USA done!! Part One...the "U":

I got the USA blocks done so far and thought I would take the time to show how the faux paper piecing method works and how I did my letters. It's long and if I have to break up the posts I will, but I'll keep the pictures tiny. It took some thinking but they turned out pretty good. I only goofed once!

I copied each letter with a light box making them backwards as you normally do in paper piecing and then creased at every line to make the fold. Even though this is the A, I did them all the same, starting with the U. Take some of the stickiness off by ironing them once or twice on your board.
First iron the piece big enough to cover the center making sure to have enough all around for a quarter inch seam. Don't iron on the sticky side. Hold it and lay it down, ironing on the paper side.Fold back at the center seam to add the background section and trim with an Add a Quarter ruler if you have one.

You get a nice quarter inch ready to sew.

Cut the background piece large enough to cover all the area and match the seams...right sides together. Lay a strip of paper on the paper so it doesn't bind and sew right NEXT to the paper. Press the seam and then press on the paper side to stick the new section to the freezer paper.

Moving to one side of the U, do the same thing as before. Fold at the line, trim to quarter inch, line up a piece for the side large enough to cover the area and the outer seam allowance and sew. Press open and stick to paper. Above shows just one side left to do!

Last side done, an untrimmed U!

Use the paper side to trim adding a quarter inch to all sides of the outer lines. Remember: the pattern does not add the seam allowance to the template pieces!

A nice trimmed U!I'll add the other letters separately.