STRIPPY CURVES
Today @getahashtagkim has come up with a fun and different block for you to try out and experiment a little bit out of your comfort zone!
Don’t be alarmed- curves and improv aren’t as tricky as you may think! In the following Kim will take us through gentle improv and a no pin style of sewing. Stay with me…
Cut four 9½ x 2½ inch strips. Lay four 9½ x 2½ inch strips in your chosen order.
Then take two strips and overlap them by about an inch as shown with pin markers.
Using a small rotary cutter, cut through both layers where they overlap, making small curves. Go slowly to avoid shifting the two strips, pin them together at the far end if it helps. Discard the narrow scraps. Admire your hills and valleys.
Cut and sew each pair of strips one at a time to ensure the curves match. Those straight sides in the middle will be cut and sewn later.
Take one pair & sew along the curvy edge RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER using a narrow seam allowance, 1/8th inch is easier than trying for a normal ¼ inch.
You don’t need pins, trust me! Just go slowly, carefully lifting & turning the top layer as you go to align the edge with that of the bottom layer. Don’t pull or you’ll stretch the fabric. You may only manage a couple of stitches at a time before you have to leave the needle down and raise the foot to work around the curves and wriggle the fabrics but it will work.
It may look like a mess right now but go with it, it will press flat, just take it slowly. Lay one strip flat on the ironing board, hold the other one up and gently nudge the tip over the iron along the seam allowance to press it over to one side.
Overlap then cut the remaining straight sides as shown earlier. Sew and press as before. Give the block a final press, then trim to a 4½ x 8½ inch block. Look forward to seeing your curves!
Visit our designers on Instagram to see our versions of this block : @cotefleurie @getahashtagkim @JustSewSue @lisasew @metroquilter @picosailors @pippaspatch @quirkyhannah @surfseasew @therunninghare
#scrapbagsampler
quirkyhannah 