Rhonda Dort

Class 4 Information FB Post #5

This lengthy post is all about DRAFTING template pieces when all you have is an Arc to work with. There are lots of pictures, information can be found in most if not all of the picture captions.

📌 Don’t for ANY REASON think this is hard!! It is remarkably straightforward! You can do it! Sharpen your pencils and let’s begin!

One of our Facebook Group Class members (Bonne Riffle) has these wonderful vintage DWR arcs and it looks like a single Small Melon. Initially this looks quite daunting but…very doable! We are going to take a 30+ pic tutorial journey about creating the missing templates for these arcs.

This is my lonely single pieced arc. It needs additional pieces to eventually become part of a DWR quilt. This is the only piece I have and from this single arc we are going to create the remaining pieces. Are you ready? Press and spray starch the arc taking care to not distort the fabrics and arc pieces. Once starched and pressed, lay the arc on a sheet of white card stock.

Using either transparent tape or blue painters tape, secure the arc to the card stock. Just make sure the arc will not move as you prepare for the next step.

With a mechanical pencil or pen of some sort, very carefully trace around the outside of the arc. You will have to carefully remove the securing tape when the shape has been traced.

Carefully fill in the missing areas blocked by the tape. Once you have filled in the 4 small missing line areas stop and think about what you have: a template for an arc to include 1/4th inch seam allowances. We need to carefully get rid of the seam allowances.

Using a quilting ruler, very carefully begin marking the 1/4th inch seam allowance. But first…think about the line you drew around the pieced fabric arc. You drew a line on just beyond the fabric edge so the newly created template shape is ever so slightly larger than it needs to be. Why worry you might ask? If you are making a quilt that has 64 horizontal/vertical seams for example and your template is just 1/64th inch too big…you will be off by an inch in the end ☹️

Place your ruler 1/4th inch mark just on the inside edge of your new paper template piece.

Follow along the entire paper template edge, marking as shown above.

When you have finished marking, take your newly created paper template over to your printer and make a copy. Mark one as: Master Copy, set this Master aside and do not cut it!

Cut out the photocopied paper template along the black line.

Your next step is to very carefully cut away the marked seam allowances.

When finished cutting, carefully fold your template in half. It should be symmetrical. If not, do just a smidge of trimming.

Use this card stock paper template and trace 3 more.

Cut our the remaining 3 card stock arc templates. Fold an additional arc in half.

On a gridded surface, begin to lay out the 4 arcs in this fashion.

The red arrows show that the two previously folded Arcs need to be on the top and bottom. The fold lines need to be lined up with the grid lines. Work with the two side arcs, carefully positioning them so they just touch the edges of the top and bottom arcs. But take a look at the negative space inside the four arcs…do you see what has been created? The DWR block center piece!

When your arcs are perfectly positioned, and without sneezing…carefully tape the edges as shown in the picture.

Tape each of the four places where the arc points touch each other. Once taped, you will ever so carefully lift the 4 arc piece from the grid and …

Place it onto a sheet of white paper. So here’s where I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture. ☹️ carefully lay the 4 arc piece on the paper and trace along the INSIDE EDGE of the taped 4 arc shape.

TAAAA-DAAAAAA You have just created the block center! Yes you will need to add seam allowances but look at what you’ve done!

Speaking of seam allowances, I ALWAYS mark my templates with exact instructions and in this case it’s all about alerting me to the needed seam allowances to be added later!

Sorry this pics a bit blurry. Talk 2 card stock arcs and position them as above, with their points just barely touching. Trace along the INSIDE edge.

Again, TAA-DAA! You’ve just created the Small Melon template!

So what’s happening here? We need to begin to create the 4 Patch template. This time you will trace only the two top peaks these arcs make when positioned like this.

Follow the pictures for arc template placements and markings to make the 4 Patch template.

The final 4 Patch template marking.

You guessed it….taaa-daaa! You now have the makings of a 4 Patch template! If you wanted a solid fabric piece in your DWR you would be finished.

If you want the more traditional 4 Patch piece, begin placing your ruler and marking as shown in the next few pictures.

Make about a 1” like near the center.

Mark a line from opposite points and you will have identified the exact center of this shape.

Set your ruler at the very tip of the arc and at the point where your two lines cross. Draw a line as shown below.

Cut out the photocopied paper template along the black line.

Your next step is to very carefully cut away the marked seam allowances.

Congratulations, you’ve just created the 4 piece 4 Patch templates!

Are you impressed with your drafting skills!?!

It’s totally up to you about how many pieces make up your pieced arcs. Above you’ll see I’ve sectioned out a 6 piece arc.

See the center arc…did you know you can sew a section of strips of fabrics and cut your arcs from this striped fabric?

Do you now see how easy drafting these pattern pieces can be! You now have created all of your templates, all that is left to do is to add the 1/4th inch seam allowances to each created templates. Obviously if you are working with a few vintage arc pieces they will dictate the number of pieces in your additional arcs.

Happy quilting and blessings,

Rhonda