New Round Robin and Inset Circle Tut

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

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

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, 

and this circle from the Going in Circles quilt. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

Happy Quilting!

Thanks for following!