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The Dilly

Tips from the Studio: A Beginner's Guide to FPP (Foundation Paper Piecing)

July 23, 2026

By Lynna Tips

Foundation Paper Piecing or FPP is a wonderful piecing technique and easy to learn for all levels of sewists! Just as the name implies, FPP uses paper as the foundation for a quilt block. Sewing fabric pieces directly onto a paper template stabilizes the fabric and allows for crisp, sharp points, and the piecing of intricate shapes with a high degree of accuracy. FPP is a great technique for blocks with a lot of individual pieces. You might recognize some of the quilts and other projects from our studio that have been designed for FPP!

Follow along as we guide you through getting started and finding success with the FPP piecing technique. In this video tutorial, we will teach you how to FPP a 4 inch Flying Geese block.

Step 1: Gathering Your FPP Supplies and Notions

Our recommended supplies for foundation paper piecing with Tana Lawn®:

Step 2: Preparing Your Sewing Machine and Workspace

a) Stitch length. Set your stitch length to between 1.5 and 1.8. This smaller stitch length will make it easier to remove the papers later in the process.

b) Needle. Sewing through paper will dull your needle. Monitor the sharpness of your needle closely and change it more frequently.

c) Workspace flow. Maximize the efficiency of your workspace by having your cutting mat and ironing station within reach while at your sewing machine.

Ironing station. An iron and a small pressing mat or ironing board.
Cutting station. A small cutting mat, ruler, and rotary cutter. A rotating cutting mat also works great.
Trash and recycling station. Small containers for paper and fabric scraps.

Step 3: Understanding FPP [00:03:30]

FPP is the process of creating a quilt block by sewing fabric through a paper template. By sewing on the lines of the printed side of the template, the block is built on the back or blank side of the template. The completed block will be a mirror image of the printed template.

Step 4: Preparing Your Template for FPP [00:00:52]

a) Printing your template. Download your template and print at 100% scale. Measure your printed template to ensure it is printed at 100% scale. We love Carol Doak's Foundation Paper for our FPP projects since the paper easily tears away when it is time to remove the paper, but regular printer paper also works well. If you need additional help downloading and printing your template, please click here.

b) Checking your seam allowance. Not all FPP templates include seam allowance, so it is important to review your template. Verify whether your template has a seam allowance already included.

📌 Pro Tip: DuckaDilly includes the outer seam allowance on all of our templates. However, if you are using a template that does not include the outer seam allowance, you will need to allow for that as you construct your block.

c) Cutting out your template. Roughly cut out your template leaving some space around the trim line.

d) Marking your template. Note your fabric placement on the printed side of the template. Remember, the printed side of your template is a mirror image of the block's front.

Step 5: Preparing Your Fabric [00:04:50]

If you are new to FPP, be generous with your fabric cuts. This will give you more wiggle room when piecing.

a) Piecing by number. The numbers on your template show the order in which each fabric piece is added to your block, beginning with Pieces 1 and 2 and continuing in sequence.

b) Cutting your fabric:

Piece 1. Cut your fabric for Piece 1. The piece you cut should be at least a 1/2 inch larger on all sides of the shape. This will give you plenty of room to cover all of your seam allowances.

Place your Piece 1 fabric right side up on the front (blank) side of your block. Check that you have at least a 1/2 seam allowance on all sides. Pin in place.

Piece 2. Using the same method, cut your fabric for Piece 2.

c) Aligning your fabrics. On the front side of your block, place Piece 2 over Piece 1 (right sides facing).

To verify that your fabrics cover your seam allowances on all sides, pin along the seam between Pieces 1 and 2. Open piece 2 to make sure it will cover the section plus have extra for seem allowances. Make adjustments as necessary.

Step 6: Sewing and Trimming Your Seam [00:17:40]

a) Sewing your seam. Sew the seam between Pieces 1 and 2. Start stitching just outside the trim line on the template. Lock your stitches in place by backstitching in the seam allowance at the beginning and the end of your seam. Remove any pins as you stitch.

