Placing Template on Fabric
Place template on
pre-washed and ironed fabric, observing
grain lines. Blocks will be more accurate and fit together more
easily if the outside edges of the patches are out on the straight
grain of the fabric. Sometimes this is not always possible, as for
example when selective
piecing (See Below). In this case, starching the fabric and
careful minimal handling will help.Marking Cutting Lines
If you are hand
piecing, mark the cutting line (at left) and sewing lines (below).
A 0.5 mm mechanical pencil is ideal for this purpose. On dark
fabric, a 0.5 mm Pigma brand pen in a contrasting color works well.
Or try the ARDCOTM blue or white marking
pencils. Maintaining a sharp point is essential.Marking Sewing Lines
Check this link for more help with how to mark tight corner pieces.
Mark the
entire sewing line if hand piecing. Mark only the corners if
machine piecing. When machine piecing, in some cases it is not
necessary to mark the sewing line at all. This includes anywhere
that the patches to be sewn together line up very well. Examples
would be sewing squares together, or the same shape triangles
together.
Using the Rotary Cutter
If you wish to
use the rotary cutter, hold the template as shown. Make the cuts,
shifting your fingers as needed. I like to use a smaller mat that I
can turn around. Small chunks (sections) of fabric are also easier
to handle. Use the smaller size rotary cutter and never rush!
When cutting
curved pieces, use the new, smaller, 18 mm rotary cutter.
Check this link for more help with how
to mark tight corner pieces.
Selective Piecing
Selective piecing is
a popular technique for I-Spy and many
other quilts. Simply center the window template on the fabric motif
and mark or cut.Kaleidoscopic Piecing
For Kaleidoscopic
piecing, center and cut the window template on the same fabric
motif however many times the block design calls for (e.g. Dresden Plate = 16,
LeMoyne Star = 8, etc.).You are now ready to piece your block!
If you have any questions or comments on these tips, please send them to Shirley Templates.