Curve & Point Template Mini Tutorial
© Longarm University, Inc.®, 2006
 
When using the Simple Cable template you MUST mark the border with registration and grid lines before quilting.  The type of border treatment you are using will determine where the registration and grid lines are placed.

Curve & Point Border Mini Tutorial

Click on photo to see enlarged view.

Begin by dividing the border in half lengthwise and drawing the (horizontal)  Border Center Line.  Find the middle of the border and draw a vertical line.  Place the Longarm University Stencil Grid© on the intersection of these two lines and begin drawing the grid lines from the middle line out to both raw edges of the quilt. 

For best results I recommend the Stencil Grids designed for these templates. On light fabrics I like to use the Mark Be Gone water soluble fabric marking pen.  On dark fabric I like to use Miracle Chalk in a Chalk O Liner dispenser.

Click on photo to see enlarged view.

After the registration and vertical grid lines have been drawn, starting at the middle line of the top border, begin numbering the vertical grid lines 1 through 6 all the way to the RIGHT raw edge of the border.   Go back to the middle line and begin numbering the vertical grid lines from 6 through 1 all the way to the LEFT raw edge of the border.  See the photo at the left.

Oval in the middle of the border.  Look at the template and find the highest point of the “hump” of the Outer Curve, sharp diamond side of the template.  There is an etched grid line at this point.  At this point on the template, on the smooth “top” side of the template, mark the number 1 on this grid line.  I like to use a piece of masking tape on this line and mark “1” with a permanent marker on the tape.  See photo below left.  If desired, you can place pieces of tape on each vertical etched grid line of the template numbering them 1 through 6 towards the right and 6 to 1 towards the left.

Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

Stitching Line #1—Starting at the left edge of the border, place the #1 on the template onto any of the  #1 drawn grid lines, matching the etched grid lines of the template to the drawn grid lines of the border.  See the photo at the left. Notice how #4 on the template is the “bottom” of the sharp diamond.  Starting at the raw left edge of the quilt, stitch this line across the border to the right raw edge of the quilt.  At the middle line of the border, #1 on the template and #1 on the fabric should match.

The photo at the lower left shows a completed Stitching Line #1

Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

Stitching Line #2—Turn the template so that the sharp points of the diamond are away from you.  Starting at the left edge of the border, place the #1 on the template onto any of the  #1 drawn grid lines, matching the etched grid lines of the template to the drawn grid lines of the border.  See the photo at the left. Notice how #4 on the template is now at the “top” of the sharp diamond. 

Starting at the raw left edge of the quilt stitch this line across the border to the right raw edge of the quilt.  At the middle line of the border, #1 on the template and #1 on the fabric should match. 

The photo at the lower left shows a completed stitching line #2. This makes a very traditional border and can be left as is.  But, we can add a few more lines of quilting and make it look a lot different!

Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

Stitching Line #3—Turn the template over so that you are now working with the Inner Curve, or the gentle diamond, of the template.  Take some more masking tape (or move the tape from the other edge of the template) and mark # 1 on the template as shown in the photo at the left.  Notice that the #1 line of the Inner Curve edge of the template is NOT the same #1 line of the Outer Curve edge.

Starting at the left edge of the border, place the #1 on the Inner Curve edge of the template onto any of the  #1 drawn grid lines, matching the etched grid lines of the template to the drawn grid lines of the border.  See the photo at the left. Starting at the raw left edge of the quilt stitch this line across the border to the right raw edge of the quilt.  At the middle line of the border, #1 on the template and #1 on the fabric should match. 

The photo at the lower left shows a completed stitching line #3.

Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

Stitching Line #4—Turn the template so that the gentle point of the template is away from you as shown in the photo at the left.   Starting at the left edge of the border, place the #1 on the Inner Curve edge of the template onto any of the  #1 drawn grid lines, matching the etched grid lines of the template to the drawn grid lines of the border.  See the photo at the left. Starting at the raw left edge of the quilt, stitch this line across the border to the right raw edge of the quilt.  At the middle line of the border, #1 on the template and #1 on the fabric should match. 

The photo at the lower left shows the completed four lines of stitching to create the Curve & Point border.

The above photos and instructions show you how to quilt the Curve & Point design in the top border of your quilt.  But what about the side and bottom borders? When working with templates I like to "turn the quilt" to quilt the side borders.  In the instruction manual that is included with the Curve & Point template there are complete instruction on how to turn a quilt and stitch the side borders.  Below are some suggestions on how to quilt the "corners" for this style of border. There are more border and corner suggestions in the instruction manual.

The illustration at the left shows three different side border  and “corner” treatments.  Because most quilts are rectangles, the “corners”, or where the side border quilting lines end can be different.  You have three choices for ending the side border stitching lines as shown in the illustration at the left.

Choice #1—As shown on the Right Side Border the quilting pattern ends at the seam line of the Top and Bottom border.  This works very well and is often seen in Amish quilts. 

Choice #2— Shown in the top Left border, you can see how the Left Side border stitching line ends at the Top border stitching line.  The stitching lines of both borders blend together nicely.

Choice #3—Shown in the lower Left Border, the side border stitching lines continues all the way to the raw edges. 

Curve & Point Sashings and Inner Borders

The gentle side of the Curve & Point Template makes a great tool for quilting sashing designs.

The gentle side of the 3 inch Curve & Point template makes a finished size gentle Curve & Point of 1 ˝ inches.  This size works best on a 1˝ inch or wider sashing or inner border. My preference is to use this side of the template on a 2 inch sashing or inner border.

The gentle side of the 4 inch Curve & Point template makes a finished size gentle Curve & Point of 2 inches.  This size works best on a 2 inch or wider sashing or inner border. My preference is to use this side of the template on a 2 ˝ inch sashing or inner border.

To quilt sashings or inner borders follow the same steps as you do for borders.  On all four sides of the sashings or inner borders draw registration marks dividing the sashing in half lengthwise, mark the middle of the sashings, draw grid lines for proper placement of the template.  Decide which design you want to create and then begin stitching, following the instructions as in the instruction manual. 

Below are illustrations of some ideas for sashing designs for various sizes of quilt blocks with the different sized templates .  Click on the illustration for an enlarged view.