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What everyone who has described using paper templates above has left out is something that puzzled me as a kid and for years afterwards and still does (at least, I know what to do know just still don't understand why no-one ever mentions it). I don't know if it's because a certain level of intelligence and understanding is assumed and I just don't meet it or what. However, just in case there is anyone else similarly affected out there. After you have sewn all your seams around your paper templates - you have to take the bits of paper out. I swear, I am not joking, I somehow just missed this obvious to most people step and that gap in the logic of patchwork using paper templates puzzled me for years and years. Trying to figure out how something that crinkly and prickly and noisy could possibly be comfortable. There. I've said it. I've outed my shameful lack of comprehension.

Moonwaves, I bought an antique patchwork cusion cover at a fayre a few years ago...it still had all its papers in too

To be honest, I found the old magazine bits more interesting than the cusion cover itself!

MW

*Laughs* No one ever says about taking the paper bits out... It took me a long while to work out that they must be removed... But I've never owned anything patchwork so I blame my ignorance on that - I'm self taught in all "handicrafts" mainly by taking apart/studying things and trying to duplicate them

Moonwaves wrote:What everyone who has described using paper templates above has left out is something that puzzled me as a kid and for years afterwards and still does (at least, I know what to do know just still don't understand why no-one ever mentions it). ... After you have sewn all your seams around your paper templates - you have to take the bits of paper out.

I always wondered that too, haven't had the courage to ask yet though, so cheers!

Yay. I'm not alone.

Every once in a while I read a science fiction/fantasy book where they've discovered some ancient manuscripts full of really useful knowledge but it's all very frustrating because of all the stuff that's not explained because obviously at the time the manuscripts were written those things were just self-explanatory and it was taken for granted that you knew what they were. That's how I often feel when I'm reading about how to do something like sewing or crochet or woodworking.

Slightly off topic but...I lothed cookery books that started recipes with 'make a basic X, then bla bla bla' or uses words like 'marionade' 'braise' etc...then I married a man who could not only translate but actually enjoyed doing all the cooking!

We all need to be shown even the most basic things once (or twice in my case!) I'd far rather people assume I'm intelligent but ignorant than assume I know what all the basics are!

MW

Umm...at risk of sounding a little unkind. I was taught that the paper bit was a pattern, not to be sewn in; therefore, no little paper bits. I would presume that your patch work is like mine so you need many of the same shape. It's silly ato make a paper pattern for each shape.

In English patchwork we use paper templates to tack the fabric around so that it holds it's shape untill it is attatched to it's surrounding neighbours, in a tessalating mosaic. As I understand it American style patchwork is more if an applique technique.

MW

Most American patchwork is not applique. In fact, applique is not considered patchwork by most American quilters. Only in applique do American quilters use a backer. We don't reject those that do use a backer, we just have to ask silly questions about bits of paper left in seams.

was taught the paper templates were a guide for ironing - fold seam allowance over the template, tack opposite sides or through template to hold in place, iron and remove template. Adjoining seams then sit inside each other and sewn along fold.
I use a lovely old Singer hand machine which can work anywhere and will go through anything, even old jeans. I've not tried socks, stretching/fraying could perhaps be sorted out by sewing to interfacing or fleece first or if the socks are wool, felting first?

I made a sock blanket like Mrs Flibble's (at the moment, to be fair, it's not a blanket as much as a piece of material).

Just cut the tops off the socks (then reuse as hairties...). Then cut straight across at the heel to made a tube. Then cut the heel off completely (just the heel bit) and then the toe so you have another tube.

Then cut down the sides of the tubes to make big squares/rectangles, or cut down both sides to make rectangles.

Pile the rectangles on top of each other to see if they're roughly the same shape. Cut any that have wild bits sticking out.

Sew the rectangles/squares together right side to right side. Make a strip to start off with and then sew the strips to each other right side to right side.

Done!

Here's mine: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.ph ... z2MTC1roE3

It's currently over the arm of the chair next to my computer to protect the leatherette from being damaged when I put my feet on it

@Daveswife: Socks that are purchased in shops are usually fine to do this with as long as you're sewing them together in good time. Handmade socks will unravel straight away. Old socks that have been washed and worn will hold their weave. Old handmade socks that have felted should be ok too.