Appliqu – Making Perfect Small Circles | Lessons

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Making Circles

Some people use washers to form perfect small circles for appliqu, but I always lose them, plus they’re not always the right size.

I like to cut my circle templates from Templar, a heat-resistant template material like a heavy Mylar. Editor’s Note: You can also cut circle templates from any other thin heat-proof material, such as card stock.

Template preparation

Mark the circle template on the wrong side of the fabric, then cut it out, allowing room for a 1/4″ turn-under allowance.

Tracing the template

Traced circle

Cut out circle plus seam allowance

Stitch a running stitch about 1/8″ beyond the marked line, then pull on the thread to close the turn-under allowance around the template.

Stitch between drawn line and raw edge of fabric

Place template on circle

Pull up the thread around template

Spray the fabric circle with starch, press it with an iron on cotton setting, and let it dry.

Spray with starch

Sprayed shape

Press

Pull out the template with tweezers and draw the thread closed until the circle pops back into shape.

Pull out template with tweezers

Finished circle

Finally, appliqu your perfectly round flower center, cherry, berry, or whatever it may be!


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