MJ
Kinman

Pink Tourmaline Piece Plan

Click the button to the right to download a PDF file of the Piece Plan.

There Are Several Ways To Piece The Eight Sections Of The Pink Tourmaline Birthstone. This Is  Just One Of Them. Enjoy The Process!

Last updated on 8/10/2019; Section 3 “Sew together Unit 7:8 and Unit 9:10 (Creating Unit 7:10)”

Section 1

  • Sew together 1-1 and and 1-2 (Creating Unit 1:2)
  • Sew together 1-3 and 1-4 (Creating Unit 3:4)
  • Set aside facets 1-5 and 1-6 for now; we’ll come back to them in just a minute
  • Sew together 1-7, 1-8, and 1-9 (Creating Unit 7:9)

Now you can sew the following units together…

  • Sew together Unit 1:2 and Unit 3:4 (Creating Unit 1:4)
  • Sew 1-5 to Unit 1:4 (Creating Unit 1:5)
  • Sew 1-6 to Unit 1:5 (Creating Unit 1:6)
  • Sew together Unit 1:6 with Unit 7:9 to complete Section 1

Section 2

  • Set aside 2-1 (the black background piece) for now; we’ll return to it in a moment
  • Sew together 2-2, 2-3, and 2-4 (Creating Unit 2:4)
  • Sew together 2-5, 2-6, and 2-7 (Creating Unit 5:7)
  • Sew together 2-8 and 2-9 (Creating Unit 8:9)
  • Sew together Unit 8:9 with 2-10 (Creating Unit 8:10)
  • Sew together 2-11 and 2-12 (Creating Unit 11:12)
  • Set aside 2-13 for now: we’ll come back to it at the very end.

Now you can sew the following units together…

  • Sew together Unit 5:7 and Unit 8:10 (Creating Unit 5:10)
  • Sew together Unit 5:10 with Unit 2:4 (Creating Unit 2:10)
  • Sew together Unit 2:10 and 11:12 (Creating Unit 2:12)
  • Use your marking pencils to extend all hash marks on Unit 2:12 and the background pieces (2-1 and 2-13) from the freezer paper edge into the seam
  • Clip seam allowance of 2-1 and 2-13 (backgrounds) at ¼” intervals
  • Remove the freezer paper (but only after you have marked your hash marks in the seam). This will help you to pin and sew the two sections much more easily.
  • Finally, Sew 2-1 and 2-13 to Unit 2:12 by gently easing the black background fabric around the gentle curve of Unit 2:12, pinning generously
  • Now sew together Section 1 and Section 2 (Creating Quadrant 1:2)

Section 3

  • Sew together 3-1 and and 3-2 (Creating Unit 1:2)
  • Sew together 3-3 and 3-4 (Creating Unit 3:4)
  • Set aside facets 3-5 and 3-6 for now; we’ll come back to them in just a minute
  • Sew together 3-7 and 3-8 (Creating Unit 7:8)
  • Sew together 3-9 and 3-10 (Creating Unit 9:10)

Now you can sew the following units together…

  • Sew together Unit 1:2 and Unit 3:4 (Creating Unit 1:4)
  • Sew together 3-5 to Unit 1:4 (Creating Unit 1:5)
  • Sew together 3-6 to Unit 1:5 (Creating Unit 1:6)
  • Sew together Unit 7:8 and Unit 9:10 (Creating Unit 7:10)
  • Sew together Unit 1:6 with Unit 7:10 to complete Section 3

Section 4

  • Sew together 4-1 and 4-2 (Creating Unit 1:2)
  • Sew together 4-3 and 4-4 (Creating Unit 3:4)
  • Sew together 4-5, 4-6, and 4-7 (Creating Unit 5:7)
  • Sew together 4-8 and 4-9 (Creating Unit 8:9)
  • Set aside 4-10; we’ll return to it in a moment
  • Sew together 4-11 and 4-12 (Creating Unit 11:12)
  • Sew 4:10 to Unit 11:12 (Creating Unit 10:12)
  • Set aside 4-13 and 4-14 (black background pieces) for now: we’ll come back to them after we sew together Section 3 and Section 4
  • Now you can sew the following units together…
  • Sew together Unit 1:2 and 3:4 (Creating Unit 1:4)
  • Sew together Unit 5:7 and 8:9 (Creating 5:9)
  • Sew together Unit 1:4, 5:9, and 10:12 (Creating Unit 1:12)
  • Now sew together Sections 3 and 4 (Creating Quadrant 3:4)
  • Use your marking pencils to extend all hash marks on Quadrant 3:4 and the background pieces (4-13 and 4-14) from the freezer paper edge into the seam
  • Clip seam allowance of 4-13 and 4-14 (black background pieces) at ¼” intervals
  • Remove the freezer paper (but only after you have marked your hash marks in the seam). This will help you to pin and sew the two sections much more easily.
  • Finally, Sew 4-13 and 4-14 to Quadrant 3:4 by gently easing the black background fabric around the gentle curve of Quadrant 3:4, pinning generously

