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Friday, April 17, 2020

New Round Robin and Inset Circle Tut

I'm sure everyone saw this coming - a new Stay at Home Round Robin quilt is underway. 


new round robin quilt at QuiltFabrication

Hubby has won the battle on stopping after the pinwheels on my other round robin, 


first stay at home round robin quilt at QuiltFabrication

though I'd really like to sneak in the arrows. I tell him it's my 'garden' like those we visited in Paris last year, and it needs gates. He's not convinced.

So, if you're just joining in, this online quilting event is hosted by Quiting Gail, and started a few weeks ago. Since we can't have any contact to pass these projects around, all of the rounds are done by you, and shared online via Gail's Friday linky party. It's a great way to see what others are doing, and get the creative juices flowing!

Gail also announces each new round on Friday, and I think today is round 5. Not counting the center, the first round is piano keys, the second, pinwheels. Round 3 is arrows, and 4 is squares. My new project was started this past Tuesday, and is woefully behind. And I've already informed hubby he has no say on this one!

Just like the my other round robin, I started with leftovers from other quilts. Strip sets and yardage from A Quilt to Give, 


leftover pieced strip units and yardage


and this circle from the Going in Circles quilt


leftover scrap pieced circle

I decided to inset the circle into a blue background, instead of appliqueing it. I've shared this technique before in the Inset Circles tutorial using a different scrap circle, and here's a quick refresher tutorial for inset circles.

Using freezer paper, mark a circle 1/2" smaller in diameter than the circle to be inset. My circle measures approximately 10 1/2" inches across, which means a 10" circle on freezer paper.


circle drawn on freezer paper for inset circles

Cut out the circle on the line, and press the freezer paper to the backside of background fabric. If the circle needs to be centered, fold both the freezer paper and background fabric in half both directions, and press the freezer paper aligning the folds.


fold lines in fabric and freezer paper for aligning inset circles


Trim out the background fabric circle leaving a 1/4" seam allowance at the freezer paper edge. Clip the curve at close enough intervals - closer for tight curves, further for more open curves - to allow the fabric to fold over smoothly. 


circle cut from background and clipped seam allowance

Using a paintbrush, apply a narrow line of starch on the fabric, near the freezer paper. Don't use too much, as there's no need to soak the fabric or the paper! Work a section at a time, pressing the seam allowance over the freezer paper for a smooth edge.


starch in the seam allowance for pressing a smooth curve

Then apply a thin line of glue - I use the washable school glue kind - to the folded over seam allowance, and place the circle to be inset on top. Check for seam coverage, and press in place.


school glue for holding the circle in place for stitching

Gently and carefully remove the freezer paper from the background, and from any seam allowance that has stuck. At the sewing machine, replace the normal foot with an open toe foot or zipper foot, and set a shortened stitch length. Slowly and carefully, with the circle against the machine bed and the background on top, stitch next to the fold line.


stitch next to the fold for an inset circle

When done, choose which direction the seam should lay - into the circle to give it puff as if on top of the background, or toward the background for an underneath, inset look. I choose the later for my project.


inset circle at QuiltFabrication

For a more in-depth look at what's possible to inset with this technique, I highly recommend Pieced Curves So Simple by Dale Fleming (affiliate link) - it's my go-to resource!


Pieced Curves So Simple by Dale Fleming

And with that, I'm off to add rounds 2, 3, 4, and 5 to this one - updates next week!

Happy Quilting!




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6 comments:

  1. I'm behind in blog reading, so missed the round robin quilt along. I may have to go check it out.

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  2. Thank you for the detailed instructions. Really like the bright blue fabrics. Lovely little finish.

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  3. Susan I love them both!!!! Will check it out! they are lifting the medical procedures in Texas on 26 April - so hoping now that Hubby can have his Heart Cath procedure and Aorta Valve replacement done and we can get on with our 'REAL NORMAL' life that has not been here since New Years' Eve 2019!!!! Your projects make me smile!

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  4. I found the book - cheap cheap! on order! I am gathering all patterns I want to do when I can get back to life - after hubby I have to have eye surgery to correct issues with cataract surgery - am I having fun yet? LOL

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  5. I'm loving your new Round Robin ... such a great idea to insert a circle - especially when you know that the rest of the quilt is all squares and triangles! :-)
    And, your 1st RR looks pretty good as it is! Thanks for joining in the fun and linking up!
    Happy Quilting!

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  6. I am loving your stay at home robin! I am wanting to do a quilt as a historical thing for the Covid-19 stay home situation, but have not yet decided what to do. Hopefully the virus will mutate to something better and I won't have a chance to get started on it.

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Thank you so much for commenting...you just made my day!