Here I am again with 2 modern blocks that are made with foundation piecing.
I know a lot of you comment often that you can’t get your head around foundation piecing, that it’s hard, that it wastes fabric or that there’s too much paper to tear afterwards.
I understand learning new skills is often challenging but also worth the effort in this case.
Foundation piecing opens a world of possibilities. Blocks that seemed beyond your skills suddenly become possible.
Some techniques don’t require the paper to be torn, and you can even reuse the template over and over.
So let’s explore the 2 techniques I use when I do foundation piecing:
Both blocks belong to 2 quilts patterns:
- Mysteries Down Under quilt pattern, available on Etsy

- The heart block belongs to Strippy hearts quilt, also available on Etsy.
If you don’t like tracing on freezer paper, you can print the templates directly on to freezer paper for printing.
For a small template you may not want to was a full page, or you may only have access to freezer paper on a roll. In that instanc you can also use freezer paper on a roll to print by ironing the freezer paper to copy paper and then print on it. Don’t press for too long. The first time I tried the freezer paper bonded so strongly with the copy paper I couldn’t remove it after printing.
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My book Turnabout Patchwork
“Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist” is all about playing with blocks – making a block, slicing it up, and turning or repositioning the pieces to make a completely different block (sometimes two smaller blocks) to yield endless quilt tops.
Buy individual chapters of my book
Now that my publisher is going out of business I have bought the rights to publish my book. Now you can download individual chapters. Each digital download is a bundle with 4 quilt patterns in it.
As well as the instructions and fabric needs to make the blocks you’ll find a section on quiltmaking basics at the end of the pattern that discusses:
- Tools
- Squaring up blocks
- Borders
- Assembly and quilting
- Binding
Might have to give this a try…..Thank you Teresa…..always been intrigued with foundation paper piecing. Blessings, Elizabeth
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You make paper piecing look easy. I was put off using paper pieicing many years ago with a hand stitched hexagonal quilt which I never ever finshed.This machine piecing technique looks very easy and do-able. It will go on my to try list, maybe a pillow size to test it out.
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