By: Linda Smoker

Click “Download PDF” to obtain a printable copy, including diagrams.

By Linda Smoker 

Click “Download PDF” to obtain a printable copy, including diagrams.

Creating a smooth, perfect curve for circles, half circles or quarter circles is not always an easy task. Here’s a way that guarantees smooth lines that is also quick and easy! This method can also be used to create other shapes, such as squares and triangles. After creating your desired shape, you can machine or hand appliqué your piece to the appropriate background.

1. Using a pattern or template, trace and cut out the desired shape from lightweight interfacing, making sure there is a 1/4″ seam allowance. Cut an identical shape from fabric.

2. Sew the two shapes, right sides together, around the outside edge, using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

3. Cut a slit in the center of the interfacing and turn the shape, right side out. (Note: If needed, clip seam up to thread, being carefuly not to cut thread.) Using a blunt, pointed object such as a pencil, gently push out and smooth the edges of shape. Press. (Note: A full circle can be cut in half or quarters to get a half circle or quarter circle shape.)

4. Appliqué the shape to the background fabric using a hand or machine method.

5. Turn the appliquéd background fabric over to the back side and trim the excess fabric and interfacing from behind the stitched shape to reduce bulk, if desired. Press.

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Have you tried self binding a quilt? It’s a great time-saving technique, particularly for smaller quilts with a single (not pieced) cut of backing fabric. Self binding involves folding the edges of the backing fabric to the front of the quilt and stitching it place. This eliminates cutting and piecing binding strips, as well as sewing them to the quilt front and blindstitching them to the quilt back. Instead, binding becomes an all-in-one step that makes finishing your quilt a snap! Remember, though, the backing fabric you choose will show on the front of the quilt, so be sure it’s a color that complements the quilt front.

Self-Binding Your Quilt

1. Carefully trim the backing 3-1/2″ away from the quilt top on on all four sides. Fold the backing back and away from the batting after trimming. In the same manner, trim the batting 1-1/4″ away from the quilt top.

2. Fold the (2) sides of the backing in 3/8″, wrong sides together, toward the front of the quilt top, and press. Fold the sides in again over the batting, covering 1/4” of the quilt top edges and pin in place. Top stitch the self binding close to the edge of the fabric with a 1/8” seam allowance.

3. In the same manner, fold in the top and bottom backing. Stitch as in step #2.

4. Optional: Slip stitch the openings closed or use as a self rod pocket to hang the quilt. 

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Probably no technique intimidates quilters more than curved piecing. Just the mention of it is enough to send all but the most adventurous sewers running in the opposite direction. Curved piecing’s bark is definitely worse than its bite. Armed with the steps given below, you may find that curved patches are your new best friends. Curved piecing seems difficult mainly because two dissimilar pieces: a concave piece and a convex piece, are being sewn together. Think of the concave pieces as “valleys” and convex pieces as “hills.”

1.Finger press the valley piece right sides together to find the center point. Then, finger press the hill piece wrong sides together to find its center point.

2. Right sides together, layer the valley piece on top of the hill piece, matching the center points. The creases made in the two pieces should nestle together. Pin the two pieces together at the center point.

3. Pin the two pieces together at each end. Some people proceed directly to the sewing machine at this point, matching the edges as they are fed through the machine.

4. Place pins about 1/2″ apart in the spaces between the pins already in place. Again, be sure the valley piece is on top. If the valley piece is not stretching enough to fit easily around the hill piece, clip 1/8” into the seam allowance at several points.

5. Using a 1/4” seam allowance, sew the two pieces together just as you would for any other quilt patches. The seam allowance will naturally tend to fall toward the concave, or valley, piece. Press the seam allowance in that direction.

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Fabric yo-yos are fun and easy to make! Yo-yos are a “take along” project and can be made in many different shapes and sizes to embellish your quilt, giving it a special look.

1. Cut a circle yo-yo template to measure twice the desired finished widthof the yo-yo plus 1/2” for seam allowances.

2. Turn under and press the outside edge, to the wrong side, a scant 1/4″ to create a finished edge on the yo-yo.

3. With needle and double thread, run a basting stitch around the outer edge of the fabric circle. Pull the basting thread to gather and close the center, right side out, as shown.

