Patchwork with templates ( an oldie but goodie)

 Hello friends, and happy April! 

Our youngest has been on Spring Break this week so I took some time off from blogging and Facebooking ( that is a verb, right?). But I thought I could "recycle" an older blog post, all about using those fabulous acrylic templates that you can find everywhere. Enjoy and have a very Happy Easter!

Patchwork with Templates

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Have you always wanted to learn more about those acrylic templates you see at quilt stores and online? I did too, so I bought a set and played around with them. They were AMAZING to use…everything just lined up and came out perfectly ( believe me, that usually is not the case for me!). So I thought I would share how you use them and then you can decide if you want to give them a try!

You will need a template set ( I am using Marti Michell’s set G) (click)

 

You will also find it very handy to have a  rotating  cutting mat ( click), a small rotary cutter ( click), and a pencil.

Choose your center fabric and cut it out using your large hexagon ( I fussy-cut my fabric because I wanted to focus on certain images, so I laid my template on the right side and cut around my shape). Then I decided what fabrics would complement my center fabric and cut 6 of each of those.

You can fold your fabric and cut multiple layers at a time ( as long as your fabric is NOT directional that is!). The instructions suggest that you lay the templates on according to the grain of the fabric, I did not worry about that because I am using scraps and have to fit my pieces in any way I can. After you cut your star points you want to mark dots ( on the wrong side)where your seam allowance will start and end. Lay the template over each shape and mark.

 

 

The block is starting to take shape already! Now it’s time to cut the diamonds in between the star points:

Mark the dots on those and now you are ready to start sewing your block together.

 

This took a little bit of thought! My ultimate goal was to sew straight seams so I looked at the pieces and decided which order would work best. I decided to sew a star point on first and sew the star point right above it to the accompanying diamond. ( Make sure you don’t get your pieces turned the wrong way on your way to the sewing machine!). 

 

 

 

Sew both pieces from DOT TO DOT and press.( I pressed away from center and towards diamonds, but you may prefer to press open). Now you are going to join those 2 pieces.

 

  

 

And then you are going to repeat on the opposite side of your hexagon:Just look at those perfect points!

The top and bottom star points and diamonds you are going to sew together so they form a straight edge

 

And finally you are going to sew those pieces to the top and bottom of your center section:

 

 

 

You could sew from dot to dot on this last one, but I don’t think it is necessary because you are not joining any more pieces to the outside.

Tadaaaa! First block all done! Now wasn’t that super easy?! Believe me, if I think it’s easy, then it is

Now go on, go make some of your own!

I found this link to some of the templates, in case you are curious what all is available: Marti Michell templates ( click)

Until next time~happy creating!

Monique