Patent Abstract:
A template is provided that aids quilt member fabrication. More specifically, a template is provided for selective interconnection to layered fabric members wherein the template indicates the location for sewing and cutting individual fabric pieces that make up the layered fabric thereby yielding a composite quilt member.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is generally related to quilting aids. More specifically, a template is provided for fabricating multi-pieced fabric members that are used to form a decorative portion of a quilt.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Quilts are partially comprised of a predetermined arrangement of individual pieces of fabric. More specifically, quilts have a top layer, which is usually a decorated, layer of cotton or other soft material, and a bottom layer. The top layer has individual pieces of fabric that are interconnected to form larger blocks. A number of larger blocks are arranged to form the top layer of the quilt. Often, the individual fabric pieces that form the blocks are arranged to form commonly known designs, such as Crazy Ann, Granny&#39;s Flower Garden, Interlaced Block, Queen Charlotte&#39;s Crown, Yankee Puzzle, Attic Windows, Cathedral Windows, Dutchmen&#39;s Puzzle, Flying Geese, Snow birds, Baby Blocks, Basket Weave, Garden Maze, Real Fence, Snowball, Thousand Pyramids, Tumblers, and Yo-Yos, to name a few. Most block designs require the use of precisely cut triangles that are sewn onto another piece of fabric to create the desired effect. For example, half square triangles are often used as a base shape wherein a triangle piece of fabric is sewn onto a square piece at fabric along the hypotenuse of the triangle. Half square triangles are difficult to create since the diagonal seam is placed where the fabric has the most stretch, i.e. on the bias. The seam can thus stretch out of shape during sewing and pressing, thereby making the finished product unacceptable. It is one goal of quilt makers to stabilize this diagonal seam.  
         [0003]     The prior art includes the use of a paper template to help position fabric pieces in relation to each other to aid in the fabrication of quilting block components. However, there are a few drawbacks of using a simple paper template to create the desired design. Paper templates are not easily positionable and securable to the pre-sewn fabric layers. Thus, when the fabric layers are sewn together, slippage may occur that will influence the finished product. Paper templates often require the quilt maker to add his or her own cut lines and other indicia with a fabric pencil or other means that aid them in making fabric squares. Lines of this nature are often difficult to see by one of diminishing sight thereby making it difficult to ascertain where to cut the individual fabric squares to yield the desired design. Further, some paper squares employ the use of pins to interconnect them with the fabric to be modified. The use of pins by individuals with lower than normal motor capability may be difficult, and pins still fail to prevent fabric pieces from slipping in relation to each other during sewing. In addition, pins often cause injuries to individuals. Finally, some of the templates used in the art are not applicable for commonly used patterns such as the snowball, flying geese, etc.  
         [0004]     Thus there is along felt need in the art of quilting to provide a template for selectively altering a piece of fabric for use in a quilting block. The following disclosure describes an improved template that is selectively interconnectable to layered fabric to prevent relative slippage of fabric pieces during sewing and cutting.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a template that facilitates joining and cutting pieces of fabric used to make quilting squares that are conglomerated to make a quilting block. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are a template that includes instructions to identify the location for cutting and an indication of the size of the finished triangle. Thus embodiments of the present invention can decrease waste by reducing erroneous fabrication. Further, one embodiment of the present invention includes an adhesive side that allows the template to be selectively interconnected onto layered fabric pieces. The template may also include a backing portion that covers the adhesive until it is ready to be exposed and used during a project. Embodiments of the present invention further may include various score lines and kiss cuts to facilitate bending of the template around layered fabric pieces which will be described in greater detail below. Thus the template can make quilting square fabrication substantially error proof, that is, portions of the template are easily bendable in predetermined locations thereby allowing the backing to be removed from the template by individuals with less than ideal mobility in their hands. The score lines may include an indentation to allow for easy bending of the template to aid in interconnection to the fabric pieces. Cut lines and sew lines provided on the template can thus make it virtually impossible for the user to err in the construction of the block.  
