craftsy

Playing With Circles in Quilting - For the Love of the Half Circle


This design has been stuck in my head for months and months. I had grand plans of making this quilt for Valentine's Day - for obvious reasons - but work deadlines got in the way of quilting for fun. I found myself with few immediate deadlines this week and a free morning. Et voila!

Beyond the design itself, I also wanted to make this quilt for another reason. I wanted to showcase some half circles in a design. So often I see two quarter circles used when the quilter could have easily made a single block. The construction is exactly the same, so why shy away from half circles? Is it fear? The unknown? Pure comfort with a quarter circle? I know that the final result is the same, but if you can avoid a seam, why wouldn't you?

There were some insanely gorgeous and creative quilts at QuiltCon, for example, that used quarter circles when half circles could have been used easily.  It might just be me, because of my circular predilection, but I think we need to bring the half circle the attention it deserves.


That focus is going to start with a pair of lips. Or hearts, depending on your viewing angle. That was kind of the point with this design. One big smackaroonie. And all the love for a half circle block too.

This quilt is scheduled to be in a quilt show in a month so I better get it off the rocks and under my machine. I see some free motion text in my future.


If you want more details on making a half circle block you can check out my Craftsy class on Inset and Applique Circles by Machine or pick up Lucky Spool's Essential Guide to Modern Quiltmaking.


Playing With Circles in Quilting - Part 2



Ride the Waves
50'' x70''

Improv curves are fun. In a fit one day last year I pulled out a playful and lovely combination of fabrics and made a whole bunch of blocks. It was just one of those quilts that came to be with no rhyme or reason. I'm pretty sure I had it done in just a couple of days. Then it sat. The moment passed and there was little motivation to finish it.

Then you realize that someone needs a pick me up, a hug as much as possible. And in your head you kind of realize that these fabrics are so her. So her, in fact, that you may have picked them with her in mind. You may have stuck with this size of quilt because it is the perfect size for her.

And then you finish it with big lines of loops because they are fun and everyone deserves a bit of fun. And she deserves a finished quilt so the loops make that happen too. So does binding it among a stack of quilts you feel you just have to get done for Christmas. That way you can give it to her when she most needs it.

Then she texts you that night to say how much it is helping in the dark and lonely moments and you realize that this is indeed why we work hard to make quilts for people we love. This way, love is all around them.


Even her dog approves. Then again, there is no accounting for taste.

The improv curves are easy to do and totally take any mystery out of curved piecing. There really are no mistakes with this technique. You can see that sometimes I doubled up the curves and other times they are just simple. All together they echo quarter circles. Which means you can use them like you would any other Drunkard Path block. I chose a setting that creates diagonal lines of movement across the quilt. Simple, fun, and effective.

Overall, that's what the quilt is - simple, fun, and effective. Design wise, yes. but also in spirit.


All year I am going to be posting more and more circle techniques. This is some time to play with circles and there are so many things to do beyond the basics. Join me for the monthly series, Playing with Circles in Quilting.

If you want more details on making circles or any of the techniques I introduce here, check out my Craftsy class: Inset and Applique Circles by Machine or my workshop in the book, Lucky Spool's Essential Guide to Modern Quiltmaking.

Playing with Circles in Quilting - Part 1


What happens when you use pieced blocks for your circles?

I've experimented with improv blocks, for both the circle and the background, with good success. This time I wanted to try some precision pieced blocks, to see if there is any difference. I was also interested in testing out the new machine with my trustworthy technique.

These were orphan blocks I found in my closet. I didn't make any of them and, to be honest, I'm not sure where they came from. Perhaps extra donations from the Just One Slab charity quilts? They seemed perfectly appropriate to experiment with.

The small circles were regular appliqué circles. I had some old templates out and they were just the right size. The technique works great, but next time I would just make new templates. My guess is that I set these templates aside because something about them wasn't quite round. Not to mention that freezer paper loses its crispness after a while. As a result, my circles aren't terribly round. But, the idea of this with the pieced blocks works great.

The big blocks were made with the Reverse Circle technique I teach. I thought it best to try this with the big ones for a couple of reasons. One, new freezer paper. And two, I suspected these would end up looking better. The seam allowances of a pieced block don't make the edges of the circle bulky. My suspicions were confirmed. I kind of love these blocks.

If you do use pieced blocks for circles keep in mind that part of your piecing will be cut off. You can lose points of a star, or entire sections of a rail fence. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a design consideration. I actually think it could look cool if you had a quilt of chopped off blocks, but each block was chopped off differently. Or maybe you take an entire quilt top that you don't like, and make circles out of it. Then piece the circle blocks together in the order of where they were cut. It would be like portholes into another quilt. Whatever you cut off are generally useful scraps too, so don't be afraid of wasting fabric.


