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New York Beauty Block of the Month #6: Quilt Sew-Along (2020)

Quick Links: What you'll need Project steps

Create New York Beauty, a block made using the Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) technique.

So, what is Foundation Paper Piecing? Foundation piecing is a quilting technique in which a design is printed onto paper, and fabric shapes are positioned on the back of the paper template. You then sew the fabric pieces together from the front along the printed lines, ensuring accurate and precise results. This method allows quilters to work with intricate designs, such as blocks with sharp points or detailed motifs, that might be difficult to achieve with traditional piecing techniques. Foundation piecing is especially useful for complex patterns, providing structure and stability throughout the quilting process. It’s a great choice for quilters who want clean lines and perfectly aligned blocks in their finished quilts.

For those of you who haven't tackled FPP before, it may seem slightly alien at first; however, once you get into the swing of it, I hope you’ll see how accurate it can be, and how sharp it will make your fabric points! A word of warning: FPP uses more fabric than general piecing, so there will be some wastage. Reduce your stitch length slightly.

Block size: 10in (25.5cm) square finished; 10½in (26.75cm) unfinished.

Note: Use a ¼in (5mm) seam allowance throughout unless otherwise stated.

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You will need:

Equipment

• Rotary cutter and cutting mat
• Sewing machine
• Quilting ruler
• Fabric glue stick

Materials

• Fabrics (see my Introduction to the 2020 Block of the Month). From these, cut:
  • Six 2¾ x 5¾in (7 x 14.75cm) pieces in PAT 5
  • Two 2 x 5¾in (5 x 14.75cm) pieces in PAT 5
  • Seven 1¾ x 5¾in (4.5 x 14.75cm) pieces in PL 4
  • One 5in (12.75cm) square in PL 3 – cut one from template C
  • One 10½in (26.75cm) square in BG fabric –
    you will need to fold the fabric in half diagonally, place template on fold where indicated and cut one from template D (don’t throw the excess fabric away after cutting the template; it will be used in later blocks)

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