Yikes! Tiny A-Word Circles

So I wrote this post and when I went to add the pictures, they were just horrible.  I couldn't do anything with them except throw them in the recycle bin.

If you want this information, go look at this tutorial here and see what my pictures should have looked like.   I make those little circles the same way,  but this was written by a different Karen.  I'm leaving the info here but making it very tiny because I just can't bear to erase it all. Enjoy the pics that did turn out and learn from someone else's blog.  Sigh....


I used a traditional method to make those tiny little circles.  Any way you look at them, they're a pain to do well, so it's best to just heave a sigh and do it.


I cut a circle out of template plastic -- if I had been on my game, I would have gone out to the "Dyeing Studio" (AKA the north east corner of the garage) and found the nylon washers I use for sunprinting and used them.  But the car was in the way, and the bikes, and gardening junk, and, well, you get the picture.  So I just used the template I made.

I placed it on the wrong side of the fabric and drew around it with my beloved Bohin pencil.  I cut, leaving a scant 1/4 inch.  I ran a line of thread using a running stitch, then placed the template on the fabric and drew up the thread.

Sprayed it lightly with starch and pressed it.  It has to sit until it is cool and dry.  If it's not cool and dry, the shape will be out of round after you remove the template.  Trust me, I know this.  After it's cool and dry, gently pull the template out, gently pull up the thread until it's round again, and hit it again with the hot iron.


Viola! A perfectly round shape that's easy to stitch down.


Oh, and just trim off that thread.  You don't need it any more.


Soon: new stuff -- I promise!