DonnaFreak

OK.....somebody has GOT to know what the secret is to sewing a circle without it being more jagged than a shark's teeth! I just wanna know who's holding out on filling me in?!?!? HELP!!! *grumble* LOL!

Donna

RugosaB

This is the technique I use

http://www.dioramarama.com/2009/02/t...sy_pieced.html

Charleen DiSante

I just love seeing the helpful posts after someone posts a question. Thanks for all the positive posts.

kellen46

[QUOTE=DonnaFreak;4765800]OK.....somebody has GOT to know what the secret is to sewing a circle without it being more jagged than a shark's teeth! I just wanna know who's holding out on filling me in?!?!? HELP!!! *grumble* LOL!

What kind of circle are you trying to sew....a pieced or appliquéd one.

For appliqué circle I do a basting stitch right at the edge of the circle and gently gather it, just a bit not much. Then I turn it over on the ironing board and from the wrong side with the help of a point turner gently smooth the outer edge while pressing it flat. I turn it over to the right side and check for un-smooth places and coax it into shape. finally I iron the circle with a bit of starch and appliqué it down. This is good for smaller circles.
Or you you can use the Eleanor Burns method. Layer fine fusible interfacing with a finished size circle drawn on it. Layer right side of fabric to fusible side of interfacing. Stitch on the line all around. Separate the interfacing from fabric and cut a bit out big enough to pull the piece right side out. I then trim a way most of the interfacing to with in a half inch of sewn line. I then heat press the circle from the fabric side to my block and stitch the now finished edge down. I have made multiple layed circles like this, trimming away the excess fabric after each stitch down the added bulk is removed and the cut-aways are always reusable as smaller circles.

Tartan

If it's an applique circle, I perfer to use Wonder Under and cut it out neatly with the scissors and stitch it down. You can draw your circle on a used dryer sheet and place it on top of the right side of your fabric and stitch all the way around it. Cut a slit in the dryer sheet and turn the circle out through the slit. Carefully manipulate the edge until you get it perfect and iron and sew it down.
If it's a pieced circle like Drunkard's Path, I carefully pin it, sew the seam and clip the seam allowance curve at intervals to ease it into laying flat. If you are trying to FMQ a circle, good luck because perfect circles are very hard to do freehand. If it is a larger circle, you can machine stitch with your straight line sewing if you turn the quilt often (not easy to do if it's a big quilt). I don't know if any of these suggestions address your problem.

DonnaFreak

I'm making these little stuffed owls to give as gifts to the kids in my family. The pattern calls for you to set your machine to a short zig-zag stitch to go around the eyes, around the white of the eyes, and around the beak and wings. I can't get the !)@(#*$&%^ machine to go where I want it to go around those tight little circles for nothin'! :c(

Donna

barefoot quilter

Donna those are tooo cute what is the pattern called i would like to see if i can make one of those.... but i see what you mean i can't do that eather i saw a machine part that att.. to the sewing machine but havent seen it in a long time so i can't help you there.. sorry

sharon b

I use the Eleanor Burns method for most circles- for those eyes - take a stitch or two stop with needle down turn- take a couple more stitches- it is very slow and tedious ..... BUT they are so cute

pocoellie

These are all good tips, another tip is speed, I go slow when going in circles, it's much easier to control.

DonnaFreak

April, it's the Kooky Owl pattern from FaveCrafts. Here is the URL for it. :c)

http://www.favecrafts.com/Sewing-for...ky-Stuffed-Owl

Donna