Foundation paper piecing gives you sharp points, tiny pieces, and blocks that come out exactly the size they should. It also gives you one chore almost nobody loves: picking little bits of paper out of the seams when the block is done. Pellon® 2301S Print-Stitch-Dissolve™ changes that last step. You print your foundation or stitch guide right onto the sheet, sew through it as usual, and then dissolve the paper away instead of tearing and picking it out.
What Print-Stitch-Dissolve™ Is
Print-Stitch-Dissolve™ is a versatile, lightweight paper sold in a package of 12 sheets, each 8.5" x 11" — standard letter size — in white. It is made from 100% wood cellulose, and Pellon describes it as easy to print on. That simple combination is the whole idea: because the sheets are letter size and printable, your pattern goes directly onto the foundation itself, with no tracing by hand and no separate copy step.
It is used as a water-soluble stabilizer or foundation. Note what it is not: this is a sew-in product, not a pressure-sensitive one, and it does not have a sticky back. No adhesive holds it to your fabric — you place it, secure it as your pattern requires, and stitch through it.
What It Is Best For
Pellon's own description names two main jobs. The first is foundation paper piecing: print the foundation pattern onto a sheet, sew your fabric pieces to it following the printed lines and order, and use the paper as the guide that keeps every seam accurate. The second is stitch guides — print a design or guide lines, stitch along them, and let the paper support and direct your sewing while you work.
How to Use It
Print your pattern. Load a sheet and print your foundation pattern or stitch guide onto it. Because the sheets are a standard 8.5" x 11" size, a multi-section foundation may need more than one sheet — print one sheet per section so every part of the pattern is full size and clearly legible before you start sewing.
Position it without expecting it to stick. Remember, there is no adhesive back. Place the printed sheet where your pattern directs, and secure it the way you normally secure a foundation — the first fabric piece and your stitching will anchor the work as you go.
Stitch through it. Sew through the paper and fabric together, following the printed lines. The paper acts as your foundation throughout: it supports the pieces and keeps the geometry of the block honest while the block is still fragile and unfinished.
Dissolve instead of picking. When the stitching is complete, dissolve the paper as the product name promises, rather than picking fragments out from between stitches. That is the payoff — seams you do not have to stress by tugging paper out of them, and no leftover bits hiding in tight points and corners.
Tips and Care
Test before you commit a full block. Print one sheet with your pattern and confirm the pattern prints at the correct size and is easy to read — a foundation only helps if its printed lines are accurate. Work with dry hands and a dry work surface while you print, position, and stitch, and save the dissolving step for when the stitching is truly finished; a water-soluble product should meet water only when you are ready for it to leave.
Plan your sheet count, too. A package holds 12 sheets, so counting your foundation sections before you start tells you whether one package covers the project or whether you should have a second on hand. If you love what foundation piecing does for accuracy and dread what paper removal does to your seams, a foundation you can print, stitch, and then dissolve is a smarter way to finish.
Shop the Pellon® 2301S Print-Stitch-Dissolve™ 12 Sheets - 8.5" x 11" Package. Color: White. at Linda's Electric Quilters.
