Patent Application
20120216734
This application relates generally to sewing templates and methods of making and using such templates. In particular, this application relates to templates that are used to create continuous overlapping scallops, as well as methods for making and using such templates and the continuous overlapping scallops.
Often, making quilts can involve tedious tasks such as cutting multiple pieces of fabric to be used in a quilt. Many times, these multiple pieces of fabric must be equal sizes to create patterns in the quilt. One such pattern involves making scallops, which are often used in borders. Scallop borders are generally semi-circles or arcs on the edges of sewn items such as quilts, baby blankets, clothing, etc. Scallops are usually evenly spaced along an edge of a quilt or blanket such that the edge has a wave effect.
Scallops are generally made with a single fabric with the scallops end-to-end. Cutting out each scallop and sewing them together to make a long scallop row is time consuming and requires precision. Overlapping scallops are desirable because they add depth to the sewing piece, but overlapping scallops more than doubles the time required for a single scallop row because the process for making the scallop row must be repeated and the rows precisely lined up to create the desired effect. Any variation from the desired alignment is noticeable and can cause significant time to repair, or the loss of the value of the quilt or piece being sewn.
Because of the time consuming nature and requirement of a highly skilled person to create an overlapping scallop border, quilts, blankets, and other projects with overlapping scallop borders are highly desirable. Similarly, people desiring to make a project with an overlapping scallop border do not undertake the project lightly due to the time and skill required.
Templates that are used to create several continuous connected scallops and overlapping continuous connected scallops made from two pieces of material, as well as methods for making and using such templates, are described in this specification. Templates for making multiple overlapping scallops may include a generally planar substrate, and two opposing rows of a plurality of evenly spaced arcs formed in the substrate such that the apex of each of the plurality of arcs of one row is directly opposite the origin of at least one of the plurality of arcs in the other row.
The generally planar substrate may be a die and the plurality of evenly spaced opposing arcs may include blades extending from the substrate. Similarly, the two opposing rows of a plurality of evenly spaced arcs may form the periphery of two edges of the substrate. The template may include at least one center line guide formed in the substrate spaced evenly between the apexes of the plurality of evenly spaced arcs of one of the two opposing rows and the other of the two opposing rows. The template may also include a marking point formed in the substrate approximate to each point where two origins of the plurality of evenly spaced arcs meet.
The substrate may be made of metal, acrylic, and polycarbonate, or any other suitable material. The substrate may be configured to allow a cutting instrument to be moved along an outside perimeter to cut material placed under the substrate. The template may also be configured to be used as a pattern for cutting a plurality of scallops in a connected chain.
A exemplary embodiment of a method of forming overlapping rows of scallops in fabric using a template may include, providing at least two layers of fabric, and providing a cutting or marking template having two opposing rows of a plurality of evenly spaced arcs formed in the substrate such that the apex of each of the plurality of arcs of one row is directly opposite the origin of at least one of the plurality of arcs in the other row. At least two layers of fabric may be cut such that the fabric is cut into the shape of the cutting or marking template, which may then be formed into continuous connected scallops. In some embodiments, the cutting or marking template may be a die and the cutting performed using a die cut machine, or the cutting may be accomplished by moving a cutting instrument around the periphery of the cutting or marking template.
The cut two layers of fabric may then be sewn together generally along cuts corresponding to the two opposing rows of a plurality of evenly spaced arcs to form a plurality of opposing sewn arcs. One of the two layers may then be cut along a center line between the plurality of opposing sewn arcs. The two layers of fabric may then be inverted such that the plurality of opposing sewn arcs are turned inside-out, and a pusher may be inserted into each of the inverted plurality of opposing sewn arcs. The pusher may have a handle and an end with the same general shape as the plurality of opposing sewn arcs. The pusher may also be formed from polytetraflouroethylene.
The following description can be better understood in light of Figures, in which:
Together with the following description, the Figures demonstrate and explain the principles of the apparatus and methods for using the template for making scallops. In the Figures, the thickness and configuration of components may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference numerals in different Figures represent the same component.
The following description supplies specific details in order to provide a thorough understanding. Nevertheless, the skilled artisan would understand that the apparatus and associated methods of using the apparatus can be implemented and used without employing these specific details. Indeed, the apparatus and associated methods can be placed into practice by modifying the illustrated apparatus and associated methods and can be used in conjunction with any other apparatus and techniques conventionally used in the industry. For example, while the description below focuses on scallops for use in quilting, the apparatus and associated methods could be equally applied and adapted in other processes and fields, such as scrapbooking, greeting card making, and other creative arts.
