Sewology Sunday - Getting Perfect Centers
Before the football and eating begins we are squeezing in a little Sewology Sunday post to accompany the Arcadia Avenue QAL post tomorrow. We thought it might be nice to share how to get perfect centers on your Arcadia Avenue hexagon blocks before most of you start sewing! With all those points and paper coming into one place, the centers can get bulky and not lay flat. We had quite a few less than perfect centers before we finally figured out a system that worked for us.
Let's Begin!
- Once you have all 12 wedges paper-pieced and trimmed it is time to make the hexagons! Lay the pieces out and in the order you would like.
- Pair the foundations into 6 sets of 2 and sew them into triangles.
- Carefully remove the paper from the seam on both sides.
- Press the seam open.
- Trim the point of the seam to approximately 1/8".
- When you sew the triangles into rows, remove the paper from and press open each seam.
- Now that you have two rows of three, the center seams should look like this.
- Before you sew the two halves together, pin them in place. The centers will be a little thick, so here is my little trick! Stick a pin through the center of each half, then pin on each side of the bulk.
- Sew the two halves together and remove the paper from the seam.
- Press the seam open and Voila!
Well that's all folks! Give it ago and see how it works for you. We will be sharing our Fly Away blocks tomorrow, so be sure to stop by! Now, back to football, food and family =] Happy Super Bowl Sunday!
Comments
Kim said:
Your beautiful color combo caught my attention. This is such a pretty block. It’s so tempting to start a new project looking at your beautiful tutorial.
Barb said:
Looking forward to starting Arcadia Avenue, but I have to finish another pattern first. It is also paper pieced and has 12 points that meet in the middle (theoretically!). Will your technique work on other patterns with similar characteristics? I can’t see why not … but the other pattern says to press all of the seams to one side and leave the points untrimmed. Bulky, bulky, bulky and I can’t get them to match.
Thank you for your advice!
Gerry said:
Just bought the book and signed up to join a class. My question is how much material does it take to do one block? Our class is going to start on block 7 and I’m confused to how to cut material, want to use some of my stash.
Can you advise?
Thanks
Diane said:
I LOVE THIS!!!! Do you sell just the paper piecing pattern?
Joye Cabrera said:
Beautiful where can I order book or paper for piecing?
Joye Cabrera said:
Beautiful where can I order book or paper for piecing?
SharonTaghon said:
How am I able to get the pattern or the paper piecing sheet for the above pattern
Shirley said:
I am working on the arcadia bom. I am on block two and finding it hard to get the centres done correctly. I am not quiet understand the instructions in number six and seven. When you have put the blocks together in five it only shows four blocks.
Bobbie Molony said:
I love this design! How can I get it?
Karen Bicker said:
Love this paper piece also! How can I get the pattern?
Rosangela said:
I loved your job, like somebody said the color combination you used.. was perfect. Please can I get the patterns? Thank you
Pat said:
The pattern is one of the BOM patterns in their book called Arcadia Avenue.
Connie davis said:
How can I get this patter. I would love to make this block. It so beautiful.
carol reynolds said:
I love this block, beautiful colors and pattern. Very good detailed instructions for a smooth center, too.