The Quilter's Bible. Linda
into quarter-square triangles.
Equilateral Triangles
An equilateral triangle has three sides each the same length, with three angles each 60 degrees.
Drawing – To draw the shape with seam allowances = finished height + 3⁄4in (1.9cm).
Cutting – Cut a fabric strip to the desired width.
Use a rotary ruler, positioning the 60 degree line along the top edge of the fabric strip. Make the cut and discard the end piece.
Re-position the ruler so the other 60 degree line is along the bottom edge of the fabric strip. Make the cut – this is the first triangle.
Re-position the ruler again as in the first cutting diagram, with the 60 degree line along the top edge of the strip, and make the cut. Continue alternating the ruler position along the strip.
Diamonds
Diamonds commonly used in patchwork are those with 60 degree and 45 degree angles, making a short diamond and a long diamond. See also Patchwork with Diamonds and Polygons.
Drawing – To draw the shapes with seam allowances = finished height + 1⁄2in (1.3cm) and finished width + 1⁄2in (1.3cm).
Cutting – Diamonds can be cut in a similar way to triangles. First cut the fabric into strips that are 1⁄2in (1.3cm) wider than the finished height of the diamond. Use the 60 or 45 degree line on the ruler to cut diamonds of the desired angle and width.
Hexagons
A hexagon has six equal sides and six equal angles.
Drawing – The shape can be created by cutting away two equilateral triangles from a 45 degree diamond. See also Patchwork with Diamonds and Polygons.
Cutting – Start by cutting a strip 1⁄2in (1.3cm) wider than the desired finished height of the hexagon. Cut the strip into 45 degree diamonds. Lay a diamond horizontally as shown. Cut two equilateral triangles off each side of the diamond – these will be half of the diamond’s height.
Octagons
An octagon has eight equal sides and eight equal angles.
Drawing – The shape can be created by cutting the corners off a square so all sides are equal. See also Patchwork with Diamonds and Polygons.
Cutting – Start by cutting a square 1⁄2in (1.3cm) larger than the desired finished height of the octagon. On the wrong side of the square mark the diagonal lines. Rotate the square so it is on point. Cut the four corners off the square by finding the line on the ruler that is equal to half the cutting height of the square, aligning this with the vertical line drawn on the square.
Trapeziums
A trapezium or trapezoid is a quadrilateral (a shape with four sides) which is actually based on a triangle. See also Patchwork with Diamonds and Polygons.
Drawing – The shape can be created by cutting the top off a triangle.
Cutting – The size of the triangle to be cut off can be determined by drawing the diagram on graph paper, adding the seam allowance as shown and then cutting off the grey-shaded triangle.
Kites
A kite is a quadrilateral based on a triangle. See also Patchwork with Diamonds and Polygons.
Drawing – A kite can be created by cutting away one side of a triangle.
Cutting – Cut a kite shape by first cutting a half-square triangle. Draw the shape on graph paper with the seam allowances, cutting off the shaded triangle.
Using Technology
There are many pieces of equipment that most of us use routinely that can also be of help for patchwork, appliqué and quilting, including computers, scanners, printers, photocopiers, digital cameras and mobile phones. There are also software programs that are brilliant for planning and designing quilts.
Using Computers, Scanners and Printers
If you have a computer, scanner and printer you can use them in many ways when designing and stitching a quilt or other project. Here are a few suggestions.
• Having a computer, scanner and printer takes a lot of the drudgery out of copying designs and makes enlarging and reducing them quick and easy. Designs can also be flipped or reversed (as the teddies have been here), rotated and repeated (as the flower motif) without having to be taken to a photocopy shop.
• If you can’t decide whether a selection of fabrics would work well together in a block and don’t want to waste precious fabric making a block then fake it. Scan each fabric and make a colour printout. Cut up the paper fabric and assemble the pieces into the block, sticking them on to paper.
• If you have many templates to cut from paper or freezer paper for English paper piecing, copy the template into a word processing or drawing file. Repeat the shape as many times as you can on a page and then print (see diagram above). If printing on to freezer paper, print directly on to the non-shiny side. The printer must be a desk-jet type that works without heat, not a laser.
• A word processing program can be used to print quilt labels. Type in the details you want to include (see Labelling