Circle Obsession

jill....From time to time, I become obsessed with circles.  I've made many patterns with Drunkard's Path, explored and taught Strips and Curves by Louisa L. Smith. The above quilt was a product of that class.  The biggest payoff with the curves is that they look more difficult than they really are.  (People will admire you for your technical abilities!)

Accurate templates are essential.  One very helpful product is Cheryl Phillips' "Cut A Round".  With this template, you can cut traditional Drunkard's Path blocks but the real benifit is that you can cut entire circles into whole cloth.  So if you don't want seams in your background fabric or circles, this tool is the perfect solution without doing all the math.

The templates come in varius sizes (small, medium and large) with complete directions.  The following photos show how easy this circle is to piece.

I chose a large scale motif and cut it 8" square with the finished circle to be approximately 6 1/2".  This gives me plenty of fabric.  The plaid background is cut 10" square so that it will be squared up after the piecing.

I pressed the fabric in half and then again into quarters, keeping in mind the center at the folded edge.

I'm cutting a  7" circle  (finishes 6 1/2") so I utilize the markings for a folded edge and cut it at the 7" mark.  The frame is cut one inch less so I cut it at the 6 " mark.

Following the instructions, I press the circles and the frame into eighths, place the circle on top. Bring the frame over the circle and pin the raw edges, matching the eighth markings.

With the circle against the bed of the sewing maching, sew with a very accurate 1/4" seam allowance.

I pressed starting from the back, seam allowance to the circle (to make it pop up a bit).  I then pressed from the front.  The circle was a little tight so I need to adjust my allowance and make my seam shallower.  Because I cut my background larger, I'm able to square it.  You might want to practice but it really is easy.


Have a good week!