Tutorial - Precision Piecing

We are hosting a 9 Patch Exchange at the store.  This gave me the opportunity to try out a few new products we have in the store. When it was suggested that we host the 9 Patch Exchange, I was alerted to some great products that would insure accuracy in piecing these blocks. So - I will try to take you through the process step by step here.



First, a product called Cutting Edge....plastic strips that mark the underside of the ruler.



The blocks are 3-1/2" blocks so I needed to mark the 1-1/2" on the rulers underside.



First I straighten the fabric....



Then I butt the straightened edge along the plastic strips marked at 1-1/2" - and cut my strips.



Fabric one, then fabric two.....



Check out the markings, perfect 1-1/2" strips.....now we move to the sewing machine.


The next product is called sewing edge! (You can use a few layers of painters tape here instead)



I take my 3-1/2" ruler and with my needle measure the 1/4" on my machine - then adhere a strip of the sewing edge tape which is about a 1/16" of an inch thick.



You can cut these tapes but I chose to mark the machine and the table giving me a longer edge. Then I stitched my first strip.



Check the perfect 1/4" seam - I was thrilled! So far, so good!



The blocks worked out to exactly 3-1/2" - Voila - precision piecing! To see my pinning method - look up Molly's Meadow on this blog - I give a demo there.



...and my second set of perfect 3-1/2" blocks!

FYI - you can use painters tape to do either of these things but I have to say I love the ease of these two products and they are both reusable and very accurate.....

My next project calls for 2-1/2" strips so I will just remove the Cutting Edge tape and reposition it for my new cutting size....I mean seriously, how easy is that.