Wunder-Mar

The Perfect Spools Marking Template is sold online in three sizes - 3", 4-1/2" and 6" (finished block sizes). It's a great product because the thought behind it is "mark-sew-trim." You start with 3 pieces of fabric (not 5 as a typical spool block uses), so there's complete control over bias edge distortion. People who love hand piecing can put everything - component pieces and partially finished blocks - in one "take along" bag and not have any ravelling, stretching or any of that nonsense. It's also a great method for assembly line production of these blocks. I have precut scraps of all types lying around, and some charm squares packs I plan to knock off using these templates.

If you don't want to deal with Y-seams, the instructions have other ways around this. You can always glue-stick the Y-seams' together and stitch them down/together when you quilt the quilt top to to the batting and backing; it'll wash out. [Fold the fabric for the spool top or bottom along the line you marked with the template; place the fold onto the fabric piece you chose for the block sides and use the glue stick to affix it. Stitch together the "glued" blocks, then use your sewing machine to sew down those folds in the process of quilting.) I used 1/4" Steam-A-Seam for the Y-seams in this quilt, by the way; it got a bit bulky sometimes because the block itself is so small, but should work just fine with the two larger sized blocks. I am working through a 36x36 spool quilt top that uses the 6" finished blocks, and the Y-seams are no problem.