Section 5

  • Sew together 5-1 and and 5-2 (Creating Unit 1:2)
  • Sew together 5-3 and 5-4 (Creating Unit 3:4)
  • Set aside facets 5-5 and 5-6 for now; we’ll come back to them in just a minute
  • Sew together 5-7 and 5-8 (Creating Unit 7:8)

Now you can sew the following units together…

  • Sew together Unit 1:2 and Unit 3:4 (Creating Unit 1:4)
  • Sew 5-5 to Unit 1:4 (Creating Unit 1:5)
  • Sew 5-6 to Unit 1:5 (Creating Unit 1:6)
  • Sew together Unit 1:6 with Unit 7:8 to complete Section 5

Section 6

  • Set aside 6-1; we’ll return to it in a moment
  • Sew together 6-2 and 6-3 (Creating Unit 2:3)
  • Sew together 6-1 and Unit 2:3 (Creating Unit 1:3)
  • Sew together 6-4 and Unit 1:3 (Creating 1:4)
  • Sew together 6-5, 6-6, and 6-7 (Creating Unit 5:7)
  • Sew together 6-8 and 6-9 (Creating Unit 8:9)
  • Sew together 6-10 and 6-11 (Creating Unit 10:11)
  • Set aside 6-12 and 6-13 (black background pieces) for now: we’ll come back to them after we sew together Section 5 and Section 6

Now you can sew the following units together…

  • Sew together Unit 5:7 and Unit 8:9 (Creating Unit 5:9)
  • Sew together Unit 1:4 and Unit 5:9 (Creating Unit 1:9)
  • Sew together Unit 1:9 and Unit 10:11 (Creating Unit 1:11)
  • Now sew together Sections 5 and 6 (Creating Quadrant 5:6)
  • Use your marking pencils to extend all hash marks on Quadrant 5:6 and the background pieces (6-12 and 6-13) from the freezer paper edge into the seam
  • Clip seam allowance of 6-12 and 6-13 (backgrounds) at ¼” intervals
  • Remove the freezer paper (but only after you have marked your hash marks in the seam). This will help you to pin and sew the two sections much more easily.
  • Finally, Sew 6-12 and 6-13 to Quadrant 5:6 by gently easing the black background fabric around the gentle curve of Quadrant 5:6, pinning generously

Section 7

  • Sew together 7-1 and and 7-2 (Creating Unit 1:2)
  • Sew together 7-3 and 7-4 (Creating Unit 3:4)
  • Set aside facets 7-5 and 7-6 for now; we’ll come back to them in just a minute
  • Sew together 7-7 and 7-8 (Creating Unit 7:8)

Now you can sew the following units together…

  • Sew together Unit 1:2 and Unit 3:4 (Creating Unit 1:4)
  • Sew 7-5 to Unit 1:4 (Creating Unit 1:5)
  • Sew 7-6 to Unit 1:5 (Creating Unit 1:6)
  • Sew together Unit 1:6 with Unit 7:8 to complete Section 7

Section 8

  • Set aside 8-1; we’ll return to it in a moment
  • Sew together 8-2, 8-3, and 8-4 (Creating Unit 2:4)
  • Sew together 8-1 and Unit 2:4 (Creating Unit 1:4)
  • Sew together 8-5, 8-6, 8-7, 8-8, and 8-9 (Creating Unit 5:9)
  • Sew together 8-10 and 8-11 (Creating Unit 10:11)
  • Set aside 8-12 and 8-13 for now: we’ll come back to them in a moment

Now you can sew the following units together…

  • Sew together Unit 1:4 and Unit 5:9 (Creating Unit 1:9)
  • Sew together Unit 1:9 and Unit 10:11 (Creating Unit 1:11)
  • Use your marking pencils to extend all hash marks on Unit 1:11 and the background pieces (8-12 and 8-13) from the freezer paper edge into the seam
  • Clip seam allowance of 8-12 and 8-13 (backgrounds) at ¼” intervals
  • Remove the freezer paper (but only after you have marked your hash marks in the seam). This will help you to pin and sew the two sections much more easily.
  • Finally, sew 8-12 and 8-13 to Unit 1:11 by gently easing the black background fabric around the gentle curve of Unit 1:11, pinning generously
  • Now sew together Section 7 and Section 8 (Creating Quadrant 7:8)

Let’s finish putting together Pink Tourmaline birthstone by piecing the four Quadrants…

  • Sew together Quadrant 1:2 and Quadrant 3:4, being careful to match the point at which the gemstone and the black backgrounds meet. If they do not, adjust the intersecting seams as necessary.
  • Sew together Quadrant 5:6 and Quadrant 7:8, again being careful to match the point at which the gemstone and the black backgrounds meet. If they do not, adjust the intersecting seams as necessary.
  • Finally, sew together the two halves of the Pink Tourmaline block along the center diagonal seam. Match the points at which the gemstone meets the black background, easing in or letting out fabric as needed to make those points match.

Birthstone Series Resources

Click on the name of the gemstone below for a listing of its Piece Plan. The Piece plan is a step-by-step guide to help you piece each facet together in a strategic way to ensure that your block fits together perfectly.