Curves have a funny way of making quilters nervous.
Give us a pile of squares and triangles and we’re ready to stitch, but throw a curve into the mix and suddenly things can feel a little more intimidating – ha!
I get it.
Curved piecing asks your fabric to behave a little differently than it does when you’re sewing two straight edges together. But the good news is that once you understand how the pieces fit and give yourself permission to slow down, it really isn’t as scary as it looks.
The Drunkard’s Path quilt block is one of my favourite ways to explore curved piecing because such a simple shape opens the door to so many fun design possibilities.
So, today, I thought I’d walk you through exactly how I sew one!
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A Little Drunkard’s Path History
One of the things I love about quilting is how much history is tucked into the blocks we still stitch today.
The Drunkard’s Path is a traditional curved quilt block made from two simple pieces: a quarter-circle or “pie” shape nestled into an L-shaped background piece.
The block has gone by a variety of names over the years and became particularly associated with the Temperance movement. The winding design was said to resemble the staggering path of someone who had been drinking.
History aside, what keeps drawing me back to this block is just how much creative possibility you can find in one simple curve.
Rotate the blocks.
Change the colour placement.
Add another curve.
Play with scale.
Suddenly the exact same technique can create circles, waves, winding paths and all kinds of unexpected secondary designs.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s start with sewing the curve 😉
What You’ll Need to Make a Drunkard’s Path Block
For the traditional method, you’ll need:
- Drunkard’s Path ruler or templates
- Fabric for your background and curved piece
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting mat
- Pins
- Pincushion
- Thread
- Sewing Machine – this is why I love it so much!
- Iron
- Wool pressing mat – use code SHANNONFRASER15 to save 15% on a small, medium, or large wool pressing mat from The Felt Store at thefeltstore.ca or thefeltstore.com
- Seam ripper (cause mistakes happen – ha!)
A quick note about sizing: Drunkard’s Path rulers and templates come in lots of different sizes. The exact measurements you’re cutting will depend on the template you’re using, but the piecing method remains the same.
That’s one of the nice things about learning the technique once – you can apply it to all kinds of Drunkard’s Path blocks.
Step 1: Cut Your Drunkard’s Path Pieces
Using your ruler or templates, cut:
- (1) L-shaped background piece
- (1) quarter-circle “pie” piece
Accuracy matters here.
Any time I’m working with curved piecing, I like to remind myself that a little care during cutting makes everything easier when I get to the sewing machine.
Try not to stretch or tug on the curved edges as you’re handling them. Because you’re cutting across the grain of the fabric, those curves can be more prone to stretching than a straight edge.
Step 2: Find the Centre of Your Curves
Fold both your L-shaped piece and your pie piece gently in half along the curved edge.
Finger press the centre point just enough to leave yourself a little crease.
No need to aggressively press here – you’re really just giving yourself an alignment mark.
Step 3: Pin the Centre
Place your L-shaped piece and pie piece right sides together, matching the centre creases you just created.
Pin the centre point.
This gives your fabric a little anchor and helps distribute the curve evenly as you work your way out.
Step 4: Match the Ends
Next, line up the two ends of your curved pieces and pin them in place.
You’ll now have three important points secured:
- one end
- the centre
- the other end
And yes, things may look a little strange at this point!
One piece wants to curve one way while the other is curving in the opposite direction.
That’s completely normal.
Step 5: Add More Pins
Now work between those three anchor points, gently bringing the raw edges of the curves together and adding pins along the way.
This is one of those times when pins really can be your friend.
Especially when you’re new to curved piecing, don’t worry about using “too many.”
I’d rather you feel confident that everything is staying where you want it than feel like you’re supposed to sew a curve with three pins because someone else can 😉
As you become more comfortable with curved piecing, you may find yourself using fewer pins.
That’s one of the fun things about learning a new technique – your hands start understanding what to do before you’ve even really thought about it.
Step 6: Sew the Curve
Using a ¼” seam allowance, slowly stitch along the curved edge.
And when I say slowly, I mean it!
There are no bonus points for racing around this curve 😉
You’re asking two opposing curves to come together smoothly, so give yourself time to guide the fabric rather than pulling it into place.
I like to sew a few stitches, check that everything ahead of my presser foot is lying flat, and then keep going.
If you need to stop and adjust things, stop.
If you need to reposition your hands, reposition them.
If it feels like the fabric is fighting you, check that you haven’t accidentally stretched or twisted one of the layers.
The goal isn’t to force the curves together.
You’re gently easing them into alignment.
Step 7: Press Your Drunkard’s Path Block
Once your curve is stitched, set your seam with your iron.
I like to press the seam allowance towards the L-shaped background piece.
Rather than aggressively moving your iron back and forth, use an up-and-down pressing motion so you don’t accidentally stretch that beautiful curve you just stitched.
Give everything a final press from the front.
And voilà!
You’ve made a Drunkard’s Path quilt block!
