Punch with Judy :: Curve Master Presser Foot Special Instructions
Curve Master Presser Foot Special Instructions
The
Curve Master Presser Foot sews curves with no pinning or clipping. It
also sews a perfect, scant ¼” seam and eliminates the problem of trailing
off at the bottom edge, or getting triangle points in a wad in the needle
hole.
Sandra
Chandler, the inventor of the Curve Master, with a curved pieced Drunkard’s
Path quilt she has made in far less than half the time normally taken
with the quartering, pinning method of sewing.
Photo
taken during our Three Day Retreat with Sandy held at our Warehouse during
June 2008.
For
the purpose of this tutorial, we will use the two pieces used in a Drunkard’s
Path Block.
These
are the two shapes which will be sewn together. A convex curve into a
concave curve. Normally, a difficult seam to sew.
Having
the top straight sections level, align the beginning edges together. No
need to mark the middle or fold the fabric to find the middle. No pinning
at all.
Note
that the fabrics are placed together so that when you “flip them open”;
they are aligned exactly as you want this edge of your block to appear.
Hint
#1: Sewing with the wedge shape on top gives you better visibility, but
either on top is okay.
Hint #2: If sewing a stiffer fabric (such as a Batik) with a softer fabric,
the stiffer fabric is better to be on top.
Place
fabrics under the needle; lower the Curve Master Presser Foot, aligning
the two fabric edges against the integrated, raised ¼” seam allowance guide
of the foot as shown.
Sew
two or three stitches to secure the beginning edge, then LIFT the top layer
of fabric almost vertically, keeping your fingers in front of the needle,
close to the front of the presser foot, not off to the left hand side.
Note:
The needle is not meant to align with the centre of the Curve Master Presser
Foot. It is designed to be slightly off centre to allow a true scant ¼”
seam to be sewn.
We’ve
been taught to sew curves by laying the top fabric down, but when we do,
we get puckers, pleats and bulges beyond the ¼” seam allowance. Note the
extra fabric on the top if we were to lay the two fabrics flat together
as we would normally sew a seam.
Keep
the top layer lifted the whole time you’re sewing, separating the two fabrics
and encouraging the edges to touch the ¼” seam guide lightly. The Curve
Master Presser Foot is so short from where the fabric enters the foot to
where the needle actually sews the fabric, that you can sew using this technique
without fear of stretching the bias. We call it the “Bra Manoeuvre” …..
Lift and Separate Stitch!
Hint
# 3: Lightly pinch the top fabric with your left index finger on top and
your left thumb beneath the top fabric. Lightly “flick” the bottom fabric
with your right index finger to nudge it against the seam allowance guide.
Hint
#4: Watch only the fabric EDGES and actually see the BOTTOM fabric’s edge
touches the ¼” seam allowance guide.
Hint
#5: Do not hold your two fabrics together an inch or so in front of the
Curve Master Presser Foot, hold lightly with the “lift and separate” method
and trust the Curve Master Presser Foot to do the work for you!
About
½” or so from the bottom edges, stop sewing with the needle in the down
position, using the special bent tip tweezers, put the two fabrics together,
grip them firmly and hold the bottom edges together as shown with the tip
of the tweezers pointed toward the “safety slot” of the Curve Master Presser
Foot, which is the narrow opening between the seam allowance guide and the
needle hole.
Don’t
release the tweezers, continue sewing to the end, allowing the tip of the
tweezers to fit into the safety slot, enabling you to sew right to the very
last thread of your fabric for complete perfection. There is no danger of
breaking the needle and you are able to hold onto the fabric clear to the
end, right to the last stitch. This eliminates “trailing off” or getting
more or less than a ¼” seam.
Hint
#6: This method also works well for sewing triangles and straight seams,
with perfect consistent ¼” seams.
The
finished seam! Note that there’s no uneven edges to trim because you started
and ended evenly. No squaring up to do because you have not stretched the
bias. Nor did you have to find the middle, pin or clip your seams!
Roll
the curved seam flat with the Seam Roller because it does not apply heat
or friction which may stretch and distort a block. No need to iron the blocks
until they’re all completed and seldom will you have to trim or square up
the blocks either.
Why
not try one of the Just Curves Templates? There’s plenty to choose from.
Shown here is Sandy’s technique for a Pieced Dresden Plate with NO Appliqué
– truly remarkable.
You
HAVE to agree, the Curve Master Presser Foot makes piecing curves a “piece of
cake”!!!
Your
curved piecing will be faster, easier and much more accurate. Your quilt blocks
will go together more smoothly because your blocks are more consistent.
INVENTED
BY A QUILTER FOR QUILTERS!
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