Curved Piecing Quilt: Cut, Sew & Square Orange Peel Blocks

[@reneejohnson5041]

Well done tutorial! Thanks for sharing! I have the curved ruler. Definitely going to use up some bright scraps, as well as my low volume or black n white fabrics I have. Thank you!

[@sherryfaires7931]

Your tutorials are so clear! I really like your methods of putting your blocks together!

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

thank you! so glad you enjoyed this one.

[@BEVERLYRANDOLPH-lx4qu]

Sharon, this quilt is STUNNING!!! I love your creativity and I love your creative process. Your quilts are lovely! I’m eager to make the triangle-and-half-circle quilt to use up my batiks on baby quilts for donating. My plan is black-and-white prints for backgrounds. Your creativity sparks my creativity! ❤

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

AW! thank you so much! love hearing that the video helped you !

[@annettes7460]

Wow, so much easier than struggling with appliqué for this particular pattern. Thank you! Love your color combos.

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

so glad it's helpful! have fun (-:

[@brookquilt]

Great tutorial. This ruler is fantastic. It's so versatile!

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

yea!! so glad you think so. be sure and share what you make (-:

[@suedonnenwirth3269]

Love your tutorial, ❤

[@BarbaraOpett]

Great Tutorial Sharon! Very easy to understand. Love looking in the back round of all your lovely AGF fabrics!

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

aren't they so pretty?! I love fabric

[@The_patchy_artist]

Great tutorial, so easy to follow, thank you, happy to see that you've got a Pfaff machine, too, with the IDT! Best wishes from Germany fom Andrea, # the_paychy_artist! Have a great holiday time!

[@jeanettesmith3341]

Love this, ❤ but would like a chart about different sizes please.

[@ufoquilter86]

Is there a formula for different sizes of orange peel? I would really like to make different sizes but I don't understand the cutting ratio. First time using the ruler.

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

to cut the orange peel shapes, you need a fabric strip as wide as the distance between the ends of the cutting grooves for the size you want to cut. Notice in the video how I positions the strip to cut the shapes - the fabric width spans across the groove for cutting the convex curve. you can can cut any size you want by measuring this width.

[@Wannaloom]

Thank you!

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

Sure! happy sewing (-:

[@youbkyou]

I just purchased this ruler, very excited, do you always cut 3/4 on each of the outside fabric before cutting down using the ruler, no matter what size Orange peel you are cutting?

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

Thank you! yes, as long as you cut the background fabric square 1" larger than your intended block (the cutting groove you plan to use), then you cut 3/4" from the two opposite corners.

[@AmandaComeauCreates]

I don't know why, but applique just seems like a more painful process. I know the curved seams are a learning curve (lol such a pun) but once the muscle memory is there, I feel like I'd save a lot of thread and time compared to sewing down raw edge applique. My ruler is on order and I can't wait! I've watched this vid a couple of times and I've got fabric on order already for a gift quilt I'm planning. How many layers would you recommend cutting at once? I imagine if I'm careful I can do a few peels at once without fabric slipping on me, but I figured I'd ask. :)

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

thank you! I'm so glad you are giving it a try. Piecing is definitely easier than applique IMO (-:

[@ufoquilter86]

How do you handle all of those scenes coming together in the middle of the four blocks? I made a sample four pack and those seams coming together are very thick.. I'm afraid to brake a needle and have to learn how to time my machine 😢

[@cindylamont6240]

Could you have folded a sized piece of fabric rectangle to only do one cut for the orange peel?

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

yes, you definitely can do that. I've done them that way if I'm using smaller scraps and cutting single orange peel shapes. I show how to do it this way so you can see how to cut several from one piece of fabric (-:

[@pinkpink2000]

Is there a cutting chart for making larger orange peel blocks ?

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

I have not published a chart for all sizes. Each pattern includes the instructions for cutting the pieces you need.

[@kayharper4460]

Can you make different sized orange peel blocks?

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

yes! you can make up to 10 different sizes with the original Classic Curves Ruler. Check out Colorgirlquilts.com for all the patterns currently available.

[@annedeister2607]

Can you use this ruler and trim the blocks with only 1/4" instead of 3/8" so when they are sewn together the points of the peel actually meet?

[@ColorGirlQuilts]

Sure! You can cut the blocks as big or small as you want, leaving more or less fabric outside the curve shape. I usually go with 3/8" because it gets them very close when sewn together but you don't lose the points in the seam allowance. I find that when I cut down to 1/4" it's very difficult to get a nice flat finish due to all the bulk, then the sharp points of the orange peels get kind of lost and smooshed in trying to press the seam.