcher]

You can buy it on her website 😊

[@marylynch282]

How do you get the pattern onto the tea bag paper?

[@mary-annz.reynolds7778]

I would tape it to copy paper and run it thru the printer.

[@kathyderouchey8221]

I would also like to know about where to purchase 'tea bag' material.

[@themirrorimagestitcher]

Kathy DeRouchey you can buy it on her website 😊

[@janhulse9518]

I understand the need to save fabric.but, I am getting told over and over to first get any fabric on the grain.