Create Your Own Paper Piecing Pattern

After, you have a scanned image printed out that is the same size as you would like your final project to be, cover the picture with white paper and begin tracing. Trace each portion of the image separately. You can see in the balloon pattern, I traced a new section for each color of the balloon. It is helpful when creating intricate paper pieces to have a foundation on which all the pieces can be attached. For my foundation, I traced the outline of the balloon shape and cut that out of white cardstock. Then, I traced the red stripes, extending each one a bit for overlapping during construction, the blue top section, and the brown stem of the balloon and basket. A light table is a huge help when tracing. Next, you will use the pattern to create the paper piecing.