4. Draw the needle through the back of the yo-yo and knot the thread to hold it tight.

Hearts

1. Turn under and press the outside edge, to the wrong side, a scant 1/4″ to create a finished edge on the yo-yo.

3. Pull both basting strings to gather the piece into a heart shape, right side out, as shown. Tie a knot to secure.

Flowers

1. Turn under and press the outside edge, to the wrong side, a scant 1/4″ to create a finished edge on the yo-yo.

2. With needle and double thread, run a basting stitch from one “V” point, around to the next point. Leave a 2” length of thread. Continue running basting stitches from point to point, leaving a 2” length of thread around the outer edge of the fabric flower.

3. Pull all basting strings to gather the piece into a flower shape, right side out, as shown. Tie a knot to secure. 

4. To define the heart shape, knot thread and stick the needle up through the heart at the top “V” point, take a small stitch at the top of the yo-yo, and stick the needle down.

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How to Sew Spiral Triangle Rings

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Long ago as pioneers headed west, one important commodity to have in every wagon was plenty of warm quilts. Winters were long and cold, and bed covers were very important. It was impossible for the women to set up their quilting frames along the trail, so they devised an ingenious method of piecing and quilting each row one at a time in a manageable size called “Quilt-as-you-go.” Once enough rows were sewn and added, they were joined into a beautiful quilt. 

Row-by-Row…QUILT-AS-YOU-GO!

1. Layer a 45” x 76” piece of backing, right side down, and then the 45” x 76” piece of batting. Pin or baste the layers together.

2. Starting 15″ down from the top of the back/batting pair and 1/2″ in from the side edge, pin (1) 4″ x 42″ brown stripe strip, right side facing up. Sew vertical pumpkin/leaf row #1, right sides together and through all the layers, to the brown stripe strip, as shown. Open and press.

3. Stitch a second 4″ x 42″ brown stripe strip and press open.

4. Continue across the width of the batting/backing, adding vertical rows #2 through#4, alternating with the remaining (3) 4″ x 42″ brown stripe strips to complete the piecing and quilting of the quilt center.

5. In the same manner, add the 14″ x 42″ cream leaf pieces to the top and bottom of the quilt center. Press open.

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Half-Square and Quarter-Square Triangles are one of the most common units used in designing quilt blocks. One frequently used method is to cut out each triangle and piece them together individually, but this can be tedious and time consuming and the bias edges of the triangles are easy to distort and stretch. Now, the time it takes to make Half-Square and Quarter-Square triangles is cut in half!

Fast and Easy Triangle Units

Half-Square Triangle Units (HST)

1. Cut squares of light fabric and squares of dark fabric, adding 7/8” to the desired finished block size, as shown in the given chart. Each pair of light and dark squares will make (2) HST blocks. (i.e. If you need (50) HST blocks, cut (25) light and (25) dark squares)

2. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each light square.

3. Place a marked square, right sides together, on top of a dark square. Sew 1/4” away on both sides of the drawn line.

4. Cut on the drawn line. Open and press toward the dark fabric. 

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Paper Piecing, also known as “foundation piecing”, was a favorite technique used over a 100 years ago. In the Virginia Quilt Museum a quilt top was discovered to contain an old letter dated 1889 as one of the paper foundations. Many of the String Pieced quilts that were popular over the last century contained old newspaper and catalog papers as their foundations. Today, paper piecing is a wonderful technique used for sewing tiny pieces with unusual angles that are not easy constructed with templates. Fabric is stitched from the underside of the marked paper which eliminates the consideration of grain lines or precision in cutting fabrics. Follow the easy steps below to create perfectly pieced blocks.

Paper Piecing

Paper Piecing Preparation

In paper piecing, a foundation pattern is needed for each block that is to be sewn. Multiple copies of a foundation pattern can be made in several ways.

1. Trace the indicated number of copies individually to the foundation paper.

2. Photocopy at exact size of pattern.

3. Place a traced foundation pattern onto multiple layers of foundation paper (number needed indicated on pattern). Without thread in your sewing machine needle, using a long stitch length, sew precisely on each line of the pattern. The needle will pierce holes in all the layers of paper that will match the pattern lines.

Cut out the foundation pattern beyond the outer line. Set your machine’s stitch length (18 stitches per inch). This makes the foundation easier to remove once you have completed sewing the fabric block.