Learn how to sew your #3 and #1 fabric to your Rail Fence paper pattern and then trim for a finished block.
Video Transcript: Paper Piecing: Paper Piecing – Basics Sewing #3 to #1 (4 of 4 Videos)
Now I’m ready to add Fabric #3. I’ve got my fabric here and I’m going to cut a piece that is going to be big enough to cover the #3 spot. Let’s say I’m going to eyeball that and then move that to the side and then move that out. Let me check to make sure that this piece covers. It covers all the way around the edge here, down here and more than enough there. I’ll fold this line. I don’t have my card but that’s OK. I can just fold it. I’ll fold it back again.
Now I am ready to place my fabric. This is where Fabric #3 is going to go but I always put my fabric on the back. I put this fabric over #3 and I am looking. I’ve got Fabric #1 here and Fabric #3. Traditionally you put right sides together. Since this fabric is the one that is going to move and it is the one that goes on next. This is the one that gets flipped down so right sides are together. I’m going to turn this over and I am going to pin on that sew line; that sew line between #1 and # 3. Once again, the reason why I am pinning here is because I want to double check that when I sew that line and pull this piece back, that this piece will cover up to the dashed line all the way around. So that looks good.
I am ready to go to the sewing machine. I don’t like to put my pin like that when I sew I have a tendency to forget about it. So I am going to reposition these pins. I’m going to take it to the sewing machine. Once again I am using red thread so you can see. I am starting a few stitches past that broken line or the seam allowance line. I’m going to take this pin out and I am just sewing right down that line. I’m going to sew all the way to the end. If there is extra fabric, I just go to the end of that.
Pull up and clip. I need to clip these threads. Always clip these threads because they have a tendency to get caught up. Make sure you clip those. I’m going to check to make sure that this was sewn in the right spot. Yes, it comes all the way back.
I’m going to fold this paper down because I like to trim this excess. I’m going to eyeball a scant ¼”. I’m going to trim that ¼” and now I am ready to take this to the pressing board. As I said in the last one I pressed, if you don’t want to get up and go to the iron it is a long straight line, you can just take your nail and press.
Now I have sewn all three pieces of fabric together and I am ready to trim. Before I trim, I usually like to sew around the edge here so that these pieces aren’t flapping like that. It is not necessary to sew that edge but I think it makes it a little bit easier. So let me put this in.
Notice, I am not sewing on this line. I’m not sewing on the sewing line and I am not sewing on the dashed line. I am sewing in between. This is just a temporary stitch to hold everything down so that those sides don’t flap. So I am sewing all the way around. The reason why I am not sewing on this line because eventually this will be a line that is sewn on and I don’t want an extra pair of stiches there.
I can stop right here. I pull it out and I always make sure that I clip these little pieces. Now I am ready to take this to be cut. If I have my scissors, I can just use them. If I wanted to use the rotary cutter and mat, I could. I am going to cut on the dashed line. Once again, that last line that I sewed makes it easier for when I cut this because those pieces aren’t flapping around. Let’s get this.
There’s my paper pieced pattern; the 3” Rail Fence.
