Texas Teardrops QAL ~ Preparing the templates and fusible web

Welcome back to our Texas Teardrops Quilt Along.  Today, I’d like to discuss the teardrop templates and the fusible web.  I have a few tips for you all, but overall this part is pretty simple.

First, you need to print the templates that are included in the pattern.  Remember, print 2 copies of each template.  Then tape the quarters together to get a full sized teardrop.  Refer to the pattern to see how I taped mine together.

The center of your template should look like this once it’s all taped together.

You can see that I didn’t overlap the black lines.  I simply lined them up next to each other.  The teardrop won’t fit together right if you overlap the black lines.

This pattern is special because it’s rather forgiving.  If your teardrop doesn’t measure exactly 12.5″ from top to bottom, that’s ok.  In fact, my teardrops are about 12 3/8″ from top to bottom.  I chalk that up to human error.  As long as you don’t have more than 1/4″ variance you will be fine.

Once the template is assembled you can get busy making teardrops.  I chose to lay my fusible on top of the template and trace the shapes with a pencil.  You could also make plastic or cardboard templates if you find that easier.

You can use any brand of fusible web that you like.  I prefer Steam a Seam Lite in the 9″ x 12″ sheets because it lays completely flat and has no wrinkles.  However, you will need to make a slight modification to the sheets.  The teardrops are just a little to fat to fit on the sheet.

This modification is very simple.  {Please refer to the pattern for the measurements}  You do need to keep a couple things in mind:

  1. Little pieces of tape work best
  2. Don’t tape over the lines that you have to draw
  3. Remove the tape before you iron

I used very little pieces of tape, just enough to hold the 2 pieces together long enough for me to trace the template.  If you are using a pencil and tracing the lines, you can’t draw on the tape.  I tried.  It didn’t work.  So I strategically placed the tape around the lines.

It really helped me to have the template under the Steam a Seam when I taped the two pieces together.  As soon as you have the pieces taped together, trace the template.

Keep the pieces taped together until you get ready to iron them onto your fabric.  But, make sure you remove the tape before you iron them to the fabric!  Or you will have a huge mess.  The tape melts…I wonder how I know that?

The easiest thing is to iron one piece to your fabric then line up the second piece and iron it down.  I used my applique pressing sheet to avoid making a mess.  Simply put the pressing sheet on top of the steam a seam and then press.

You can fit two teardrops on each fat quarter.  Please refer to the picture in the pattern for the best layout on your fat quarters.  You should have enough scraps from the fat quarters to make a scrappy border or scrappy binding.

I’m giving you several days to get all the teardrops traced and ironed onto the fat quarters.  Feel free to start cutting out your teardrops if you get done early.

Please leave a comment or email me directly at quiltinglodge@gmail.com if you have questions or need any help.  Come back on April 11th for tips on cutting out the teardrops.

Happy tracing!

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