All year I am going to be posting more and more circle techniques. This is some time to play with circles and there are so many things to do beyond the basics. Join me for the monthly series, Playing with Circles in Quilting.

If you want more details on making circles or any of the techniques I introduce here, check out my Craftsy class: Inset and Applique Circles by Machine or my workshop in the book, Lucky Spool's Essential Guide to Modern Quiltmaking.

This and That For Your Weekend

It's a quiet, sunny Sunday here in Calgary. Hubby and I both have a weekend off from work and volunteer obligations. It's been fantastic! I do hope you are also having a great weekend.

Just a few things I wanted to share with you. Maybe they will brighten your weekend with a little treat, or keep you entertained during some precious sewing time.

Craftsy Sale

This weekend is a big Craftsy sale! I know I've posted about these before, but if you've never checked it out I suggest you browse the classes. I have a collection of quilting and cooking classes myself. If you've been inspired by my appliqué work I strongly recommend Big Techniques from Little Scraps with Sarah Fielke and Hand Applique Made Easy with Mimi Dietrich. I've learned a lot through these classes that I think will really take my appliqué enjoyment and skills to a new level.

To access the sale click on this link and check out all the options. You don't have to be a quilter either. Personally, I'm intrigued by the drawing classes. In all my free time, right? But, you can get them this weekend and have lifetime access... Good deal, no?

C&T Publications Sale

If, like me, you have an addiction to books then this is the sale for you. So many good deals here. The new C&T Publishing site is easier to navigate and you can find all sorts of deals in this warehouse sale. I may have picked up a few titles myself, even though I don't really need more books - I'm too busy sewing to read much these days! But, oh, the cuteness...

And if you are a fan of my work specifically, I would be remiss in not pointing out that a few books I'm in are for sale. Like Datekeeper - Modern Quilts, 99 Modern Blocks, and an amazing deal on A Month of Sundays! And so many other great titles and products.

Modern Sewciety


This is a fun podcast hosted weekly by Stephanie Kendron. I had the pleasure of joining her and Carolyn Friedlander for a chat about QuiltCon. It brought back memories and got me very excited for February. Even if you aren't going to QuiltCon it is full of tips for anyone attended classes, workshops, festivals, and retreats. Plus, Jo Packham is also on this episode and I really enjoyed her conversation with Stephanie.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Long Weekend Craftsy Sale


It's only been a few weeks since the last Craftsy sale, but there is another last minute one starting today. And since I last posted I've watched two more classes. Seriously, these are great for inspiration, not to mention technique!

My latest watch has been Sarah Fielke's Big Techniques from Small Scraps. Wow, Sarah is a great teacher! She breaks down seemingly scary concepts into very manageable skill building. I'm so happy to have watched this class. Her lesson on hand appliqué is perfect for me and my Alturas blocks. (I have a feeling you will really be able to tell the most recent ones from the earlier ones, thanks to Sarah!)

This particular sale in Pick Your Price. Choose from this tiered selection of popular online classes today and get better at what you do without breaking the bank! Enroll today to enjoy learning anytime, anywhere, forever. Click here for the details and all the deals.

Sale runs until the end of the day Monday, June 30.

Don't forget, this means you can enroll in my Inset and Applique Circles by Machine during the sale as well.

Big Craftsy Sale This Weekend.


It's the big Craftsy sale this weekend. You can get classes that normally sell for $40 for $20 or even $15! It's a great deal.

I've had a few Craftsy classes downloaded myself, but have never watched them. But in part of my efforts to move through this recent slump I decided to brush the lint off the laptop and watch some. Now why haven't I done that sooner?! The classes were inspiring for sure. So far I've watched Quilt As You Go Patchwork Bags and Improvisational Piecing and Modern Design. And I've already bought the supplies to make my own Tinkertote from the bag class. Considering I've never wanted to make a patchwork bag in my life, this is a very big deal!

One of my favourite things about the Craftsy classes in the focus on teaching technique. Even when there is a specific project the instructors are all about tips, shortcuts, and general guidance on technique. You can pick up so many neat tricks and insights. So, even if you are comfortable with the concepts taught in the class you will still pick up something new. It's pretty awesome.

So check out the classes on offer and pick up something on sale. Sale ends at Midnight on June 9.

Don't forget, you can always pick up my class - Inset and Applique Circles by Machine - while you're shopping.


Last Minute Shopping


Have you checked out Craftsy lately? They are constantly adding new classes. And man, there are some good ones right now! Seriously. (Beyond my class, of course.)

And, if you need to do any last minute shopping for yourself or a friend, there is a big sale on right now. I'm picking up a few cooking classes myself. And perhaps some garment sewing because that is a 2014 goal. Go check them out and grab yourself a treat!

Ring Tutorial


In my Craftsy class: Inset and Applique Circles by Machine I had a request for a short tutorial on making a ring, instead of a circle. It's an effective design and a great adaptation of a single technique.

