④ When joining the rows, take extra care with pinning to ensure that the seam lines match up.
⑤ Carefully sew across.
⑥ Where the seams intersect, press the seam allowances in a rotating direction, like a windmill.
Hexagon
▶ p.10 The Little Bird Bag
● Drafting a Hexagon
You will need a compass. The following is a typical drafting method.
① Determine the desired measurement of a hexagon side a, and using this measurement as the radius, draw a circle.
② To figure out where the corners of the hexagon will intersect, first measure out the radius dimension from point A and make a mark on the arc above and below the horizontal line. Repeat with point A’.
③ Connect the marks.
● Piecework
The flower is a popular pattern shaped with hexagons. In this delightful design, each hexagonal piece forms a petal. For detailed instructions, see page 15.
Rhombus
▶p.30 Lemon Star Gusseted Bag
▶p.56 Strawberry Pouch
● Drafting a Rhombus
We will use the hexagon above as reference for drawing the rhombus.
① Determine the measurement of a rhombus side a, and using this measurement as the radius, draw a circle. Plot out the 6 points for the hexagon and connect the dots.
② When you draw six diagonal lines from each corner, you will have six isosceles triangles.
③ Two adjacent triangles from step ② will form a rhombus.
● Piecework
Rhombuses are often used to create star patterns. The star’s shape will vary depending on the number of rhombuses sewn together, In this book, we will introduce a bag sporting the quintessential “Lemon Star” design.
Applied Pattern
Octagon
To create this 8-sided polygon, 4 equilateral triangles are pieced together at each corner of a square. Play with hue combinations and you will find that certain color schemes will make the octagon shape appear round, which is a fun effect.
▶ p.36 Flat Bag
● Drafting an Octagon
• Key Points (for Flat Bag)
First draw a 23/8 in (6cm) square, and on each corner, measure out ¾ in (1.75cm) horizontally and vertically and draw a right angle isosceles triangle. The long side of the triangle will be the approximate length of the octagon side.
● Seam Allowance Direction
• Piecework Key Points
With right sides facing, stitch the triangles to the octagon. Press the seam allowance toward the corner.
▶ p.30 Lemon Star Gusseted Bag
Lemon Star
Also called the “8-pointed star,” this classic design is a must-try for quilters. Experiment with contrasting fabrics to make the star pop.
● Drafting a Lemon Star
• Key Points
Divide one side of the square into the following ratio: 1: √2: 1
① Draw a diagonal line from one corner and repeat on the other corner.
② Position the compass on a corner (P), placing the other end of the compass mid-way (O) on the diagonal line (see illustration above).
Draw an arc from horizontal line to the vertical line. Repeat with the other three corners.
● Seam Allowance Direction
• Piecework Key Points
As seen in the illustration, assemble 4 sets of sewn rhombus pairs (up to the ○ mark). After piecing together half of the star, use a ruler to make sure that the center line is straight before attaching the other half. Fit the surrounding square and triangular pieces into the star shape and sew together.
Patchwork Quilt Basic Terms
Included below are essential patchwork quilt terms. If you are a beginner, they can seem overwhelming at first, but they are definitely worth taking the time to learn.
Essential Terms & Techniques
● Quilt
Composed of batting (padding) sandwiched between a quilt top (top fabric layer) and backing (the lower or underside fabric). The three layers are then stitched together.
● Patchwork
A patch refers to sewing together