📌 Pro Tip: Using a pencil and straight edge, you can draw extensions of your sewing lines onto your template to assist with sewing.

b) Trimming your seam allowance. Fold the paper template along the sewn seam to expose the extra seam allowance - make sure to fold your paper over the fabrics in the body of your block. Using the folded edge of your paper as a guide, measure a 1/4 inch seam allowance, and trim your fabric with a rotary cutter.

📌 Pro Tip: Before trimming your seam allowance, check that your paper template and pieced fabrics have not been folded into the seam allowance by accident.

c) Pressing your block. Unfold the paper and turn your block so the front (fabric) side is facing up. Using an iron without steam, first press the seam so that your stitches are flat, then press your fabric open. Do NOT use steam. Steam will damage your paper and possibly transfer the printed ink to your fabric.

d) Completing your block(s). Repeat these steps for the remainder of your block: cut your fabric piece, sew your seam, trim your seam allowance, and press your fabric open.

As you sew more pieces in your block, pay extra attention to the areas where seams intersect. In those places, you will need to pull the paper away from the overlapping stitches to reveal the sewn seam.

e) Trimming your blocks to size. Using a ruler and rotary cutter, cut on the trim line. If you are making project with more than one template, Do NOT remove the foundation paper yet. If your project is complete, continue to step 7c.

As your blocks take shape, continue to check the following:

Fabric placement. Are you using the correct fabric for the piece or section you are working on?
Fabric size and orientation. Did you cut your fabric large enough and is it oriented correctly?
Seam order. Are you sewing the correct seam in your template?
Seam allowance. Did you remember to trim your seam allowance? Did you include the outer seam allowance in your cuts?
Pressing. Did you remember to press your fabric "open" on the non-printed side of your paper? Is the steam setting on your iron turned off?

Step 7: Joining Your Blocks [00:34:00]

Read on if you are making a project using more than one FPP template.

a) Aligning and pinning your templates. Place the two templates that need to be stitched right sides facing. Working from one end of the seam allowance, align intersecting points and pin. This is an important step to ensure that your points are aligned before you sew.

b) Sewing your blocks together. Carefully sew your pinned templates together, backstitching at the beginning and end of your seam. Remove your pins just as your needle approaches.

c) Removing paper from the seam allowance. As you sew your templates together, remove the foundation paper from your seam allowances. Fold the paper along the seam and gently tear it away from the seam. Try not to pull up on the paper, as it might rip your stitches. Removing the seam allowance paper will help reduce bulk and will prevent small pieces of paper getting sewn into your seams as you assemble your templates.f

📌 Pro Tip: Do not remove your FPP paper from the body of a template until all seams (including outer seams) have been sewn. If you remove them too early, your templates can warp or become difficult to handle.

d) Pressing your block. Using a hot, dry iron, gently press your block from the front (fabric) side. Do NOT use steam.

Step 8: Removing Your Final FPP Papers

Once your project is complete, it is time to remove your FPP papers! Starting in the center of your project, begin removing your papers, carefully tearing it away from the seams. Remove the papers around the edges of your project last. Small areas or intersecting points may need special attention to remove all the paper.

The Do's and Don'ts of FPP

DO print your template at 100%
DO review the instructions for your template
DO use a shorter stitch length of 1.3 to 1.6
DO change your needle more frequently
DO sew in numeric order
DO backstitch in the seam allowances for each seam you sew
DON'T sew over your pins
DO check and double check the size and orientation of your fabric before sewing
DON'T steam your fabric once sewn to your paper
DON'T use high heat when ironing your paper
DON'T press your block on the printed side of your template
DON'T stack your papers when ironing, to avoid ink transfer
DO leave your foundation paper intact until all sides of your block have been sewn
DO embrace the process rather than worrying about fabric directionality - Oftentimes, the direction of the print is not even noticeable in the final project!