My Quilted Diamonds books teach how to use freezer paper templates.
QD WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR INKLINGO
Inklingo allowed me take the freezer paper method to the next level with efficient layouts. It also eliminated the need to mark lines manually.
There are other surprising benefits—but it all started with QD almost 20 years ago.
Quilted Diamonds taught me that anything I can draw or print on freezer paper, I can cut apart and sew together.
Some of you have heard this message from me many, many times in the past 20 years but I keep explaining over and over again because so many new quilters are being discouraged by expensive, unnecessary tools. Inklingo is all about making quilting more accessible.
Anything you can draw on freezer paper. . . anything!
No expensive tools, no weird instructions, no limits! Sew fabric, not paper.
You can use this method for clothes, tote bags, soft furnishings—anything at all—not just quilting.
My preference is always to print on fabric with Inklingo but sometimes templates make sense.
IF NOT INKLINGO, then freezer paper.
Whenever a shape is not Inklingo-able (yet), I recommend freezer paper templates.
If freezer paper (FP) is new to you, please see a detailed article about it under the Top Ten Tutes tab, above.
FP templates—without seam allowances—are better than any other templates anytime you need templates!
- for rotary cutting
- for using with scissors
- for fussy cutting (or not)
- for preparing shapes to sew by machine
- for preparing shapes to sew by hand
- when you need to mark a sewing line, crosshairs, matches, etc
- when you don’t need to mark anything
- for shapes with curves and for shapes with straight sides
- for ANY shape, including ones you dream up on your own
- even if you are using English Paper Piecing
I have nothing to sell here. I’m just telling you what I have learned. (Why I don’t sell acrylic templates.)
The pieces in the diamonds in my QD books are small, so both books focus on hand piecing but that is not the whole story. FP templates are perfect for machine piecing too—just like Inklingo!
The Magic of Templates WITHOUT Seam Allowances!
The reason freezer paper templates are so liberating is that they do NOT include seam allowances.
Add the seam allowances when you cut the fabric (above). This has huge advantages over any templates that include seam allowances!
If you have been using metal, acrylic, or plastic templates that include seam allowances for Lucy Boston Patchwork of the Crosses or any other design, you will love how much simpler and more accurate it is to work with templates without seam allowances!
Simple, fast, precise and it costs less—almost nothing!
Acrylic/plastic/metal shapes are NOT an advantage, whether you use Inklingo or not!
A major problem with acrylic templates is that they include the seam allowances.
Templates with seam allowances seemed like a good idea when the rotary cutter was introduced in the early 1980s but once freezer paper became commonly available, they make no sense at all. (Of course, that will not prevent some people from selling them.)
Acrylic templates actually make the preparation and sewing more difficult because they cover the sewing line, making it impossible to mark, when required. (Sewing “dot to dot” is a poor workaround.)
All you need is freezer paper and an acrylic ruler to make a template for ANY shape.
YOU CAN DESIGN AND SEW ANYTHING
Draw or print your idea on freezer paper—one shape or a complete block. (By the way, shapes without seam allowances are always included in Inklingo shape collections, just in case you need to print templates.)
To stay organized, you can mark matches, preferred straight grain, and numbers on each piece, as described in the books. Freezer paper is paper, so it is easy to write on. No “special” markers required.
For example, if you number the pieces on the master and on the FP copy, it is easy to stay organized.
Cut the FP pieces apart. That gives you templates in the actual size.
Iron the FP shapes to the wrong side of strips of fabric. The plastic coating sticks temporarily to the fabric when it is pressed with a hot, dry iron.
Leave space between the pieces to allow for two 0.25 inch seam allowances. (I use a strip cut from an old greeting card that is exactly 0.5 inches wide, above.)
Rotary cut, adding seam allowances when you cut the fabric.
This is soooo much easier than cutting with an acrylic template AND more accurate because the freezer paper doesn’t move.
If you are hand piecing, mark sewing lines manually with a mechanical pencil and a ruler. (The lines are optional for machine piecing.) This is sooooo much faster than poking a marker through several holes and better than trying to sew dot-to-dot!
It is that simple, but there are wonderful tips and refinements in the two-hour DVD lesson that is included with the Quilted Diamonds 2 book.
FOUR BONUS TIPS
1. If you have Electric Quilt software, you an print instead of tracing.
2. You can simplify any design by leaving some lines un-cut (above). . .
. . . so you have a bigger space for fussy cutting . . .or you can add extra lines to make something completely new.
3. If you are machine piecing and don’t need to mark the lines, you can cut several layers at a time!
4. If you want wider or narrower seam allowances, that’s fine.
If not Inklingo, then freezer paper.
QUESTION
WOULD YOU LIKE A DIAMOND OF THE WEEK?
Recently, a few quilters have asked about reviving the Diamond of the Week (DOW), which was started in 2002 by Sandy Arbuthnot based on my Quilted Diamonds books.
I cannot find all of the original photos and files but I have some, and I am thinking about re-posting some of the oldies here.
What do you think? Would you be interested?
