Drafting for the Creative Quilter

114 DRAFTINGFORTHECREATIVEQUILTER

ADDING THE CIRCULAR
ELEMENT

1. Take an 18 ̋ square of plain or
   graph paper and fold it in half and
   then in half again. Do this carefully
   and make really sharp creases.


2. Using a compass, draw a quarter
   circle with a radius of 73/4 ̋ on your
   folded paper. The center folds are
   your pivot point. Refer to page 19:
   How to Use a Compass to Draw a
   Circle. Holding the paper securely
   so it does not shift (you could staple
   it if you care to), cut the curve. You
   will be cutting 4 layers of paper; be
   accurate.

Center

folds and

pivot point

Folds

Folds

Cut.

7¾ ̋

Fold the paper and draw

a quarter circle on it.

3. Open the paper. Place the paper
   circle onto the right side of the appli-
   quéd block, matching the centers
   and creases with the center and lines
   on the background with pins, as you
   did previously. Tape this in place.
   Use a removable marker to draw a
   circle on the background, following
   the edge of the paper circle. (You are
   marking a 151/2 ̋ circle, 73/4 ̋ radius,
   onto the background.)


4. Make a template (page 90) from
   shape I (pattern on page 115). Cut 4
   I shapes from appropriate fabric and
   join to create a 161/2 ̋ square with a
   cut-out circle. (I waited until I was
   working on the design wall to do
   this, because in my quilt the 4 I’s are

different fabrics that blend with the

quilt background.)

5. Place the I square right side up
   on the 161/2 ̋ square appliquéd back-
   ground. The 4 seams of the I shape
   should align with the horizontal
   and vertical lines on the background
   fabric. With right sides together,
   match and pin the raw edge of the
   4 seams to the horizontal and ver-
   tical lines on the background where
   they intersect with the circle line.
   Working with a corner at a time,
   bring a corner to the center. With
   right sides together, continue to
   match and pin the raw edge of the
   I square to the circle line between
   the pins all the way around the
   circle. The appliqué block remains
   flat on the bottom while the I shape
   is pinned to the circle line on the
   block.

I

I

I

I

Position I over the block. Turn over and

pin as the arrows indicate.

6. Sew the I shape to the back-
   ground square with a 1/4 ̋ seam
   allowance; make sure this is smooth
   with no pleats. Evaluate your sewing
   carefully. Press the seam away from
   the circle. I do not trim the excess
   block fabric until I am ready to actu-
   ally sew it into my quilt, then I trim
   the excess to the raw edges of the I
   shape.

PEACE SIGN

Appliqué, stencil, or paint the peace

sign onto a 5 ̋ × 61/2 ̋ (unfinished)

piece of fabric.

Quilt Assembly

Now that the blocks are complete,

you are ready to go to the design

wall. Section it off and begin your

process of folding and pinning fabric

around the blocks. Sketch #3 (page

77) is your cutting and sewing

guide. Measurements include the

seam allowance, and the grid dimen-

sion is 11/2 ̋. Refer to Designing on

an Overall Grid (page 71) to com-

plete the sampler.

As a final touch, after the quilt

is assembled, appliqué 3/4 ̋ × 3/4 ̋

squares to the borders in various

places. Refer to pages 112–113 for

appliqué instructions and to the

photo on page 99 for placement

ideas.