Hidee Ho Neighbor! How’s the week going? I’m super happy that the weekend is almost here — I’ve been really tired this week for some reason. I haven’t done much but water the flowers after work (it’s been HOT here) and sew a little on my UFO. It will be a wall hanging for my sun room. I’m almost done with the handwork and then I can start on the pieced border. There’s a little bit of silk ribbon embroidery and I’m really enjoying it. My technique is lacking (it’s my first silk ribbon project) but I love the little bees.
After seeing the picture in my last post, someone asked me about how I make my applique circles. There are many different ways, but MeMum taught me the plastic template method years ago. I used to cut my own circles, but it’s not easy to get them even, so I bought this circle template set a few years ago.
First, I cut a piece of fabric just a bit larger than the template.
Sew a running stitch around the outside edge of the fabric circle.
Draw the stitching up tight and finish off with a knot.
Turn the circle over and press long enough to be sure that the fabric creases around the outside edge of the template.
Turn the circle back over and remove the plastic template. This takes a little wiggling and stretching of the fabric, but it’s not too difficult. After the template is out, press from the right side again.
Then, sew the circle onto the background in desired location and you’re done!
In other news, remember the rodent wars? I’m officially admitting defeat. Even though we caught three little devils, we didn’t catch the perpetrator and a day or two after I posted IT finished off the rest of my lilies. I didn’t even get to see them bloom. Bum. Er. Not only that, something (presumably a chipmunk who is too small to trip the trap mechanism) is sneaking into the trap and enjoying the carrot and peanut butter buffet. AND, to add insult to injury, the squirrel rodents are back and starting in on my patio chair cushions again. Not that I could shoot a little rodent, but an Uzi could be my friend!
XOXO,
Anna
Those silly little critters are eating my plants too! We think it is Bambi and her mother, but Peter is not helping either. DH is trying taller fences. I’m not sure that the animals aren’t smarter than we are!
(Yippee, I think I am first)
Uh-oh………………sorry to hear you admit defeat? i wondered how it was going when I was speaking to a friend today about trail cameras….his purpose was of the hunting variety….not with an uzi though….wouldnt be much left of a chipmunk after that!
and the circle template is very cool. i am tempted by applique, but it seems a ton of work to turn those edges and iron (or more like i will burn a few fingers…)
perfect circles…but even with the templates I could probably mess them up…LOVE the bees!!!!!
ohhh, that looks useful!
thanks for the insider info!
Oooh, I’m coveting that template set you have! I’ve been using my scrapbooking paper punches and making my own out of thin plastic lids or recycled cardboard, but by now I’m sure I could have been able to afford at least a couple of different sets of professional templates! Egads, I didn’t even know there was such a thing out there. Will have to be on the lookout, thanks for letting me know. I’m assuming they make them for ovals and hexes and such as well?
Your bee looks so cute and your circles are just the way I do mine too.
Sorry to hear about the critter saga, possums eat everything around here and we have deer hanging around too, they even hang out at the supermarket at night.
I like your applique circles. I don’t like your rodents :( We don’t have any problems like that but our squirrels are stealing from the compost and dropping it all over the yard!
Have your seen Judith Baker Montano’s crazy quilting book? She has such beautiful stitches- A number of years ago I tried crazy quilting- Her sister Karen lives here in the city, and she taught some of her techniques. It was lots of fun even though it could be time consuming.
Sorry about those pesky rodents and your lovely flowers..
Those applique rings look like just the ticket for applique.
Regards,
Anna
The quilt is beautiful. I can’t wait to see it all finished.
I’m sorry about your plants. I gave up on trying to keep the bunnies out of my carrots, but they haven’t bothered anything else.
However, if you want to see some amazing rodent work, you need to see what some raccoons did to my mom’s newly laid sod!! Her blog is linked on mine (Enjoying Eden).
The quilting is beautiful = perhaps you could make some fabric flowers for the garden – I am sure the bunnies wouldn’t eat them!
So, next time you come to Scotland there will definitely have to be some tour guiding from me and some sewing/crochet lessons from you!!
oh dear I had a feeling about the critters you know ,,, we’ve just got snails and slugs to deal with
Those perfect circles look fun and perfect, it looks like your applique quilt is coming along nice,the ribbon embroidery is so pretty. Have a great weekend Anna,hope it cools off a little.
I would be tempted to go with the Uzi option (or even a flamethrower)!! I like your circle templates – I usually just cut one from card (I save cereal packets) Michelle’s comment reminded me that I have a set of circles for my Cuttlebug, so I could cut lots of different circles with them! I have a plan B for meeting you – we could both go to Australia and meet there – there are lots of fabulous quilting shops – I’m sure Malcolm would chauffeur us so we could concentrate on the important stuff (fabric and food!!) Have a super weekend, Anne x
ground hog + beautiful flowers + mad Kelly + wonderful DH with rifle = beautiful flowers…end of story…
We haven’t gotten rid of our critters yet either, but luckily, they can’t get near the chair cushions. I’ve read on Miss Punkie Pie’s blog that you’re sending some rain our way – can’t wait until it arrives! Thanks.
S.W.A.K.
What about starting a critter ZOO, so you can ask entrance fee and earn some money to buy new cushions!?
And maybe you could build some glass warehouses to grow flowers and plants and make your own little ‘Keukenhof’ http://www.keukenhof.nl/index/en/
That’s what blogging friends are for. To help you with some great ideas!
Where do I get one of these gadgets? I am working on a baby aster quilt (courtesy of Martha) and was wondering how on earth I was going to make my circles look as fab as hers.
