These clever strategies can greatly reduce the bulk at seam intersections. Below you’ll find both video and image+text tutorials for this technique with clear, step-by-step instructions. PLUS—if you’ve found this lesson useful, you can download a copy of this AND many more Sew Easy lessons in our FREE eBooklet Sew Easy Lessons: The Essential Collection of Quilting Techniques. Click here to download your copy of this lesson plus many other tried-and-true patchwork tutorials!

Video Tutorial

Step-by-Step Sew Easy Instructions

1. To reduce bulk at center of a pinwheel, sew four triangle-square units together as shown.
2. Clip threads in center seam allowance at intersection, to edge of last sewn seam, as shown.
3. Press triangle units so that horizontal seams “pinwheel” in different directions.
4. To reduce bulk at a Y-seam intersection, sew unit as instructed, creating vertical seam and then setting in third patch.
5. To reduce bulk, first press vertical seam open. Then press seam allowance away from set-in piece.

Products used: Havel’s Self-Healing Cutting Mat and Havel’s 6″ Serrated-Blade Fabric Scissors or Havel’s Snip-A-Stitch. Check out Havel’s Sewing for more information and a complete catalog.

Other products include Aurifil 40wt. cotton thread (fuchsia), wool pressing pad, travel iron, starch.

Machine featured is the performance icon™ by PFAFF®. To find a retailer near you, visit PFAFF.com.

Fabric from Garden Glory collection by Maja Ronnback and Abstract Collage collection by Ampersand, both for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics.

If you’d like to download the individual PDF of Sew Easy: Managing Bulky Seams, click here!

Want to learn more? Visit our Sew Easy index to find many more great Sew Easy videos from the Quilting Company team.

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