Making Templates?

The program director at our guild asked me to do this year's mystery quilt pattern (6 months, Sept-Feb).  I have a great design but I did what I do and decided to offer 2 sizes - 9 - 18" blocks or 25 - 12" blocks.

Fortunately our Jo-Ann fabs just put a boatload of fabs on Red Tag (clearance) AND the employee discount was increased for the weekend, so I was able to get the bulk of my fabric to make the 2 quilts for much (MUCH) less than I would have normally.  I've been working on the 'easy' one first to test the cutting and sewing instructions and  today I'll have all the blocks and borders finished. I have to work tonight, so maybe I won't have time to put it all together, but I'll have the parts done.

The thing is, one of the components is a modified Flying Geese - the 'wings' don't come together at the center top, there's a large gap between them. I am successful making these with paper foundations, but I was hoping to offer templates, too.

I thought it was just a matter of taking the finished shapes and putting 1/4" all around them and then sewing them together, but after about an hour of fussing with them (and finally figuring out that I should use a basting stitch so it'd be easier to take apart) I just couldn't get the final size correct.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom for me? If I offer just a line drawing of the actual-sized shapes, will other people (who have used templates more than me) be able to add their own seam allowances and make it come out right?

oh boy.... templates are a bad word for me and my quilting... I have had to force myself to try and use them. I first used Marty Micheles templates and found that things went together fairly well.  But making my own was always a stress.  Using template plastic is okay...except when you use your rotary cutter with them and accidentally shave off a little here and there and then your template isn't accurate anymore, sigh.  So, unless there are hard ruler type templates to use, I try to stay away from anything that has templates  

I'm the same, usually. But I wanted to give options to those who wig out over paper piecing.   

Are they triangle pieces that arent working in the flying geese units? Dumb question but have you tried adding 7/8" seam allowance to the triangle pieces and see if they come out to the right size?

Templates, oh thats hard, you could certainly offer the line drawings and let people make their own templates [i]but[i] honestly, the correct seam allowance would have to be drawn onto the pieces too. I think people would be unhappy at being left to work it out for themselves and a lot probally couldnt, if you are having issues getting it to work with all your experience, I hate to see a newbie get caught, they most likely simply wouldnt be capable of working it out.

So, I see two choices, you either work out the seam allowances and get the figures all correct or you find another block to fit that space in the quilt that wont cause the stress.

I dont mind making templates for applique and the odd shape but I veer away from them too, I dont think I own any acrylic ones at all come to think of it. Dont know if thats any help, hope you can work it out, fingers crossed for you

Templates and food poisoning are about the same thing to me. I'm okay with PP, but understand that some people think the same thing about that.

If there is a large gap between the "ears" (my term) wouldn't that be like making a snowball. I am working on a quilt where I had to cut charms in half and then snowball two corners ( sewed diagonally across a square placed RST in the corner. Then trimmed and flipped open). So it is kinda a flying geese but the ears don't meet in the middle. They don't come all the way to the bottom either, so not quite geese. Problem??? Might make a decent substitute though? And easy for beginners. I made them, any one could.

P.S. I thought you probably knew what I meant by snowball, but wanted it to be clear to others reading this thread. I am never sure I am using the right terminology. Case in point-ears. I know that isn't right. But they look like ears to me when they flop over so that is what I call them. Piggie ears to be precise.   

TxMaryQuilts wrote:

If there is a large gap between the "ears" (my term) wouldn't that be like making a snowball. I am working on a quilt where I had to cut charms in half and then snowball two corners ( sewed diagonally across a square placed RST in the corner. Then trimmed and flipped open). So it is kinda a flying geese but the ears don't meet in the middle. They don't come all the way to the bottom either, so not quite geese. Problem??? Might make a decent substitute though? And easy for beginners. I made them, any one could.

P.S. I thought you probably knew what I meant by snowball, but wanted it to be clear to others reading this thread. I am never sure I am using the right terminology. Case in point-ears. I know that isn't right. But they look like ears to me when they flop over so that is what I call them. Piggie ears to be precise.   

  Yes, I  knew what you meant. I refer to them as 'wings' when I'm talking Flying Geese...

The thing is that  the wings/ears DO go all the  way to the bottom of the rectangle, making the triangle a funky shape - more than 60 degrees according to my ruler...

What I have done is make one using paper piecing, then I tore it apart and I'll use the trimmed shapes for the templates. Easy in practice, though it will be interesting if I can actually draw it well enough on the computer.

The rest of the quilt is HSTs, 9-patches and Flying Geese (I wonder why I always capitalize that?). I've decided I'll present this bad boy (Wide-Bodied-Flying-Geese)  in October, when the participants aren't freaking about the holidays yet but after they've committed to making the quilt. I'd hate to lose anyone    in the first month because of a challenging 'clue'. BUT before anyone even gets their first clue, I'll warn them that one month will be a challenge, so they can choose to do the large blocks (24 large-ish WBFG) rather than the small blocks (60 smaller WBFG) if they're skeered.

I finally finished my 24 just this afternoon. Those puppies took longer than nearly all the other blocks combined!   Now I don't know if I want to go take a nap or if I'll charge on and begin to put the top together.

And then, when I'm done with this one, I'll start the version with the smaller blocks. Oh, joy.

(yes, I am my own worst enemy...!)

My experience is that people do badly when told to add 1/4". I print the template complete with the seam allowamce, which QuiltPro does nicely. I like your WBFG name. Good luck.