Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

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Foundation Paper Tip

1.5 sq in a sq
While working on my Designer Mystery 2015/Snowman Gatherings project over the weekend, I ran into a problem. I needed to make some square in a square units in a size for which I did not have foundation paper.

When making this fussy unit, I have found that the only way I can get good results is to use foundation paper. I have been purchasing the little pads of foundation paper sold on Fat Quarter Shop's website. The typical sizes that I have used are 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch unfinished units. But this project was calling for something that I definitely did not have on hand.

I needed to make 2-inch and 3-inch unfinished square in a square units. I was stymied for a bit because I wanted to get those blocks done and not have to wait a week for an online order to FQS to go through. Plus, I wasn't even sure if they made foundation paper in those unusual sizes.

So, I went to Etsy.com and started searching for foundation papers in those odd sizes.

The quilted story etsy shop
The Quilted Story is an Etsy shop that sells pdf files of foundation paper patterns in multiple sizes. You can make your purchase, download it, and print your foundation paper patterns within minutes. The price is great as well. For $6 you get the download which you can use multiple times to make hundreds of blocks. Also (and this is a BIG deal), in your download are included 5 different sizes of square in a square units!  In comparison, the foundation paper pads sold by FQS cost nearly $10 and you get 40 papers in one size. 

I need to say that the FQS foundation paper pads are of excellent quality and have never steered me wrong. And if you are not sure that your printer will print out to the correct scale, this do-it-at-home process may not work for you. My printer works great and prints things right to the correct scale, so this worked brilliantly for me. 

Carol Doak paper
You also need to have the right type of paper to print on. I had a package of blank Carol Doak foundation paper on hand, which is crucial for sewing. It is lightweight and tears off easily. 

3 in sq in sq blocks
Next up were 40 3-inch unfinished square in a square units. Easy peasy. I printed out the number of sheets that I needed, made my block units and trimmed them to size.

Finding this online source of accurate pdf files for square in a square units was a real time and money saver for me. I wanted to pass the tip along in case you ever need it!

 

 

39 responses to “Foundation Paper Tip”

  4. Beautiful new banner! That is a very great resource to use for making foundation paper patterns. Thanks for sharing. Your Sq in a Sq are perfect! Nicole it is -18 to a high of -10 again today, up here in Canada we are in a deep freeze. Enjoy!

  5. Beautiful new banner! That is a very great resource to use for making foundation paper patterns. Thanks for sharing. Your Sq in a Sq are perfect! Nicole it is -18 to a high of -10 again today, up here in Canada we are in a deep freeze. Enjoy!

  6. Beautiful new banner! That is a very great resource to use for making foundation paper patterns. Thanks for sharing. Your Sq in a Sq are perfect! Nicole it is -18 to a high of -10 again today, up here in Canada we are in a deep freeze. Enjoy!

  7. That worked out great! Which printer do you have? Mine seems to dry up pretty quickly.

  8. That worked out great! Which printer do you have? Mine seems to dry up pretty quickly.

  9. That worked out great! Which printer do you have? Mine seems to dry up pretty quickly.

  10. Thank you, thank you. Last year I needed to make square in a square units in a usual size and was stymied. I did something to make the units, but I wasn’t too pleased with my work. I will definitely look into this website. Btw, your Snowman Gatherings quilt is adorable. I remember when FQS did this sew along, and I coveted, but did not purchase the kit.

  11. Thank you, thank you. Last year I needed to make square in a square units in a usual size and was stymied. I did something to make the units, but I wasn’t too pleased with my work. I will definitely look into this website. Btw, your Snowman Gatherings quilt is adorable. I remember when FQS did this sew along, and I coveted, but did not purchase the kit.

  12. Thank you, thank you. Last year I needed to make square in a square units in a usual size and was stymied. I did something to make the units, but I wasn’t too pleased with my work. I will definitely look into this website. Btw, your Snowman Gatherings quilt is adorable. I remember when FQS did this sew along, and I coveted, but did not purchase the kit.

  13. Hi again. My previous post should have said that I needed to make square in a square units in an unusual size, not a usual size. Sigh.

  14. Hi again. My previous post should have said that I needed to make square in a square units in an unusual size, not a usual size. Sigh.

  15. Hi again. My previous post should have said that I needed to make square in a square units in an unusual size, not a usual size. Sigh.

  16. Thank you for sharing. I too have difficulty with this block.
    You find the best quilt alongs!! I don’t know how I miss these.
    BYW, I believe I read about the 365 small block quilt along from your blog and purchased the weekly patterns which I faithfully downloaded and saved. Did you ever get to yours?

  17. Thank you for sharing. I too have difficulty with this block.
    You find the best quilt alongs!! I don’t know how I miss these.
    BYW, I believe I read about the 365 small block quilt along from your blog and purchased the weekly patterns which I faithfully downloaded and saved. Did you ever get to yours?

  18. Thank you for sharing. I too have difficulty with this block.
    You find the best quilt alongs!! I don’t know how I miss these.
    BYW, I believe I read about the 365 small block quilt along from your blog and purchased the weekly patterns which I faithfully downloaded and saved. Did you ever get to yours?

  19. Thanks for sharing this Etsy site! I have purchased the FQS papers as well, and they are great but wished they came in more sizes. Even though this little block looks simple, for me it’s a most challenging one.

  20. Thanks for sharing this Etsy site! I have purchased the FQS papers as well, and they are great but wished they came in more sizes. Even though this little block looks simple, for me it’s a most challenging one.

  21. Thanks for sharing this Etsy site! I have purchased the FQS papers as well, and they are great but wished they came in more sizes. Even though this little block looks simple, for me it’s a most challenging one.

  25. There are some great finds when you search through Etsy stores! I can usually come up with the fabric I’m wanting or a pattern I know that I’ve seen, but can’t remember where! Thanks for sharing today (and everyday!)

  26. There are some great finds when you search through Etsy stores! I can usually come up with the fabric I’m wanting or a pattern I know that I’ve seen, but can’t remember where! Thanks for sharing today (and everyday!)

  27. There are some great finds when you search through Etsy stores! I can usually come up with the fabric I’m wanting or a pattern I know that I’ve seen, but can’t remember where! Thanks for sharing today (and everyday!)

  37. I have found that newspaper print (I bought a ream on Amazon) works well and rips off pretty easily too.

  38. I have found that newspaper print (I bought a ream on Amazon) works well and rips off pretty easily too.

  39. I have found that newspaper print (I bought a ream on Amazon) works well and rips off pretty easily too.