3 minute read
Perfectly Pieced
The fabric used here comes from the Little Clementine Fabric collection from Art Gallery Fabrics
What is fussy cutting?
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Fussy cutting refers to taking a specific motif or pattern on a fabric and cutting it in a way that highlights it as opposed to cutting the fabric adhoc. There are many ways to fussy cut including selecting a whole motif (such as a flower) so that it’s centrally placed within your patchwork, pattern matching a motif so that when your patchwork comes together the original motif has been re-created in a way that flows from one shape to the next, or choosing to only fussy cut a section of a motif (so the original motif is no longer distinguishable) in order to create a whole new design.
Can it work for modern patchworkers?
Fussy cutting is not a new patchworking technique, and I’ve recently been fortunate enough to see some fussy cutting patchwork pieces from the 1800s within the collections of two UK museums. So what has made fussy cutting remain a popular patchwork technique for more than 200 years? Why, when fussy cutting can prevent you from being economical with your fabric, and is it a technique that’s worth mastering? Well, the answer lies in the visuals!
Acrylic Templates come in all shape and sizes
The development of clear acrylic templates with grid lines and seam allowances to help when cutting, the wide variety of templates (both paper and acrylic) available, plus the everlasting inspiration from new Art Gallery Fabrics collections and the high thread count within these collections make English Paper Piecing so much easier. This has opened up a whole new world of fussy cutting which enables stitchers to explore, enjoy, create and play like never before.
Here’s how to make it work for you
Here’s how to make it work for you Let me show you how it can work with a shape that never fails to inspire - the six-point diamond. By placing the paper piece acrylic template onto the Art Gallery Fabrics fabric, I’m able to select which part of the motif I want to highlight. In this case, I wanted to focus on placing the flower centrally within my diamond with the stem flowing towards the centre. Working from the fabric’s right side allows you to line the motif up within the acrylic template before using the rotary cutter for the precision cut. While time consuming, this helps to ensure you maintain the precise placement of the flower centrally within the final shape.
Go on to repeat this six times to create each of the points for my six-point diamond star. But, before sewing them together, it’s important to play with placement. Rotating the diamonds by 180° (so that the flower head is nearest to the centre as opposed to the stem) provides a whole new effect to the final star. To finish off these stars, use the paper piece acrylic template to fussy-cut an Art Gallery Fabrics lined print making sure that all the lines are travelling in the same direction. When placed around the star to create an almost ‘framed’ effect!
Then, the choice is up to the maker as to what to do next! They can be appliquéd onto a project such as a tote bag, pouch or needlecase, or you can continue making the stars to create a cushion or even a quilt! The possibilities are endless!
A highly portable and really engaging way to sew!
For more paper piecing ideas – click here
