Freezer Paper Foundation Piecing




I preface these instructions by saying "this is not my invention", it is a method I use that gives me excellent results.

PRINTING ON FREEZER PAPER:

The first step in this technique is to get your Foundation Pattern printed on to the Freezer Paper. You need to determine how to feed your paper into your printer. The pattern must be printed on the dull side of the paper, not the shiny waxed side. Use a blank sheet of ordinary paper and write the word “Dull” on one side and "Shiny" on the other side. Load your printer with this sheet with the word "Shiny" up. Print something; if it prints on the side with the word “Dull” that is the way you need to load the freezer paper. If it prints on the side with the word "Shiny" you need to load your freezer paper “Shiny” side down. Make a note of this for future reference.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Use only an ink jet printer for printing on freezer paper, laser printers use heat and may melt some wax, causing problems for your printer.

MAKING FREEZER PAPER SHEETS FROM A ROLL
You can use freezer paper sheets or make your own sheets from a roll of freezer paper. Cut off a strip 11” wide then cut off two pieces, each 8 ½” x 11”. Before you print on them you need to prepare them in the following manner. Place a piece of fabric (I use a piece of muslin I keep for this purpose) over your ironing board to prevent the transfer of wax on to your ironing board. With a hot iron (cotton setting) and the freezer paper placed Shiny Side Down iron the paper flat. Allow it to cool completely before you remove it. When you peel it off it will be flat and will feed through your printer easily. This treatment also removes some excess wax.

PRINTING FOUNDATION PATTERNS
Print your foundation pattern on the dull side of the freezer paper. Most foundation patterns are a mirror image of the block but if yours is not you will need to “flip” the image to achieve a mirror image. If the orientation does not matter (such as in symmetrical designs) use it as is. All my foundation patterns print as a mirror image.

Foundation Pattern printed on Freezer Paper

Cut out each Unit of the pattern along the Cutting Lines (the outer most line around each unit). NOTE: You can cut on the outer line MINUS the the 1/4" seam allowance provided you add the seam allowance as you construct the unit. You now need to crease along the Stitching Lines (the interior lines within each unit). There are several ways to do this 1) Carefully make a sharp fold along each stitching line. 2) Use an un-threaded sewing machine and perforate along each stitching line. 3) Score along each stitching line with a pointed implement.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Whichever method you use you must extend all the lines completely across the unit, going right out through the seam allowances.

Method three is the one I prefer as it is fairly quick and by using a ruler I can get my score marks exactly on top of the stitching lines. I use a stitch ripper, holding it like a pencil, to make my score marks. However, you must take care to not press too heavily. If you do your paper will tend to fall apart when you remove it from the fabric in a later step, or worse before you even adhere it. I would suggest practicing on a scrap of freezer paper first to get the feel of how hard you need to press.

Unit A with stitching lines scored.

CONSTRUCTING THE UNITS

If your pattern does not include the following information on the foundation pattern it is a good idea to use a pencil and add it to your pattern. Each unit should be labeled with a numerical or alpha designation (example: Unit A as in the above photo). Within each unit the individual pieces should contain two pieces of information. First, each area should be numbered indicating the order in which you will add the fabrics. Secondly, each area should contain a code telling you which fabric to use for that area. This information added to you pattern helps avoid errors as you construct the units. All my patterns contain this information.

Using the first Unit of your foundation pattern (in some simple patterns the entire block is one unit) locate Area #1. Select the appropriate fabric. Cut a piece of that fabric the size of the area to be covered plus ½” wider and ½” longer to allow for the seam allowances then ADD A LITTLE EXTRA for wiggle room. The extra fabric gives you more freedom in aligning your piece. The excess will be trimmed off in the following steps.