         [0006]     In another aspect of the present invention a template that is easily accessed and stored is provided. More specifically, the templates may be interconnected in a long line and stored in a roll. The templates may have perforated edges that allow for interconnection between two adjacent templates on a roll or a sheet, for example. When a template is required, one would simply pull the next template off the roll and tear it from its neighbor. Although a template with a backing has been described thus far, one skilled in the art will appreciate that templates may be employed that do not include a backing and are interconnected to each other as in a common roll of tape, for example. However, it is preferable to use at least some backing portion so that the template may be placed upon the fabric material without having to account for a large amount of adhesive that may lead to misplacement of the template onto the layered fabric pieces.  
         [0007]     These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of the invention(s) contained herein. The above-described embodiments and configurations are neither complete nor exhaustive. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.  
         [0008]     As used herein, “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of these inventions.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a template of one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a simplified front elevation view of the template of one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of the template of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating the method of using the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a series of pictorial representations of the flow shown in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating an alternative method of using the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a series of pictorial representations of the flow shown in  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of a template of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a simplified front elevation view of the template of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a rear elevation view of the template of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a front elevation view of the template shown in  FIG. 8  positioned adjacent to a piece of fabric;  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a flow diagram illustrating the method of using the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 8 ; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  is a series of pictorial representations of the flow shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
       [0023]     To assist in the understanding of the present invention the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein:  
                                   #   Component                   100   Template       104   Instructions       108   Perforated line       112   Score       114   Full Cut Line       116   Backing       120   Cut line       124   Front of template       128   Size indicator       132   Logo       134   Edge cut line       136   Rear of template       140   Removable portion of the backing       144   Kiss cut line       148   Fabric square       152   Front of fabric square       156   Rear of fabric square       160   Larger fabric piece       164   Decorative side       168   Cut fabric       172   Align fabric       176   Remove portion of backing       180   Locate template       184   Secure template       188   Sew       192   Cut fabric       196   Remove template       204   Fold &amp; press fabric       208   Slot       212   Bend portions of template       216   Locate fabric       220   Fold templates                  
 
         [0024]     It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-13 , a template  100  is shown that is selectively interconnected to layered fabric pieces to facilitate alterations of at least one of the fabric pieces. More specifically, commonly in the craft of quilt making, it is desirable to associate two separate pattern styles by modifying at least one of the styles and sewing it to the other pattern thereby providing a square or rectangle (hereinafter “square”) to be used in a quilt blocks wherein a plurality of quilt blocks are sewn together to create at least one side of the finished quilt. Since the various sections of the quilt block are to be viewed as a whole, it is very important that the combinations of colors and designs of the plurality of squares are properly arranged within the finished block. Thus the template  100  is provided that includes instructions  104  and indicators that help an individual to accurately modify at least one fabric layer to provide a generally ideal portion of the quilt block. To that end, embodiments of the present invention provide a template  100  including perforated lines  108  and scores  112  to aid in the interconnection of the template  100  to fabric. In addition, embodiments of the present invention provide a removable backing  116  that covers an adhesive side of the template  100 . The adhesive facilitates interconnection of the template  100  to fabric thereby substantially preventing movement of the template  100  and the layered pieces of fabric during sewing of the pieces of fabric and cutting of individual fabric pieces prior to completion of the decorative square.  
         [0026]     Referring now specifically to  FIGS. 1-3 , a template  100  is provided that is adapted to interface with fabric to aid in the selective alteration thereof. It is to be understood that templates of the present invention may be of any shape even though the depicted template is trapezoidal with a perforated line  108  positioned between an upper and lower edge of the template  100 . The perforated line  108  helps define the boundaries of a triangle when the template  100  is placed upon a piece of fabric. In addition, a cut line  120  is indicated on the template  100  that allows the user to cut and discard a portion of the fabric being modified. Further, the front side  124  of the template provides locations for instructions  104 , size  128 , and logos  132 , thereby making the template  100  very user friendly. To facilitate storage of unused templates  100 , cut lines  134  are provided on the template edges wherein a plurality of templates  100  may be operably interconnected and rolled. The back side  136  of the template  100  is generally composed of a backing sheet  116  that, when removed, exposes temporary adhesive that facilitates interconnection of the template  100  onto apiece of fabric. Preferably, the backing  116  is divided into removable portions  140  that are used to interconnect the template  100  onto apiece of fabric. In addition, kiss cut lines  144  and score lines  112  are provided that aid in selectively bending the template  100  to interface with the fabric by folding the template, which the fabric feature will be described in greater detail below.  
