Curved Piecing

By Addy Harkavy, Pinetree Quiltworks.

Assembling curved pieces can be easier than you think. Although some quilter pin or baste heavily, most curved pieces can be put together with judicious creasing and a few pins.

Here's how:

Let's use the Drunkard's Path as an example. The pieces consist of the outer block and the inner wedge. Fold each piece in half and crease lightly at the half-way point. Then open each piece, and fold each edge to the center crease. Now crease this "quarter mark". Then line up the creases (remember to put right sides together) and pin at the creases and edges. This uses a total of five pins.

To sew the curve, make sure that the longer side of the curve, the convex part, is on the bottom. In the case of a Drunkard's Pat block, this would be the outer block. Your feed dogs will take up the additional fabric on the bottom and ease it in for you.

Finally, start with your needle down and hang on to the thread tails. Sew slowly, keeping the edge of your ¼" presser foot at the aligned curve edges.

When finished piecing, press the outer block (background) toward the point of the wedge piece. If the seam doesn't lay flat enough for your taste, trim the seam allowance slightly and press again.

© Addy Harkavy 2003. Reprinted with permission by Addy Harkavy.