SEWING REALLY LARGE CURVED PIECES

[lotti]

I have been a thinking and dreaming of a quilt for a while and I want to get it out of my brain. One half of the quilt is pieced and the other half is a large expanse of whole cloth. I plan a curved seam going the entire length of the quilt top. (About 3 yards long, from top to bottom.)

Have any of you sewn such a large curved piece and can you give any tips on accomplishing such a feat. How much of a curve can I make to keep the fabrics flat? Would freezer paper on the back of the fabric help stabilize the curve so I can sew it together better. My pieced section is sewn and I am to the point I need to design and cut the curves but I am kind of afraid to cut the fabric.

How big of a curve can I cut before I could get into trouble and it would not go back together again? I plan to cut them as single layers not overlapping. I watched Ricky Tims' Caveman DVD on improvisational piecing, but his sample is small and I do not know if his technique will work for larger fabrics. Any help or hints would be appreciated.

Lady Rags aka Nonnie .

[lotti]

Make sure that you have plenty of match points/registration marks along the length of the line.

After you have marked the stitching line and match points - don't forget to add the seam allowance!

The tighter the curve, the more likely you will need to snip into the seam allowance (after stitching) to get it to lay flat when you press it. Personally I prefer to make my snips at 45 degrees to the stitching line, instead of the usual 90 degrees, and I snip each layer alternately (and from opposite directions), because I have found (from dressmaking) that it gives a much smoother curve.

I suppose if you have done drunkards path, that should give you an indication of how tight a curve you can sew.

[Zarah]

Hi, watch the new show. Ricky is showing something about seam allowances, registration marks and stay stitching on curved pieces. That would help you, too.
Rosemary, you give very good and clear advice.

[Zarah]

THANK YOU, for the help. I know coming here for the question I would get help.

Nonnie

[theothermarion]

You could sew a straight seam, then applique a curved piece over it. If it fits in your design!

[theothermarion]

How about using Ricky's caveman style cutting. Both fabrics right side up overlapping the edge, and cut your soft curve. Sew together using scant 1/4" seam. You could put registration marks along the way, but if one side is whole cloth there isn't really anything to line up. I made a convergence quilt twin size and the biggest challenge was cutting space. I laid out the fabrics on the floor with the largest cutting matt I could find, when I got the edge of the matt, i carefully slid the fabric over the matt. You could probably pin the fabric that isn't on the matt so it doesn't shift, and remove the pins before you continue to cut. Ricky also suggest drawing your line with water soluble marker if you are uncomfortable cutting a curve for the first time. Hope this makes sense. There is a video of Ricky demonstrating his method, or get his convergence book it really is informative.

[theothermarion]

Okay I just found Ricky's demonstration Its show 204 crazy about curves.