         [0027]     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , one method of using the template  100  of one embodiment of the present invention is shown and described. More specifically, the first step is to define the desired arrangement of fabric that will be used to create at least a portion of a block used to form a side of a quilt. That is, a fabric square  148  having a front side  152  and a rear side  156  is provided and placed upon a larger fabric piece  160 , wherein the front side of the fabric square  152  is mated to decorative side  164  of the larger fabric piece  160 . ( FIG. 5B ) The fabric squares are previously cut to a predetermined dimension and are mated for every folded corner required as shown on block  168 . The fabric square  148  is then aligned to the larger fabric piece  160  wherein two corners of the fabric square  148  and the larger fabric piece  160  are aligned, shown on block  172 . Next, the removable portions  140  of the backing are removed from the template, shown on block  176 . ( FIG. 5C ) Embodiments of the present invention may also include instructions  104  on the back side of the template  136  to allow the user to easily ascertain portions of the backing  116  that is to be removed and not to be removed. The template  100  is then reversed, front side up, and placed upon the layered fabric wherein the edges  134  of the template are aligned with the shared edges of the fabric square  148  and the larger fabric piece  160 , shown on block  180 . ( FIGS. 5D &amp; 5E ) In this orientation, the perforated line provided on the template will generally span from one corner to another corner of the fabric square  148 . Once the template  100  is aligned as described, the user presses down upon the portions of the template  100  having exposed adhesive, i.e., the portions where the backing  116  has been removed, to selectively interconnect the template  100  onto the larger fabric pieces  160 , shown in block  164 . If the larger fabric square  160  is of a shape, such as rectangular, a portion of the template  100  may not be entirely situated on to the layered fabric. In this situation, the user may fold a portion of the template  100  that is not situated on the layered fabric pieces behind the layered fabric pieces and press down to interconnect the adhesive to the larger fabric square  160 . Next, the user sews the fabric square  148  onto the larger fabric square  160  along the perforated line  108  provided between the upper and lower edges of the template  100 , as shown in block  188 . The user then cuts along the indicated cut line  120  thereby disconnecting a portion of the fabric piece from the assemblage block  192 . In addition, since the fabrics were sewn together along the perforated line  108 , the template  100  may easily be split and removed from the sewn fabric pieces, block  196 . Once the excess portion of fabric and the template  100  have been removed, the fabric square  148  may be folded to expose the front side  152  thereof to occupy the space vacated by the portion of the larger fabric piece  160  removed during the cutting step  162 . To finish the process and to complete a multi-patterned piece for use in a quilting block, the layered fabric is pressed into generally one continuous square, block  204 .  
