Learn How to Paper-Piece the Sun Block

Follow this easy step-by-step photo tutorial and learn how to paper-piece the sun block. You will become a paper-piecing pro! Make one and use it as a wall hanging, add a few to your quilt, or make a whole quilt with it.

This is a 10″ block that I made to test a pattern I was writing (I trimmed it slightly after I took the photo). I used these fabrics (and not oranges and yellows) because I am trying to get more blocks ready for a sampler quilt with this collection. It came out gorgeous (if only I had pressed it better).

I find that when I use starch on certain blocks, the seams look funny. Does it happen to you, too? Once I learned to use starch on finished blocks I never stopped. Oh, well. I work with colorless Best Press which I purchase by the gallon. Why? I starch all the fabrics before I cut them for a project (never before I store them), and then every block. I do not starch the quilt top once I finish it.

So, are you ready to see how I made this block? It is very detailed so you won’t have any trouble making yours. The steps will work regardless of the size of block you need to make for your quilt.

How to paper piece a sun block

What you will need:

Paper to print the sections

Plastic for templates if needed

Acrylic ruler

Rotary cutter

Cutting mat

Note: I always worked with an old credit card or postcard to help when folding the paper back to trim the seams, an Add-a-quarter ruler that has a ridge and aligns nicely with the folded paper to trim the seam to 1/4″, and a roller thingy to ‘finger press’ each section. However, I have done this so many times and found that you really do not need anything special. Except, the Add-a-quarter ruler is narrower than the regular acrylic ruler that we use and it does not wobble over the pins when you are trying to trim each section. So, it may be worth getting it.

1. Print templates and cut fabric pieces

I used to purchase special paper-piecing or foundation paper, the same thing, until the day someone told me she prints all the templates with her printer on regular paper. Guys, the best advice! The paper is super easy to rip at the end. If your templates are in a book, scan and print/copy them. Important: Please check the size of your printed or copied templates against the published original! Sometimes, if your printer settings are not on No Scaling, the templates will turn out larger or smaller than the original and the block will not come out to size.

For the sun block, the sun rays are paper pieced and the other two parts, the inner circle and the corner will be traced onto the back of the fabric and cut with scissors, that is why I traced those sections onto plastic for template and cut on the outline.

How to know the size of each fabric piece? The patterns usually indicate it.

When you learn how to paper-piece the sun block you will be able to paper piece any block as the steps are the same! Here, you sew with curves. Yet, many blocks do not include any curves at all, and putting them together is a breeze. Look at these tulips I paper pieced (video tutorial). So fun!

2. Pin first two fabric pieces onto paper

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Notice that I always check against a light or window to make sure the fabric extends beyond the seam lines all around. Yes, paper-piecing takes more fabric than regular piecing, but some projects cannot be done with templates or regular piecing.

After pinning the fabric (right side facing you, backside of fabric touching paper) to the back of the template, flip to the printed side of the template, fold it back on the line between sections 1 and 2 exposing the back of the first piece of fabric, and trim the fabric to 1/4″. Yep, you haven’t sewn anything yet and you are already trimming the seam. Then align and pin the section 2 fabric with the section 1 fabric, right sides together.

Oh, when pinning, be sure to place the pin a bit far away from the stitching line, or the presser foot will touch the pin’s head and you will sew outside the line. Ask me how I know.

3. Stitch fabrics to the paper

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The first thing you need to do is set the stitch length to 1.6 or 1.8 because you need tiny stitches to make it easier to remove the paper later. The flip side of tiny stitches? When you make a mistake and need to remove them…

Next, stitch on the printed side of the paper on the line between sections 1 and 2, flip template and finger-press the fabrics open, fold back the template on the line between sections 2 and 3, and trim the seam to 1/4″.

I added the last photo on the gallery above out of order but on purpose to remind you: check to make sure the fabric piece does not get rolled back as you are placing the paper under the presser foot. Or you will have to rip the stitches to fix it.

4. Repeat for each section of the template

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Pay attention as you repeat the steps so you use the correct fabric for each section. For this block, the first and last sections take a narrow White rectangle, the middle sections take a wide White rectangle, and the sun rays are all the same size in a pink print.

Paper piecing is very calming because of the repetition of the steps. I usually do not have music or a book playing as I want to totally focus on the work. It is a time for mindful meditation for me – when I focus intensely on a task I am meditating. As you learn how to paper-piece the sun block, you might feel the same way!

5. Trim patch and remove paper.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

When all the sections are stitched, press the patch, trim to 1/4″ using sharp scissors, and remove the paper. Note: we are using scissors and not a rotary cutter because this is a curved piece. Otherwise, trim around using a rotary cutter.

To remove the paper, be sure to hold down the beginning of the stitching line so it will not go undone. If it does, no problem, just stitch the seam again. You will notice how easy it is to rip the printer/copier paper. For the points, you may need to use twizzers to remove stubborn pieces.

It is not a good idea to leave paper on the patch. Once I saw on a blog a tutorial where they said that it was OK to leave pieces of paper attached because they lent character to the quilt. What? The paper will be between the block and the batting, so no one will see the ‘character’ but the black lines of the template may show through the fabric or, worse, we may have a gunky mess once the quilt is washed.

6. Stitch the quarter circle and the corner

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Pin the quarter circle liberally to the pieced section, change back the stitch length to the regular size of 2.4, and stitch. Notice on the bottom center photo how I messed up the beginning of the seam. That won’t do. So, I stitched it correctly and then ripped the stitches with faithful Jack, the seam Ripper.

I bet you are wondering if I won’t break the needle when stitching over the pins. I did! That only happens when I am using a thin needle (70/10). Otherwise, that does not happen often.

7. Stitch the corner and snip the curves

• 

• 

• 

You see the pins are about 3/8″ apart or less and, after stitching this section, I snipped the curves, both the quarter circle and the corner, so they will lay flat.

I repeated all the steps above to make the other three quarters, then joined them, and trimmed the block. It is best to chain piece all quarters one section at a time – this way, you are working with the same fabrics and same sections and there is less chance to make a mistake.

Super easy. It would have been a lot faster if I had not stopped to take photos. But, if you are to learn how to paper-piece the sun block I am sure you appreciate detailed tutorials, right? I actually took 67 photos but did not use all of them or this post would have been much longer…

I hope this is helpful! I forgot to mention that the links for products are affiliate links. And that is it for today. Have a fantastic weekend!