Curve Considerations Pt. 1: Introduction & Working with Templates
Curves - fancy or foe? I firmly believe that if you can sew a 1/4” straight seam, you’re ready to take on curves. If you’ve had a rough run in the past, the technique & tips covered here provide antidotes to common curve-sewing frustrations. Adding curves to your skill set expands your options for blocks, adds modern flair to designs, and opens the door to other types of projects (hello, garments!). In short - curves are beautiful, versatile and well-worth adding to your repertoire.
The following 3-part tutorial provides an in-depth look at sewing a basic Drunkard’s Path block from start to finish:
- Working with Templates
- Sewing and Troubleshooting Curves
- Pressing Curved Units
The only requirement before we dive in: check perfectionism at the door! As a species, we quilters can be a little “square” (crisp blocks & perfect points, anyone?) but curves present an opportunity to bend into the unique, organic, sexy qualities of our kind. Take the pressure off - you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
P R E P A R I N G T E M P L A T E S
Drunkard’s Path templates have two pieces: a concave piece (the curve bends inwards, like the mouth of cave), and a convex piece (the curve bends outwards). These pieces are designated Template 1 and Template 2, although which is concave vs. convex varies by pattern and designer (Almanac Sewn patterns designate the concave piece Template 1 and the convex piece Template 2.)
It is worth mentioning that many (but definitely not all) templates include some extra “wiggle room” fabric on one or both template pieces that will be removed when trimming the unit. This may not always be obvious on the template itself.
Almanac Sewn patterns include wiggle room on Template 1 and specific instructions on how to trim your block accurately.
Most patterns contain a note to the tune of “Print templates to 100% scale and confirm 1” test square.” This, my friends, is not optional - it is imperative for success! PDF reader programs too often take liberty of automatically resizing pages for print. So, when you print your pattern and templates, ensure the Scale is set to 100%.
Use scissors or a rotary cutter (with a dull blade used for paper only) to cut out your templates. I usually prefer to recut my templates from a more rigid medium - an old cereal box works well, or you can buy special plastic used for creating templates. Compared to paper, a cardboard or plastic template is a sturdier guide for your rotary cutter. Taking a few extra minutes to cut rigid templates results in more accurate curves.
C U T T I N G F A B R I C w i t h T E M P L A T E S
A few general notes on cutting curves:
- A 45mm rotary cutter is suitable for most curves, although a 28mm rotary cutter may be preferable for smaller sizes (<3 inches finished).
- Always handle your cut pieces with care: bias edges are prone to stretching.
- Cutting away from your body is best practice. This requires either repeatedly rotating your WOF strips or walking circles around your cutting table. I find it worth the dance for accuracy (and intact fingertips!).
Most quilt patterns will instruct you to cut a width of fabric (WOF) strip(s) sized according to your template piece. This piece will then be subcut into your template shapes. For example:
Folding your strip in half selvage-to-selvage (i.e. crosswise) makes for efficient cutting - each template iteration results in two cut fabric pieces.
Properly positioning your templates preserves fabric and prevents extra waste. Unless otherwise specified, stagger your Template 1 and 2 pieces as shown below. Using a ruler or the straight edge of your template, cut off the selvage. Starting your template iterations here at the selvage end will preserve the largest scrap piece possible at the fold.
Cutting the same template from multiple strips? Work in batches - cut one position for all strips, then rotate all for the next position, and so on.
With Templates 1 and 2 transformed from PDF to fabric, it’s time to grab your pins (…three to be exact!) and move on to Part 2.