Hey Everyone, welcome back to Cool Tool Thursday.
This little tool called the Quilter’s Wonder Wheel is a great way to easily and accurately add a ¼″ seam allowance to any template. I do believe it is one of the smallest tools that I have featured – only a ½″ in diameter.
The wheel has a hole in the middle which is countersunk on the top side. The bottom side is smooth and flat allowing it to move freely over the fabric or paper.
The wheel has a hole in the centre
A nice sharp pointed pencil fits nicely into the indented hole so that the seam allowance lines can be drawn using the wonder wheel.
Pencil lead through the hole in the wheel
How to Use the Wonder Wheel
Place the template on the paper and the wonder wheel right up beside the template with the pencil standing straight up and down in the hole. Being upright is important so that a nice smooth and even line is drawn.
Pencil and wheel in place along a plastic template
Slide the wonder wheel along the template and a line will be drawn. Continue around the whole template.
¼″ seam drawn around triangular template
This does work better if the template is a bit thicker such as box board or template plastic. The extra thickness of the templates makes it easier to rest the wheel against it and follow around the shape smoothly and evenly.
The wonder wheel works on odd shapes and curved templates just as well as straight edges.
¼″ seam allowance drawn around this odd curvy shape
This cool little tool allows for a simple and easy way to add an accurate ¼″ seam allowance to templates that do not have them or to shapes that you want to use for appliqué and it does not matter if they are a ¼″ larger all the way around.
Happy Quilting!
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What a brilliant little tool, I put it straight on my Amazon quilting notions wish list. Hope you had a Merry Christmas, Jen!
Isn’t it brilliant. I had a nice quiet Christmas with Michael’s family. I hope yours was Merry as well Juliet.
I have one, but didn’t know that’s what it’s called. I used it years ago, but the seam allowance seemed too large.
Eileen, that is interesting as it looks pretty right on. Maybe they have changed it to be more accurate.
Had one for years and now do not know where it is. I eyeball my seams with the machine foot.
Ann, it is such a little tiny thing easily lost.
That tool looks like it would save a lot of time. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Your welcome Lana. It certainly beat tracing the shape and then putting the ruler down on each side to add the seam allowance. And it works great on odd shaped and curved lines.
I love this little gadget. I look forward to trying it ou!
Diane, it is a great little tool.