sewing curves

[Karen G.]

I was at a yard sale the other day and I bought what I thought was a bag of fabric. But much to my surprise there was an unfinished quilt in ther with all of the pieces for it. It has 3 large pieces. Already sewn together. But that is besides the point.
Does anyone have any advice on how to sew curves together. As I am still learning quilting, I have never sewn curves.
Please help. Any advice would help. The picture is what I have I tried my best to iron it. Should I take it apart and restart. Or try to piece it together.
Thank you
Mathew B.

[Susan B.]

Hi Matthew, glad to see you've still got the quilting bug! Arcs like this will teach you new skills. They may teach you to say new words :lol: :lol: :lol: We had lots of words during month 3 of the 2013 BOM. I've posted a link to that discussion. In it are links to Youtube videos and other resources, including Margo's classroom, on sewing arcs. Good luck! We want pictures and feedback!

forum/two-of-us-2013/6182-month-3-arcs

[Marion D.]

I get the impression that this is not laying flat...or is it just the way it is hanging? If it isn't laying flat, it is going to take a LOT of time to fix.

[Marion D.]

There will be a lot of bias seams there, so you would need to be careful pressing it so that you don't add any more distortion. I agree with theothermarion that it doesn't look completely flat at the moment. the long way round would be to take off the cream circle sections, make a template of the shape, press them to fit the template and then resew them together (providing the 9 patches are laying flat)

Alternatively follow this advice, when you get it all together :wink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzoL7ddTEnA

Please keep us informed on how you get on with it.

[Marion D.]

It is not laying flat but the 9 patch parts are flat.

[Jo H.]

It appears like the melon segments are not cut at the right size. check out the following blog:

http://timquilts.com/?s=melon

Tim is an awesome quilter that rescues tops and makes them into quilts. He stays true to the quilt, but sometimes does undo sections in order to make the quilt. Warning: grab yourself a cup of coffee/tea/pepsi, you will be on his blog a while. I love following Tim's adventures.

[Jo H.]

I would also suggest--since you are so new to quilting--that you hand piece it.

[Marion D.]

so the melon pieces are the problem...I can think of a couple of things. Try finding templates that are the same size as yours and recut. Or experiment with different sizes of melons using fabric that you don't care about. That way you don't take out seams over and over again.

The bias seams are probably the problem.

[Lois B.]

Good luck! I think you will learn alot doing this. If you like challenges like this one, I also think you are going to be a very good quilter.

[Lois B.]

I just started piecing some blocks using this same curved pattern. I don't have much experience with curved piecing, and wondered if I could do the seams properly without major effort.

Years ago I bought a Curve Master Presser Foot at a show, but I'd never used it. I remembered it, and pulled it out for this project. It turned out to be very easy to use, and works great! No pinning required, and the curves turn out beautiful. I'd recommend this foot, if you are thinking of finishing (or re-stitching) these blocks. Here is a link for it: http://www.amazon.com/Curve-Master-C.../dp/B002Y19J3W. It comes with adapters to fit different sewing machines; I think I might have had to buy a Bernina adapter separately? There are also several videos online for the foot.