I’m releasing in a few weeks my new quilt pattern, Verbena, where you can practice different sewing skills. One of these is the appliqué circle. I’ve written this tutorial to explain two different ways to make this pretty block.
One is using a basting method.
The other one using fusing interfacing.
Try them out and use the one that suits you better.
The basting method
1.
Make a template of the finished size circle from card stock and use it to draw a circle on the wrong side of the fabric. Cut the fabric 1/2” bigger all the way around.
2.
Baste all the way around the edge, in between the drawn circle and the raw edge of the fabric. The shorter the stitch is, the smoother the curve will be.
3.
Place the template in the centre and gently pull on the basting thread to gather the fabric around the template. Press around the shape using the point of your iron to have a smooth curve.
4.
Once the fabric is cool, carefully remove the template. Give the circle a press from the front to make sure the edge is flat. Pin the circle in the centre of the background square.
5.
Sew in place using a slip stitch: turn the fabric under using the crease as a guide as you work your way around the edge of the shape, making sure to bring your needle through the edge fold as much as you can for invisible stitching.
Sewing tip.
If the curved edge of the circle has become too pointed, use the needle to push the fabric in. Then press with your fingers to keep the shape curved. Also, check the video I made showing this technique at the end of the blog post.
The fusible interfacing method
1.
Use the circle template to cut a circle from the colour fabric and another circle from the fusing interfacing.
2.
Place the right side of the fabric with the shiny side of the fusing (that is the side that will stick) and pin it. Sew along the curve using 1/4” seam allowance. Now slowly lift the fusing and make a slight cut. Do not cut the fabric. You can also make some snips into the seam allowance to help the fabric get the curved shape.
3.
Now turn it inside out. Use an edge sharper to poke out the edges of the circle and have a nice and smooth circle curve. Place the circle in the centre of the background square and press to stick the circle.
4.
Sew in place using a slip stitch: turn the fabric under using the crease as a guide as you work your way around the edge of the shape, making sure to bring your needle through the edge fold as much as you can for invisible stitching.
Here is a video of the method that I normally use to make them.
Step 13. Repeat the whole process using C, D, E, etc. as shown in the gallery below. It is the same process as before. The bigger the circle, the easier to sew.
Sewing an oven mitt has been my first sewing project. When I started sewing eight months ago, before I started making quilts, I made small crafts, like this one that I will explain to you how to do. The good thing about making your own oven mitts is that you can customize them so that, …
I have recently released my latest quilt pattern to the world and I have shared on social media how I have made two types of cushions using the FPP blocks that I designed in that pattern. For both cushions I have used plain fabrics for two main reasons: they are the ones that best suit …
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SEWING APPLIQUÉ CIRCLES
Hi friends!
I’m releasing in a few weeks my new quilt pattern, Verbena, where you can practice different sewing skills. One of these is the appliqué circle. I’ve written this tutorial to explain two different ways to make this pretty block.
Try them out and use the one that suits you better.
The basting method
1.
Make a template of the finished size circle from card stock and use it to draw a circle on the wrong side of the fabric. Cut the fabric 1/2” bigger all the way around.
2.
Baste all the way around the edge, in between the drawn circle and the raw edge of the fabric. The shorter the stitch is, the smoother the curve will be.
3.
Place the template in the centre and gently pull on the basting thread to gather the fabric around the template. Press around the shape using the point of your iron to have a smooth curve.
4.
Once the fabric is cool, carefully remove the template. Give the circle a press from the front to make sure the edge is flat. Pin the circle in the centre of the background square.
5.
Sew in place using a slip stitch: turn the fabric under using the crease as a guide as you work your way around the edge of the shape, making sure to bring your needle through the edge fold as much as you can for invisible stitching.
Sewing tip.
If the curved edge of the circle has become too pointed, use the needle to push the fabric in. Then press with your fingers to keep the shape curved. Also, check the video I made showing this technique at the end of the blog post.
The fusible interfacing method
1.
Use the circle template to cut a circle from the colour fabric and another circle from the fusing interfacing.
2.
Place the right side of the fabric with the shiny side of the fusing (that is the side that will stick) and pin it. Sew along the curve using 1/4” seam allowance. Now slowly lift the fusing and make a slight cut. Do not cut the fabric. You can also make some snips into the seam allowance to help the fabric get the curved shape.
3.
Now turn it inside out. Use an edge sharper to poke out the edges of the circle and have a nice and smooth circle curve. Place the circle in the centre of the background square and press to stick the circle.
4.
Sew in place using a slip stitch: turn the fabric under using the crease as a guide as you work your way around the edge of the shape, making sure to bring your needle through the edge fold as much as you can for invisible stitching.
Here is a video of the method that I normally use to make them.
Thanks for reading!
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