Drunkard's Path

So, I vowed never to sew a quilt with curved seams, because sewing them would be a totally frustrating experience. However, at the Paducah Quilt Show last week, a vendor had invented a foot that helps you make perfect Drunkard's Path blocks, with no muss, no fuss, and they come out perfect (of course, she has practiced a little bit!) She invented a universal foot that has very short "toes" in the front of the sewing are, so you can see very easily to keep the edges of the fabric lined up. You hold the fabric for the first part, and a nifty tweezers comes with the set up to grab the last inch that your fingers can't hold. It was so easy, I purchased one, now I'm willing to try it. My question is--how do you cut a drunkard's path block? Do you use a circle ruler? It seems to me that from some quilts I've seen that the curved part is a quarter of a circle, can you use a regular circle ruler or do you have to have a special template for this? Any advice? I have a circle ruler, so I could experiment. You would have to allow your 1/4" seam allowance on both sides of the cut to make it work. I'm going to experiment, but if anyone has some advice, send it my way!

I haven't used mine on a drunkards path block yet but I tried it with the apple core template.Yea she had lots of practice.Mine didn't come out so good but I need practice. I think you have to have a pattern for the DP. I have a couple myself.Just a cardboard cut out I found in some stuff someone gave me. You might be able to find one online for free. If you can't find one let me know and I will send you a copy of what I have.
Good luck
Rhonda

Jenny has a tutorial on the Drunkard's Path. I think she did use a circle ruler, it's been a while since I watched it though.

I don't have any suggestions for you...but let me know how you like that foot. Is this the one you bought http://www.curvemaster.biz/ ?

I thought I might like to do that quilt but will probably get the die for the AccuQuilt Go to cut it - not quite ready for curves yet.

Elise Wilson had books and templates, and she shows you how to make curved designs real easy. No special feet and perfect everytime. Believe me, if I can do it , you can do it.http://www.backporchdesign.com/index.htm

Fons & Porter has a set of templates for that. On Jenny's tutorial, she appliqued a circle on a square and cut it in fourths - no curved seams needed.

While this isn't a drunkard's pattern, it is an "old fashioned" piecing of a circle tutorial. Might help a bit with the piecing. Thought I'd throw it out there. http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogsp...tutorials.html

If you go to home at the bottom of page, you can see some of her other work. Had to bookmark this one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tfrankum

Fons & Porter has a set of templates for that. On Jenny's tutorial, she appliqued a circle on a square and cut it in fourths - no curved seams needed.

---

I hate applique worse than curves, so i 'm not going this direction! But thanks for the suggestion!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ShirleyPickett

I don't have any suggestions for you...but let me know how you like that foot. Is this the one you bought http://www.curvemaster.biz/ ?

I thought I might like to do that quilt but will probably get the die for the AccuQuilt Go to cut it - not quite ready for curves yet.

---

Yes, Shirley, that is the vendor. I haven't had time to do any sewing for myself this week, so I'm not sure where to start with it. Does the Accuquilt Go have a die for circles, or for these patterns?

I found this video on sewing the drunkard's path block. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlwVGoL4zV0 She doesn't use a special pressure foot, but she does use the "lift the top fabric up" technique. I have never made this block, but it does look like it would be worth a try.

I used a bowl, cut the circle out of paper, folded it in fourths and used that as the template. I did not add an extra 1/4", I did pin the centers to the background. There is a bit of trimming as the fit is never perfect. It wasn't as difficult as I originally thought it might be.
If you stack the squares up, you can cut multiples with a rotary cutter.
Good luck!
C

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by madampolo

I found this video on sewing the drunkard's path block. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlwVGoL4zV0 She doesn't use a special pressure foot, but she does use the "lift the top fabric up" technique. I have never made this block, but it does look like it would be worth a try.

---

This is perfect! I just have to figure out how to cut them out., thanks for sharing!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by madampolo

I found this video on sewing the drunkard's path block. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlwVGoL4zV0 She doesn't use a special pressure foot, but she does use the "lift the top fabric up" technique. I have never made this block, but it does look like it would be worth a try.

---

That video is made by Elise from Backporchdesigns that Sewgray mentioned up above. I bought her 7" Drunkard's Path templates to make my reversible-quilt-as-you-go Drunkard's Path quilt (just the binding left and I will post pics shortly). They were a bit pricey but I liked the size of this one. I also have the template set by Marti Michell which only comes with the "pie" shape; no "L" shape and it's done with strips and you can make 4 or 5 different sizes with the one set. Haven't really tried those yet.

Google for DP templates and you'll find quite a variety. I think the larger the templates the easier it will be to make. You can make smaller ones once you get better at piecing curves.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jean Sewing Machine

Yes, Shirley, that is the vendor. I haven't had time to do any sewing for myself this week, so I'm not sure where to start with it. Does the Accuquilt Go have a die for circles, or for these patterns?

---

The AccuQuilt has 2 different sizes of the drunkard's path.

http://www.accuquilt.com/go-shop/dies/classic.html

Jean this is Elise's method for cutting the fabric. I think there is quite a bit of waste.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2p9wXyKgWs

This one is from Creative Grids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eIbJnX9OxY

There use to be another video I watched often but for the life of me, I can't find it tonight. It was similar to Elisa's method but with less waste. Maybe over the weekend I'll find it.

Found it!!!

Same templates (Elise's Backporch designs), but more strategic placement of template for less waste but you're able to make 2 size blocks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOhzcAznt2s

Denis, i watched one that used the same templates nd cut them the same way and sewed them the same way. I ordered the templates. Thanks for the information. You certainly are the "go to" guy for great information!

Excellent- anything I can do to help, just ask! My days are spent between my sewing machine and my computer, watching Youtube over and over and over or general surfing for quilting info. I have to admit more time is spent in front of the computer instead of the sewing machine---my UFOs will never get done!!!!