Paper piecing is a technique that can help quilters out a lot. To begin, you need templates of your design, this is your pattern. These templates will need to be traced onto quilting paper. With paper piecing you actually sew the fabric to the paper using lines on the paper as your sewing guide. This is especially good when doing miniature quilts.

It would be almost impossible to cut the pieces as small as you need them and then sew them together. With paper piecing, you sew the fabrics together first and then cut them to size. This takes some practice to get it right, but in the end, your blocks will be perfect. The paper will keep your fabric from shifting or stretching when sewing on the bias.

Paper piecing is especially helpful when working with unusual fancy fabrics such as silks, velvets and linens. The paper makes a good foundation to sew you pieces to. If the stitching lines are drawn on the foundation paper, you will end up with an extremely accurate block. This accuracy is very helpful when assembling the blocks together.

Paper piecing is a good way to use up small scraps of fabric. Paper piecing is a must when making complicated patterns to get them accurate. There are many places where you can get instructions on paper piecing. This is not for the novice sewer or beginner quilter. It is for the experienced seamstress and quilter.