Sewing Circles
Thank you to everyone for such a great response to my Liberated Medallion!!
I've had a couple of questions about how I sew my circles.
My technique is nothing new, just the good old Freezer Paper method, but here's how I go about it...
Get a piece of freezer paper. (I just have to say 3 Cheers for whoever thought of using freezer paper with sewing- absolute genius!!) To draw a circle you could use a template from a particular pattern you are making, a compass or I like using some of my pretty saucers.
Draw and cut out a circle of the size you would like your finished circle to be.
Iron the freezer paper circle, waxy side down onto the wrong side of the fabric. Cut out the circle with a quarter inch seam.
Using your friendly iron press the quarter inch seam inwards over the edge of the freezer paper circle. Press it really, really well!!
Go around the circle a few times to get a nice crisp edge.
Nice crispy edges!!
Leave the freezer in and pin your circle to the back ground fabric. You'll have to tuck the fabric under a bit as you go to keep those crispy edges.
To stitch, after making a knot, bring the needle up through the backing fabric and through the edge of the applique fabric catching just a few threads and then insert the needle back into the backing fabric and then repeat about every1/8th inch.
I got carried away and didn't take a photo of the next step but here's what you do -When you still have an inch or so to go reach in, loosen the freezer paper and pull it out. The rest of the circle edge will still hold it's shape from the good ironing you gave it. Continue sewing it down until the circle is completed.
If you get carried away and sew the circle all the way around before removing the paper you can make a small cut behind the circle and pull the paper out.
Press it with the iron and there you go -
Hello Circle!!
Here's one of my early quilts, Summer Bubbles, that demonstrates my love for circles.
The funny part was I'd finished the quilt top and while I was admiring it an idea popped into my head. Maybe I should have stuffed the circles.
Now I mentioned the top was finished so I really tried to ignore the idea.
But I couldn't ...
So I cut a cross behind each circle and stuffed in a circle of batting then sewed it up again.
It was a bit of work but so worth it to have puffy circles.
I even hand quilted lots of circles on this quilt!
Just goes to show circles are good to have a-round - :0