The hair is keeping the rabbits off the astilbe still. It has gone from being chewed all the way to the ground to being 3 inches tall. It has not saved the delphiniums however.
That little silk ribbon bumblebee is SO cute! Sorry about the critters. Maybe it was going to be too hot for the flowers to bloom well anyway?! Or at least, too hot for you to be outside looking at them.
Very cool little templates! We’ve been crazy hot here as well…today it’s a little bitty bit cooler. Have a wonderful weekend :)
If you lived out here in the middle of nowhere, half your neighbors would volunteer to “take care of that problem” for you!
Love your little bee, and he looks pretty darn good from where I’m sitting. I used to do a load of silk ribbon embroidery, but all my ribbons are you guessed it, in Aussie. I use washers for my circles, I found the mylar tended to melt and distort under my too hot iron.
What a CUTE little bee!! Thanks for the circle tip! I’ll have to file it away for when I do circle applique.
Ohh that is like how you use the yo-yo makers. Ohh now I have a new use for them !! It has gotten hot here too, 94. It does suck the life from you xoxo Clarice
Okay…i love little fuzzy animals but it would be WAR when they start chomping my cushions and lilies!….on MY territory no less.
Just two words for you…sling shot…..and then two more….get one….lol!
I use the circle templates too but I remove my stitching after the pressed edges have cooled so that I dont distort the fabric…i’ll have to try your way too!
Hope you have a wonderful and rodent-free weekend Anna!!! Lucy x
I love your bees!
You are the second person today I have heard mention rodents and guns in the same sentence.
Ha Ha Ha! it is getting crazy in my yard too. Something is digging out my potted geraniums!
Carrot and Peanut butter buffet…I’d be there if I were a chippymunk :0)
Yes, those bees are adorable….I cut plastic templates from mylar, then sandpaper the edges to smooth out the bumps! Then I proceed as you do…..Should be a pretty quilt.
Love your circle technique Anna – I used the spray starch method but your graded set of circles look like a useful addition to the sewing kit.
Sorry to hear the continuing adventures of your pesky rodents. Our problem pests are the crows and galahs that raid our olive tree and create a huge mess in our yard.
Oh, thanks for the perfect circle template. As always, I think I’m going to do something with a wonderful ideas you provide, and then I end up staying my my little “box.”
Awww! that poor raccoon. All he wanted was….everything, ha, ha. My parents fight with them every year in Northern California. They have electric fences around their corn, mesh over their blueberries, etc., and still the raccoons often win. I have a friend in Bakersfield having trouble with one right now. Bakersfield! That’s crazy! It’s because they’re letting more water into the rivers around here which are usually dry. Oh well!
can’t wait to see your finished project.
:lets you borrow my dog
I have those templates and have not used them yet, thanks for the refresher.
Ooh what a fabulous little tutorial – and SO exciting to see this WIP. I adore the fabric foliage you’re making, especially those little pale blue flowers.
So sorry about the wildlife issues. We have pigeons the size of dogs. They are insatiable.
Oh, I love that applique. Mmm.
Have you seen what our catsitter did while not catsitting? He was a busy chap!
COOL circle thingy!! I’m sorry to hear your wildlife woes :( I think an uzi would do the trick!!
A friend of mine swears by the perfect circles. I love your tiny bee – so cute!
Wow, that template thing makes for a cool little trick! Sorry about your lillies. : ( Not to mention the patio furniture, that has got to be infuriating!!! Those rotten little things!!
ps. the spaghetti salad was a hit for the graduation party!! (and I didn’t run out of food, which was my biggest fear!!)
Hunka could shoot the little rodents for you. Wanna borrow him?? lolol
Perfect circles there!!! Your Mumm is one smart cookies.
Try the little size trap…my BIL got several in his little trap while we were visiting them in PA a few weeks ago…they have chipmunks by the zillion and they are in to everything. We came out on morning and there were 2 in the trap together…it was a very good morning! LOL!
I love that little bee and hearing about your silk ribbon adventures, something I’ve not tried yet. That circle template book looks super helpful and I’m going to try and find a copy for myself.
Rodents are a persistent problem. Here in Tucson you have to watch out for pack racks which are awfully nasty creatures.
Oh I’ve got a set of those circles exactly the same as yours. I haven’t used them for much yet, so that is a good reminder – Thanks.
I could lend you my dog, Moya. She keeps rabbits, squirrels and any other kind of rodent off our property. She is a great little hunter. Better than the cats.
Your bee is so cute! You know I love bees …
I have been feeling completely wiped out this week too. I have no idea why. Perhaps it’s some sort of blog-spread virus?!
It takes a strong person to admit defeat. I’m so sorry you’ve not had much luck in the critter department. But on a happier note-your ribbon bee is ADORABLE!!
Neat! I love a good gadget. Are we talking beginner friendly here or should I just cheer from the sidelines? :)
I read this when you posted it and thought I commented then, hey, I’ve been a bit under the weather so probably hallucinating in the heat.
I bought some templates like these and haven’t used them. Now I will after showing me how, thanks. BTW, I’m feeling better now. Can I say the same for your stuffing-loving chair rodents?
Top tip with those circles…I use metal washers from the hardware shop, but I must admit they are pretty hot to handle after they have been ironed!
What nifty circle templates. I like that idea.
Sorry about those darn rodents. I think a good pellet gun is your solution. Is the Man on it? How have the hollyhocks fared?
Jody
i need to try circles using that method. looks much easier than the way i was trying to do it!
Whoa! Now my mind is officially blown away! I’ve missed stopping over here.
Enjoy the rest of your summer, Anna!!