Place the first piece of fabric RIGHT SIDE DOWN on your ironing board. For the first area to be covered position your foundation pattern over the fabric, aligning it so the fabric completely covers the appropriate area plus the seam allowances and a little beyond. With your iron set on hot (cotton setting if you are using cotton but adjust to the hottest setting your fabric allows if you are not using cotton) press only in the area you are covering. Use the tip of your iron for this or if you have a mini iron use it. If you go a little beyond it is not a problem, you can simply peel away the freezer paper where needed. Fold the pattern back (away from the fabric) along the first stitching line (the one you scored between areas #1 and #2). Trim the exposed seam allowance to 1/8” or ¼”. You will be trimming only one layer of fabric at this point. Your first piece is now in place and will be held there by the freezer paper.

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Area #1 with BG Fabric behind (right side down). ..................Area #1 pattern folded back, ready to trim.

Cut your fabric for Area #2 ( large than the area to be covered as you did for Area #1), place it RIGHT SIDE UP. With the foundation pattern still folded back and the fabric in Area #1 underneath, place it on top of fabric #2 (the yellow in this photo). Align the pattern so Area #2, including seam allowances, completely covers the second fabric. You will be able to see the area you are covering with fabric #2 because the scored lines you made will show on the shiny side of the paper. Remember, you must also cover at least an extra ¼” in each direction to allow for the seam allowance. If you are sewing an angle you can be sure the angle is correct SO LONG AS the fabric underneath completely covers the area (area 2 in the photo below) plus the seam allowances.

Area #2 with Br1 Fabric Ready for Stitching

NOTE: You can use a strip of fabric (as in the photo above) instead of small pieces cut to size. Cut the strip off after it has been sewn.

HINT: The most common mistake made when foundation piecing is getting your fabric the wrong way up. A way to overcome this is to remember the pattern (freezer paper) is on the back (wrong side) of the fabric. The first piece of fabric you add is the only time you are working with only one layer of fabric. After that, the same rule that applies in most quilting also applies here - right sides of the fabric together.

For most items you can simply hold the pieces in place while you stitch but if they are large you may want to pin them together in the seam allowance, running the pin parallel to the stitching line. As you stitch remove the pins. Machine stitch a seam right next to, but not though, the folded freezer paper. Your needle should just brush up next to the folded pattern.

Remove the unit from the machine and trim your seam allowance to 1/8” or ¼”. Trim after every addition of fabric. Open the freezer paper pattern out flat, turn your work over and open the fabric out flat. Carefully press the area just added. You can finger press first to be sure your fabric opens smoothly and does not leave a pleat along the seam line. You MUST open and press after EVERY addition of fabric.

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Area #2 pattern and fabric opened (pattern side)... ..............Area #2 pattern and fabric opened (fabric side)

Repeat these steps for each successive area until you have covered all areas of the unit.

Area #7 added and Unit completed

Trim the unit to remove all fabric extending past the cutting lines (don't cut off your seam allowances). Carefully peel the freezer paper off.

Unit A Completed and Trimmed

Complete the other units of the block. Carefully remove the freezer paper from each unit or you can leave the freezer paper in place until you are ready to assemble the units. If you choose to work with the pattern with the seam allowance removed from the pattern you can leave the freezer paper in place while joining the units. This can be very helpful if you have several areas using fabric on the bias. Because you have not sewn through your freezer paper pattern it will come off in one piece and can be reused. Sew the units together using a ¼” seam allowance.

You can reuse your freezer paper patterns several times. The wax will continue to hold for several uses (I have used the same pattern up to ten times).

Advantages of this method of Foundation Piecing:

* One printing of the pattern will make several blocks because the pattern is reusable.
* Sewing machine needle remains sharp longer because you not sewing through the paper.
* Stitches do not loosen when removing the foundation pattern; nothing is being pulled out from under them.
* There is very little, if any, pinning to do.
* The freezer paper holds each fabric securely and keeps it from distorting while being handled.
* Freezer paper is economical to use.
* There are no tiny bits of paper to pick off; the entire piece of freezer paper comes away as one piece.

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