         [0028]     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , yet another way of using one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. More specifically, the template  100  as described thus far may be employed, as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, to create any number of multi-layered fabric designs. Further, a method of creating a larger triangle to be interconnected to a second fabric square is provided. Here, two fabric squares  148   a,    148   b  are cut to any predetermined dimension for every folded corner required, block  168 . The first fabric square  148   a  and the second fabric square  148   b  are placed together and their edges and corners are aligned, block  172 . ( FIG. 7A ) Next, removable portions  140  of the backing  116  of the template  100  are removed, block  176 , ( FIG. 7B ) and the template  100  is placed upon the layered fabrics, wherein the front sides  152   a,    152   b  of both fabric squares  148   a,    148   b  are placed together, block  184 . The template  100  is located in such a way that the perforated line  108  spans from one corner to a diagonal corner of the layered fabric. ( FIG. 7C ) Again, portions of the template  100  may not contact any portion of the fabric such that the overlapping portion may be folded around the first fabric square  148   a  and the second fabric square  148   b  together and interconnected to the second fabric square to maintain the template in place, block  182 . Next, the user sews the first fabric square  149   a  and the second fabric square  149   b  along the perforated line  108  of the template  100 , block  188 . The user then cuts along the indicated cut line  120  of the template  100  thereby separating portions of the first fabric square  148   a  and the second fabric square  148   b  from the assembled layered fabric, block  192 . ( FIG. 7D ) The template  100 , being further perforated by the sewing process, would then be easily removed, block  196 . Finally, the first fabric square  148   a  is folded to expose its front side  152   a  and the assembly is pressed to provide a single fabric assembly to be used in a quilting block, block  204 . ( FIG. 7E )  
         [0029]     Referring now to  FIGS. 8-11 , yet another embodiment of a template  100  is shown. Here, a generally rectangular template is provided that includes the cut line  120 , two perforated lines  108  and various full cut lines  114 . Again, as in the other embodiment of the present invention, logos  132 , instructions and sizes  128  maybe also provided on the template  100  to aid in the alteration of a fabric square. Further, kiss cuts  144  may also be provided on the rear side  136  of the template  100  to aid in the removal of portions of the backing  116  to selectively expose adhesive. The full cut lines  114  provided allow for the template to be selectively split to provide a slot  208  where to that received portions of the fabric square  148 , which will be described in further detail below. In addition, perforated or cut lines  134  may be employed on the edges of the template  100  thereby allowing for a plurality of templates  100  to be interconnected in a roll for storage.  
         [0030]     Referring now to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , a method of using another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Here, the first fabric square  148   a  and the second fabric square  148   b  are cut to a predetermined dimension for every folded corner required, block  168 . The first fabric square  148   a  and the second fabric square  148   b  are then aligned, where each edge and corner are matched and the front side  152   a  of the first fabric square  148   a  and the front side  152   b  of the second fabric square  148   b  are engaged, block  172 . ( FIG. 13A ) Portions of the backing  116  of the template  100  are removed and portions of the template are folded thereby providing slots  208  that receive the layered fabric, block  212 . ( FIGS. 13B &amp; 13C ) The formation of bends and slots  208  are facilitated via the use of full cut lines integrated into the template  100 . The layered fabric is then placed within the template  100  wherein a portion, for example, a corner thereof is placed within the slot  208 , block  216 . ( FIG. 3D ) Next, the portion of the template  100  with the exposed adhesive is folded onto the back side  156   a  of the first fabric square  148   a  and affixed thereto to position and secure the template  100  onto the layered fabric, thereby ensuring that the template will not substantially move during the sewing of the first fabric square  148   a  to the second fabric square  148   b,  block  220 . ( FIG. 13E ) Next, the fabric squares are sewn together along the two perforated lines  108  provided on the template  100  to interconnect the first fabric square  148   a  and the second fabric square  148   b  along two distinct lines, block  188 . ( FIG. 13F ) The sewn together layered fabric is then cut along the cut line  120  shown on the template  100  thereby separating the layered fabric into two assemblies of layered fabric each interconnected by the previously described stitch lines, block  192 . ( FIG. 13G ) The severed portions of the template  100  are removed, the fabric square folded to expose the front surfaces  152   a,    152   b  of each of the first fabric square  148   a  and the second fabric square  148   b,  and the new fabric square assembly pressed to provide a quilting block component with at least two distinct designs, blocks  196  and  204 . ( FIG. 13H )  
         [0031]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-13 , a method of making the template  100  contemplated by the present invention is described. Embodiments of the present invention employ paper having adhesive provided on one side. The backing sheet  116  is interconnected to the paper thereby allowing for selective exposure of the adhesive. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the template  100  may be cut into any shape to facilitate the creation of quilting blocks. That is, although trapezoidal and rectangular templates are shown herein, various other shapes may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, kiss cuts  144  are provided that allow for easier removal of the backing and edge perforations  134  are provided that allow for removal of one template  100  from another.  
         [0032]     The present invention, in various embodiments, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various embodiments, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the present invention after understanding the present disclosure. The present invention, in various embodiments, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various embodiments hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and\or reducing cost of implementation.  
         [0033]     The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0034]     Moreover though the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3