Pages from the Make It Simpler Notebook: September 2015

September 2015

C&T Publishing encouraged its authors to mark this National Sewing Month and I got on board. My contribution is a very special Hexagon pattern that's been, unbelievably, under wraps for ten years.

How to Make the Best Use of Fabric

Use my line drawing to turn a 10" square of fabric into 7 hexagons (and 4 half-hexagons) in 10 cuts. Without waste.

It's typical of patterns in my Rotary Cutting Revolution book. Efficient cutting without waste or measuring.

I got together with Rachel Low here in New York at her Pins & Needles shop. Rachel is the C&T author of Girl's Guide to DIY Fashion We helped each other to make our how to videos. Have a look at mine, and if you hear a phone ring once, well, rings happen.

These fabric hexagons are suited for English Paper Piecing EPP. After making the video I polished up the pattern and made it available as this free PDF download

My technique-filled class Traditional Blocks Made Simple is on Craftsy. It includes as a bonus the PDF of Rotary Cutting Revolution. Identical to the paperback version complete with 300+ photos and easy to print patterns. All in all, a sweet deal to celebrate National Sewing Month for yourself.

Make it Simpler,
Anita

It all began many hexagons ago...

UPDATE

This method and downloadable pattern is a bonus block in my Craftsy class

September 9, 2015
Summer Triangle Reruns Part 1

You say Tomato, I say Tomato
Some say Square in a Square, I've always called it Square-on-Point

Whatever you call it, I cut and piece it Simpler. There is no waste other than eight teeny tiny triangles.

Two squares of fabric yield the equivalent of two quilt blocks + eight teeny tiny leftover triangles. For 40 blocks, you'd need 40 squares of fabric. For 100 blocks, you'd need 100 squares of fabric.

The complete and well-illustrated (over 31 photos) block pattern is available in my book Rotary Cutting Revolution The eBook on my publisher's website is preferable to the out-of-print paperback. Better to accurately print its CuttingLines patterns than scanning them.