My Tips for Smoother Curved Piecing
Like most quilting techniques, curved piecing gets easier with practice.
The first curve I ever stitched certainly wasn’t the prettiest curve I’ve ever made – ha!
And that’s OK.
Here are a few things I’ve found particularly helpful over the years:
Don’t stretch the curved edges
Those curves contain bias edges, which means the fabric can stretch more easily than you’re used to.
Handle them gently while cutting, pinning and stitching.
Pin as much as you need
There’s no prize for using fewer pins.
When you’re learning, use whatever helps you feel in control of your fabric.
As your confidence grows, you may naturally find yourself using fewer.
Slow down
Curved piecing is definitely a technique where slowing down can actually help you get to the finish line faster.
Going slowly gives you time to notice little folds or puckers before you stitch over them.
Let the machine do the work
Guide your fabric rather than pulling it.
The feed dogs are there to move your fabric through the machine – your job is simply to keep those curved raw edges aligned.
Stop and reposition when you need to
Your stitching doesn’t have to be one continuous sweeping motion.
Stop with your needle down, adjust the fabric in front of your presser foot and then continue.
Give yourself time to learn
This might be the most important one.
Your first block is practice.
Your fifth block is practice.
Honestly, I’m still learning little things every time I revisit a technique.
That’s part of the fun!
The more curves you stitch, the more your confidence grows and the more instinctive the process starts to feel.
What If My Curve Isn’t Perfect?
First: welcome to quilting 😉
You might notice a small pucker.
Your curve might be slightly flatter in one spot.
Maybe your block needs a little extra squaring up.
None of those things mean you’ve failed at curved piecing.
Take a look at what happened, make a little adjustment on the next one and keep going.
Learning happens in the doing.
If curves are something you’ve been avoiding because they feel intimidating, I shared even more thoughts and encouragement in my How to Learn Curved Piecing Without Feeling Overwhelmed post.
Want to Take Your Drunkard’s Path Blocks in a More Improv Direction?
Once you’ve stitched a few traditional Drunkard’s Path blocks, you can start loosening things up.
This is where I especially love to play.
Instead of reaching for a template, try cutting your curve freehand with your rotary cutter.
No precise measurements.
No perfectly matched shapes.
Just you, your fabric and a little curiosity 😉
When I’m piecing improv curves, I normally skip the pins altogether.
I place the L-shaped piece on top of the inner curved piece, line up the beginning of the curve and take a few stitches.
Then I gently bring the next little section of the raw edges together.
Stitch a little.
Stop.
Reposition.
Stitch again.
You’re still using the same basic principle as the traditional method: ease the fabric together rather than stretching it.
Since you haven’t accounted for precise seam allowances while cutting, don’t be surprised when the edges of your finished block don’t line up perfectly.
That’s nothing a little trimming can’t fix 😉
And this is where you really start to see that learning the “traditional” technique doesn’t mean you’re stuck following traditional rules.
It gives you a foundation you can play with.
Modern Drunkard’s Path Quilt Ideas
Now that you know how to sew the curve, this is where the fun really begins!
I’ve come back to curved piecing again and again in my own quilt designs, and I love how different the results can feel depending on the scale, colour placement and way the blocks interact.
Cloud Surfing Quilt
Cloud Surfing uses curved piecing to create flowing shapes and movement across the quilt.
Download the Cloud Surfing Quilt Pattern here.
Lunar Eclipse Quilt
The Lunar Eclipse quilt takes that same basic curved-piecing idea and turns it into bold circular forms.
Download the Lunar Eclipse Quilt Pattern here.
Christmas Angel Quilt Block
Even a festive block can be a fun place to explore curves!
The Christmas Angel block uses half-circle curved piecing to create the angel design.
Download the Christmas Angel Quilt Block Pattern here.
Merry Midnight Quilt Block
You’ll also spot curved piecing in my Merry Midnight quilt block.
It’s a fun example of combining curves with other familiar quilting techniques to create something completely different.
That’s one of my favourite things about learning a technique like Drunkard’s Path piecing.
You’re not just learning how to make one block.
You’re adding another skill to your creative toolbox that you can pull out whenever a design sparks your curiosity.
Download the Merry Midnight quilt block pattern here.
Now It’s Your Turn to Play
Once you feel comfortable stitching the basic curve, try rotating your blocks and see what happens.
- Make four.
- Make sixteen.
- Change which fabric sits inside the curve.
- Add another curve.
- Try a larger scale.
- Cut one freehand.
There are so many directions you can take this deceptively simple shape.
And remember: you don’t have to master curved piecing before you’re allowed to have fun with it.
Sometimes playing with the technique is exactly how you get more comfortable.
So grab a few fabric scraps, stitch a curve, and see where it takes you 😊
Happy quilting 😊
xo,
Shannon
P.S. Want more quilting inspiration? Join Studio Notes for behind-the-scenes projects, creative encouragement, helpful tutorials, and early access to new patterns and courses. I’d love to have you there.
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