The Best Paper for Foundation Piecing: Tested, Tried, & True
If you’ve ever wanted to try out the foundation piecing technique, you may have noticed the countless specialty foundation papers on the market made just for quilters. So how do you know which option is the best paper for foundation piecing? Quilting Daily Executive Producer and paper piecing expert Vanessa Lyman put each one to the test so you don’t have to!
Choosing Foundations for Foundation Piecing
Is it worth buying those specialty foundation papers made for quilters? Foundation piecing (often just called paper piecing) is a quilting technique some quilters love, others loathe, but all agree — there are certain, striking designs that can only be achieved with this method.
The technique itself creates unusual angles, and eliminates a lot of the fussiness of bias edges. You literally sew fabric to a foundation, typically a paper, that has a pattern printed on the reverse side. And, unless you’re using a leave-in or a wash-away foundation, you tear out the foundation when the blocks are ready to sew together.
Most quilters just use copy paper. Abundant, easily accessible, and cheap, copy paper has a lot of benefits. ‘Back in the day,’ quilters also used newspaper and phone book paper.
Today, there are dozens of foundations made just for quilters. So many, in fact, that I can’t test them all. I asked my co-workers to lend me some options for the best paper for foundation piecing, bought a few on my own, and then using only the items in my own sewing room, I got to work!
In this video, I test:
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Phone Book Paper
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Additional items used include:
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Jolly Holidays pattern from November/December 2021 issue of Love of Quilting
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Seam Ripper (ahem)
Check out the Results
It’s clear that the best paper for foundation piecing depends on your personal preferences and the specific project. However, it’s important to note that specialty foundation papers made for quilters do offer some advantages over regular copy paper or newspaper, such as greater stability and easier removal after sewing. Ultimately, the decision of whether to invest in specialty foundation papers is up to you.
If you’re a serious quilter who loves foundation piecing and wants the best results possible, it may be worth the investment. On the other hand, if you’re just starting out or prefer a more budget-friendly approach, regular copy paper or even newspaper can still produce great results. Regardless of which paper you choose, the foundation piecing technique is a fun and rewarding way to create unique and intricate quilt blocks!
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