Pumpkin Peel uses a very large paper foundation.  One of the challenges was that commercial paper foundation sheets are 8 1/2″ x 11″ … too small for what we needed.  Doctor’s examine table paper was our solution because it could be cut to size and it tore easily and smoothly, not leaving lots of half moon bits embedded in the seams.  However, it is not always easy to get your hands on and not everyone wants to buy a 100 foot roll, so I have been noodling around alternative ideas.

 

I had been stuck on the issue that taping together two pieces of 8 1/2″ x 11″ foundation paper wouldn’t work because it would be difficult if not impossible to tear through the taped portion when removing the paper, and if the template was pressed with an iron, the heat would melt the tape and shrink that area of the paper.

 

Then I had a BFOO!   A BFOO?  That’s a “Blinding Flash Of the Obvious” (demonstrated by moving the heel of the palm of your hand to your forehead).

 

What did I figure out?  Tape was not the only solution to join two pieces of paper … I could stitch them!

 

I printed off the templates (from my eBook!) being sure to print at 100% scale.  You can photocopy the templates from the book too, just be sure the page is really flat on the copier glass to avoid distortion, and photocopy at 100%.  When photocopying, copy a test template first and compare it to the template in the book to ensure it is copying to scale.  Martingale’s “Papers For Foundation Piecing” were great for the job.  The ink absorbs and doesn’t smear when pressing, even inkjet ink, so I had no concerns about transfer onto my fabric.  And my printer was very happy printing on it … no jams.

 

 

Next I trimmed the edge of one of the templates that I wanted to join to another.

 

 

 

I flipped the template, overlapped the trimmed edge on top of the other half of the template, matching the “seam”, and seam allowances and cutting edges.  Then I “basted” the papers in place by placing tape outside of the template area.

 

 

 

I did the same thing for the small sections that have to be added to the large arcs.

 

 

Next I took the paper pieces to my machine and using a “2” setting for stitch length on my machine, I stitched the papers together about 3/16th of an inch from the overlap line.

 

 

Finally, I cut out the template along the cutting lines and trimmed the excess from the “overlap” seam.

 

 

 

And voila!

 

 

 

It’s true.  There is more than one way into a castle!

 

Have a great week

&

Happy Stitching!