The template for making a plurality of adjoined and overlapped scallops (hereinafter, “template”) described in this application may have any configuration consistent with the scallop detail described below. One exemplary configuration of a template is illustrated in
Arcs 110 may be dimensioned such that the arc is generally a half circle beginning at an origin 112 and extending to an apex 114 and proceeding to an adjacent origin 112 to form arc 110. Origins 112 may be allow sufficient space for an instrument to move along an outside edge of arc 110 and contact a surface or material (such as fabric 210, 220 shown in
Openings 130 may be rounded such that slot origins 112 may be wider than the space between arcs 110 at their closest point near origins 112. In some embodiments, origins 112 may simply terminate at the intersection of adjacent arcs 110 without and opening 130 for marking. In other embodiments, openings 130 may be about 4 times the width of the narrowest space between adjacent arcs 110. Openings 130 may form a semi-circle, a triangle, square, diamond, tear-drop shape, or any other functional shape to allow marking of origins 112.
Origins 112 may be located at a distance from centerline 120 to allow for a sewn border when the overlapping scallops are completed with the pattern. Center openings 122 in substrate 105 of template 100 may be provided that correspond to centerline 120 to allow for marking of centerline 120 on a material placed under template 100. Depending on the desired application, in some embodiments, each of origins 112 may be located at about the centerline 120 of template 100. In other embodiments, origins 112 may be offset from centerline 120 of template 100, such as is shown in
Template 100 may include any number of arcs 110 depending on the desired size and length of template 100 and any products created using template 100. For example, some embodiments may have as few as two arcs 110 on each side, while other embodiments may have 50 or more arcs 110. Template 100 may include ends 102, 103. Ends 102, 103 may be located perpendicular to centerline 120 and formed such that an origin 112 and an apex 114 of opposing arcs 110 form the extents of each of ends 102 and 103.
Markings may be printed on template 100 to provide instructions and details to a person using template 100. For example, seam line 140 may be provided to illustrate the general shape and location of a stitch line for forming scallops in fabric. Tick lines 150 may be provided on template 100 to illustrate where relief cuts should be made to allow for fabric to neatly accommodate within each scallop when sewn and inverted, as discussed below. Similarly, tick lines 150 may include an opening with a width to allow a rotary cutter or other instrument to make the relief cuts prior to sewing.
Similarly, template 100 may be made from any material suitable for a template or template. For example, template 100 may be made of metals, plastics (such as acrylics, PTFE, polycarbonate, PVC, HDPE, resins, etc.), composite materials (such as fiberglass), paper, etc. In some embodiments, template 100 may include a durable top layer, resistant to cutting, and a soft lower layer for contacting and holding material to be cut in place. For example, template 100 made of metal may include a cork backing to help prevent template 100 from sliding on polyester fabric to be cut into scallops. Similarly, neoprene, rubber, plastics, or other material may be used as a bottom layer.
Embodiments of templates described in this document may be used in with various materials such as paper in single layers to form single row scallops or overlapping scallops by cutting along the outside edge of the template or by using a template die cut and then folding the paper along a centerline to form overlapping, evenly spaced scallops.
In one embodiment, two strips of fabric 210, 220 larger than template 100 may be placed together with desired finished sides 212, 222 facing each other. Template 100 may then be placed on top of fabric 210, 220. Marking instrument 250 may be used to trace around the periphery of template 100 to make periphery trace 252 and in openings 130 of endpoints 112 and center openings 122 of centerline 120 to make centerline traces 254 on fabric 210. Marking instrument 250 may be any instrument suitable for marking the fabric 210, 220 or other material used to form scallops with template 100. Template 100 may then be removed and fabric 210, 220 pinned together. Fabric 210, 220 may then be cut with scissors 262 or cutting instrument 260, following periphery trace 252 to form cut-out fabric having the shape of template 100.
Alternatively, as shown in
Once fabric pieces 210, 220 are cut with scissors 262 or other cutting instrument, they are sewn together with stitching 216 by generally following seam line 140 shown on template 100, or about ¼″ seam between endpoints 112 to join fabric pieces 210, 220 into a single item (
As shown generally in
In addition to any previously indicated modification, numerous other variations and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this description, and appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the information has been described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred aspects, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, form, function, manner of operation and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein. Also, as used herein, examples are meant to be illustrative only and should not be construed to be limiting in any manner.
