My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Monday, December 9, 2019

A day with the Sopwell ladies

(...and Jamie and Claire).
(Watching the Outlander series while I sew.. I've just started Season Four.)
I knew I had a day to myself today so decided to get busy on my BOM project, The Sopwell Ladies Basket Society. Because it has so many fabrics I like to pull it out when I know I have the time and space to spread out.
I have been doing bits and pieces of it lately, and today it was time for some turned under machine applique.  And lots of small circles.
I usually make my circles by gathering fabric over template plastic. It works well apart from it being difficult to get the circles exactly round as I cant cut the templates smoothly enough. Time to pull out my newly acquired Perfect Circles by Karen Kay Buckley. I was excited to see if they really were as good as they say.
I didn't realise that there were four of each size which makes it handy when you have lots of circles to make. They slip onto a supplied ring - easier to sort through them rather than diving into the bag all the time.
I loved using the Perfect Circles - they are really accurate and mine are Nearly Perfect!
I prefer to baste my applique shapes down. I've tried pinning - they moved too much, and I've tried glueing but I find that messy. (I never seem to get those tiny, neat dots of glue I see others do!)
Basting is a bit untidy perhaps but it suits me. But once I've done my invisible zig-zag, it doesn't take long to pull them out.
By the end of the afternoon, I had this part of the block sewn —
It was great to make some progress. I'm enjoying how this is coming together
'til next time,
Happy stitches,

18 comments:

  1. Good to see progress on the quilt.
    The perfect circles are a great idea. I have only recently discovered them and love them.

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  2. I have got that set of circles and I have the package with the larger circles too. I always use the Roxanne glue with the little skinny needle nose applicator it makes the tiny dots

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  3. I love this quilt. I'm hoping to purchase it soon ☺
    I enjoyed Outlander very much. I borrowed the entire series to date from my library. Waiting on the most current one. Enjoy your stitching.

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  4. I have both sizes of perfect circles, I also have the perfect ovals. Love them all! I'm so impressed you're keeping up with blogging every day. Hopefully you won't be so burnt out on blogging by the time December is over that you won't blog for months. The Sopwell project is beautiful! Happy Stitching.

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  5. Looking lovely. Your circles are perfect. I can never get nice circles, even with a template.

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  6. Tiny circles stitched with invisible stitching, that sounds very neat and tidy! I'm impressed, it's not like my kind of hand stitching at all. What you have done so far looks great.

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  7. I just got the perfect circles. Your piece is lovely. I love the Outlander Series.

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  8. that's looking gorgeous.... yes, I use the perfect circles and they certainly help.... a couple of mine have warped though ….
    Hugz

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  9. Love the colours you have used - can you iron the templates and fabric together?

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  10. I use my perfect circles alot. They are great. Do you freezer paper your applique before stitching on the machine or what?

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  11. Visiting your blog is an education is creative genius. I always see new and exciting stitchery here . . . you are an inspiration to not get in a rut and keep trying new things.

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  12. I'm going to have to get me a set of circles. Can see that it would make things much easier when I do need to make some. This does look like a lot of work, but it will be worth it when it is done. I like the stitching and applique that you are doing. Will be fun to see it completed.

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  13. That looks so nice. Great progress.

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  14. Gluing applique I tried only once only and went back to pinning then tacking but I only piece mostly now.
    I love how your quilt is coming along and I love your applique block.

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  15. Great days work Raewyn. Thanks for the recomendation - I shall look out for those perfect circles. xx

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  16. Looking wonderful! The perfect circles work well. I just had a look at a tutorial. I’d wondered if they could be pressed with the iron. I may just have to invest in some when I go to a quilt show next year. I’m looking forward to seeing the next section evolve.

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  17. Did you read the Outlander series? I haven't watched the series but when I've really enjoyed books I often hesitate to watch things... just in case it destroys my enjoyment of the books. If you know what I mean.

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