It is fun to sew diamonds with friends and we could set up an online group to share photos—on Facebook or in the Inklingo IO Group (very friendly).
If you prefer pieced hexagons, there are hundreds of possibilities in the 300 Pieced Hexagons PDF.
Freezer paper templates are wonderful but my first choice is Inklingo, of course.
Inklingo eliminates several steps and has other advantages, like precision corners and easy-to-see fabric requirements. If you are new to Inklingo, I have made it easy to get started with the FREE Diamond Triangle Square shape collection.
The best way to learn is to go ahead and print something! The first chapter of The Inklingo Handbook is included in the free shape collection to make it easy.
DE-CLUTTER YOUR SEWING ROOM!
If you have freezer paper and at least one acrylic ruler, you have everything you need for any shape, any block.
This info sets you free. All the other templates, template racks, and “special tools” can go. Simple tools also make it easier and less expensive for new quilters to get started by machine or by hand. (Acrylic rulers are good, acrylic templates are not.)
REMINDER. . . .BIG PRICE DROP ON ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS!
If you follow me on Facebook, you already know that this wonderful book is now only $25.95 for a limited time. The Patchworks of Lucy Boston by Diana Boston is in stock.
If only Lucy Boston had had freezer paper!!! How many more designs would she have been able to complete! You and I have no excuse. Let’s sew!
Thank you for visiting.
Linda & Monkey
Oh boy, oh boy !!! LET’s DO THIS !!!
Great! I’m glad you will be joining in the fun, Shirley! Thanks for letting me know.
Is the DVD available any other way? My computer doesn’t have an optical drive.
Hi Margaret, Good news. The QD2 DVD works with any DVD player. It does not have to be one connected to the computer. If you can play any kind of DVD, you can play this one.
I have signed copies of both your Diamond books and would love doing a DOW with you. Sign me up!
Welcome back, Karen! This is going to be fun.
I’d love to sew diamonds with you!
That’s great, Martha! We’ll start soon.
So glad to hear that you are planning to do the DOW again! I didn’t get very far the first time around and just recently pulled out my books to think about working on diamonds again. The DOW is just what I need to get re-started!
That sounds good, Dana! We can sew diamonds together.
DOW would be fun! Do it!
I’m glad you are interested, Bernie. Coming soon!
I would love to be a part of your DOW. Needing some inspiration and this should do the trick.
Thank you, Judy. Please stay tuned!
I think this would be great a DOW !
Yes I think this would be great a DOW !
That’s good, Christine. I’m glad you are interested.
DOW!!!! I love the idea as I’m looking for a portable project for the summer.
It is very nice to hear from you again, Jennifer. This will be a good summer project.
I would love to try this, I have a few ufo’s but count me in.
You’re in, Liz! I’m glad to know you are interested too.
I would love to participate on a DOW.
I’m glad you will get in on the fun too, Carol. Stay tuned, okay?
DOW sounds like fun!
That’s good, Pat. It’s going to be fun.
Freezer paper templates are awesome and highly recommended. I did all my Dear Jane using freezer paper templates!
I think you and I were very lucky to be introduced to freezer paper all those years ago. It makes such a difference!
Always good to have a review of the wonderful freezer paper templates which, thanks to you, Linda, I use all of the time. I would be interested in a DOW group. My sewing time has been limited lately (you know when life gets in the way), but I’m hoping to get back on track again soon and this might just be a fun way to start!!
My best to both you and Monkey,
Betsy
Hi Betsy, That is good news. We will try to tempt you with the new DOW. Monkey sends a smooch.
I would enjoy doing a DOW again. I can’t believe it’s been that long since this was done before.
That`s great, Seronia. Thank you for letting me know. It has been a LONG time!
Hello Linda,
I would love to be part of the DOW!!! I remember when being part of your first DOW.
It was so much fun to share with all the others.
I hope you get enough ladies to participate.
Have a great day.
I’m glad you’re interested, Louise. The more, the merrier. This will be fun.
I would love a DOW project. I’ll do the yahoo group.
That`s great news, Kris. The Yahoo group broke, so everyone was moved over to the IO group (including all old messages, etc). It was frustrating when Yahoo was not delivering messages, so it feels good to have a working group again. The DOW would be a good way to celebrate.
I can’t imagine using any method but freezer paper templates for anything for which there is yet an Inklingo collection.
I love idea of a Diamond of the Week – I remember how much fun that was. Of course, making those little gems is impossible to resist!
Hooray! I’m delighted that you are interested in the DOW too.
I would love a diamond-a-week project with an online group for sharing! Great idea! Thank you for the reminder of how delightful both Inklingo and freezer paper templates are for stitching. I’m loving hand piecing. Thank you for all you do!
Thank you very much, Kathryn. It warms my heart to know you are enjoying hand piecing as much as I do.
DOW sounds like fun. I’m in
Thanks for letting me know, Dena. I hope there will be lots of interest in a new DOW.
Love the possibilities! Can’t wait till I get a ‘few’ of my ufo’s done so I can play with this method!
Welcome, Debbie. We’ll play together.
This is very good advice. I wish my Mum would take it… So, still very well worth repeating!