1. Gather Your Supplies
Paper scissors, sewing scissors, compass, freezer paper templates, fabric glue, and fabric for the background, ring, and inner circle.
I've made this a 12 1/2'' by 12 1/2'' block. So my background fabric is cut to the same size, as are my freezer paper templates.

2. Make Templates
For this ring I've used an 8'' circle and a 4'' circle. You need two separate templates. From your 12 1/2'' by 12 1/2'' squares draw and cut out your circles.


3. Insert The Circle
For this block we are using the Reverse Circle technique reviewed in Lesson 3. This technique achieves the look of an inset circle with no headaches and consistent results. Use the first template, the 8'' circle, to start the block.
You can see in the photo above that I haven't trimmed my excess circle fabric after sewing it in place. Do so before you move on to the next step.


4. The Second Circle
Apply the template for your smaller circle to the block of the block, after trimming, from Step 3. Prepare for sewing the same way your did the first circle: cut out and opening - leaving seam allowance, fringe the seam allowance, press back, glue, apply fabric, then sew in place. Only this time your background is actually the first circle.


Here is what it looks like from behind, before trimming.


And after trimming.

What a great effect, right? Don't hesitate to adapt this technique. You could try off center rings, circles within ovals or vice versa, and maybe even multiple rings. The design possibilities are endless!


Love the example, but want to learn more about the technique? Don't forget you can sign up at any time for my Craftsy class: Inset and Applique Circles by Machine. Access it on-line, anywhere, whenever you want!


Circles Inside a Pieced Background


More circles going on here. Shocker!

Someone in my Craftsy class asked about doing inset circles inside pieced backgrounds. I promised to try and let them know how it worked. What a fun experiment! I took leftover blocks from the Denyse Schmidt class at QuiltCon. No one claimed these early improv efforts and I couldn't let them go to waste. I took them with no plan and here they are.

As you can see, the blocks were not the same size. I created a random circle template and used it on both blocks. So the circle is the same size, but that's it. I'll likely trim things down and sew the blocks together. After I make more, of course.

And, for the record, it totally works to use a pieced block as the background. 

Graphic Circle Pillow - Or How I'm Using my Craftsy Step-outs


A simple pillow with great impact. Fun for my living room and I used up blocks, unfinished blocks, laying around the sewing room. Win-win!

I had these blocks from filming my Craftsy class. They were the step-outs from the Reverse Circles lesson. So I took a few minutes to finish all the blocks and turned them into this pillow. I can't lie, I chose the fabrics for the filming so that I could do this afterwards. These fabrics are a perfect match for my living room!


This Reverse Circles technique is one of my favourites. It achieves the look of an inset circle without the stress of doing a full inset circle. The finished block is clean, crisp, and flat. This is perfect for showcasing some really awesome fabric. (Mod Century by Jenn Ski, for example, with some Aneela Hoey.)

And the whole pillow is perfect for snuggles on the couch reading and for climbing adventures by the baby boy.


Details: 24'' by 24'' finished pillow cover size with a 26'' pillow form from Ikea stuffed inside. It's perfect this way. Just an envelope closure on the back with more Mod Century. Straight line quilting with Wonderfil Konfetti.

Announcing My Craftsy Class - Inset and Applique Circles by Machine

Do you remember my necklace inspired quilt? It is now finished and I can share it with you. I can also share with you the rather exciting reason I was making the quilt. 

I am thrilled to announce that I am now a Craftsy instructor! Have you heard about Craftsy? The fastest growing craft community on-line is full of courses from top instructors on everything from cake decorating to knitting, from costumes to quilting. My class - Inset and Applique Circles by Machine - is now available. Sign up now with a 25% discount!

The Craftsy platform is quite cool. Once you purchase the class it is available to you at any time forever. The HD video quality is great. They've filmed so many close-ups so you don't miss a thing. And you can take the classes from the comfort of your home - no lugging a machine across town or missing out because you can't find a local store or babysitter.

One of the best parts about a Craftsy class is the interactive forum. You can ask instructors questions, participate in class discussions with other students, and share your projects. I will be there the whole time, encouraging and helping you along the way. Stuck on a particular technique? You can ask for help and share the problem and we'll make sure you get it sorted.

And that necklace inspired quilt? It is a free pattern that comes with the class! Incorporating all the techniques learned in the class you can make this bold sampler. I've made it here with prints in colours pulled from the necklace itself and a mix of text prints for the background.

I do hope you'll join me over at Craftsy!







Austin Circle Sampler
76' by 96''

Quilted by Andrea Harris from Urban Quiltworks

I've got more that I want to share about my Craftsy experience. Look for that in the coming weeks. It has been an incredible experience so far. Now that the class  - Inset and Applique Circles by Machine - is available I'm looking forward to seeing circles pop up everywhere!

Inset & Applique Circles by Machine