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Pieced Curved Seams for Feed Sack Fanfare
These directions will help you in making the curved blocks for Terri Stern's Feed Sack Fanfare, patterned in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine No. 370, March 2005. If that issue is no longer available at your local quilt shop, visit our online store at www.VillageQuiltShoppe.com to check back issue availability.
For hand sewing the curve: Prepare templates with no seam allowance on the curved edge and with 1/4" seam allowances on the straight edges; also mark any alignment dots on the curves. These will be used to mark the sewing line on the curved edges.
Cut out fabric patches, adding a 1/4" allowance by eye on the curved edges. Position the appropriate template on the wrong side of the fabric patch, with the straight edges even. Trace the curve, marking dots on the sewing line (Fig. 1). Repeat for all patches.
With right sides together, align the curves of 2 different patches, and pin together, matching the first two dots (Fig. 2). Begin stitching at the edge of the patches on the marked sewing line, using a small running stitch. Pin and stitch a little at a time, occasionally turning over your piecework to make sure you are stitching on the marked line on the back side, too. Continue stitching until the unit is finished, aligning the marks, and removing the pins once you've stitched past them.
For machine piecing: A 1/4" presser foot is recommended for sewing along the curved edge. Prepare templates with all seam allowances included. With a small hole punch or tapestry needle, punch holes in the template where the alignment dots are shown on the sewing line. Mark the dots on the fabric patches through the holes in the templates.
With the curve of 2 different patches aligned and right sides together, first pin one corner and then the other. Next insert a pin into the matching center dots, and finally pin any remaining dots, easing in the fullness (Fig. 3). Stitch along the curve, passing through the marked dots, using the edge of the presser foot to maintain an even 1/4" seam allowance.
For both methods: Anchor the stitching on the curves with a backstitch at each end. Clip along the seam allowance only if necessary to make the curve lie flat. Press the seam toward the darker piece.
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