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Monday, October 4, 2010

Sick of Circles Yet?


This table runner is loosely based on the traditional Bulls Eye quilt pattern. I free-form cut circles in four diameters. I appliqued the smallest circles on the next bigger size, using black thread and a blanket stitch. I trimmed the back of the bottom circle carefully cutting inside the stitching (this reduces bulk). I appliqued this resulting double circle on the next bigger size, again using a blanket stitch and again trimming the back layer of fabric inside the stitching. This was sewn on the biggest and final circle...blanket stitch, trim...you get the drill. The resulting circular set was stitched to a black square...blanket stitch, trim.... The fun part comes when you get a bunch of these made. I kept my color palette to primary brights, but I used many different prints in each color. This gave a very scrappy look, which I was going for. Anyway, once you have the number of squares you want for your runner, cut each square in fourths. Because the circles are hand cut, and because when I sewed the circles on top of each other, I wasn't too concerned with exactness, they were all a bit "off". When I shuffled the colors around and sewed fourths together to make a whole block again, the circles were even more delightfully wonky. Sew those squares together, and you have a top ready to quilt. A hint that I would give would be to try to start and stop your blanket stitch in the same area for all circles. When you go to sew the final circles on to the black squares, line up the "starts and stops" somewhere that you are going to cut into anyway. No worries about securing those starts and stops of the blanket stitches because now that is all taken care of in the quarter inch seam allowance. Clear as mud, right? Don't know what I am going to show you tomorrow. Today we spent quite a while looking at bathroom fixtures for the new cabin addition. My head is spinning with possibilities! I think we have most everything decided upon. I am most excited about the bathtub that is going in the bathroom on the studio floor (oh, my gosh, did I just say "studio floor" like it was the most natural thing in the world???!!). I felt like Goldilocks when I tried out the fit of the tub...it was "just right!" Now, how can I sew enough stuff to pay for this?? See you tomorrow! Jerilynn

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