Ah, so you haven't actually sewn any yet?
I remember seeing this pattern all over the place a few years ago, so I'm sure the templates are okay.
So, the instructions were really that lousy? I hate that. You spent a pretty penny on them, I'm sure.
In a continuing effort to avoid doing my taxes, I printed out an enlarged picture of the templates, cut them out and and tried to put them together.
I think I found the problem.
I don't know how far you got in cutting, but the templates as shown don't/won't work. And now I totally understand why you were confused.
If you lay the templates out as the picture indictates, you would HAVE to flip #1 and #3 BEFORE cutting.
Now you can sew #1 to #2, then that duo to #3, and then finally #4 will fit.
Or, for a swirl in another direction, flip #2 and #4, and then sew as described above.
But you have to keep the pieces in each set separate, as they are NOT interchangeable.
And if you're using batiks (where you can't tell right side from wrong side), please be extra careful because that could be hair pulling frustrating.
(I did that on a Japanese puzzle quilt once and wanted to SCREAM. :roll: )
If you look at the pattern quilt picture (or others online) and focus in on a BLOCK, you can see what I'm talking about.
Anyway, when you get the templates back, use some scrap fabric and see if what I'm trying to describe works for you.
If not, come back with pictures and we'll try for Plan B.
;-)