Inset circles: The upper road and the center circle.

[Helen W.]

I feel the frustration a few of the TQS quilters are having with the roads. I googled tips for inserting circles and found a very good you tube video. Just google Piecing/ Insetting Circles Modern Quilt Studio you tube. It is 15 minutes
and takes you from an excellent pinning tutorial to excellent video of the sewing the entire circle. And the bonus of seeing how to press the circle to make it lay nice and flat. I found it very informative. If you are somewhat new to circles. The white square with the circle in it would be the same as your upper road. The green circle would be your houses center. Hope you enjoy and benefit from this. HelenW

I am assuming that anyone having problems has taken the time to read the pattern and watch and read all of Barbara Blacks excellent videos.

[Barbara B.]

Thanks for this reminder that Google is our Friend. All we can expect is the designer’s original instructions for any pattern. Read those again to see if they help. My blogs and videos are meant to supplement them.

On a positive note, there are very few people here who are having significant difficulties with this step. I am pleased with how many have said “it worked!” and are posting photos of their centers so we can admire their progress.

This quilt requires accurate seam allowances and accurate printed patterns. There is a learning curve to both those steps.

[Helen W.]

Barbara, I am so sorry for my poor choice of words. I have watched as all the beautiful centers have been posted. And as you say a few are having trouble. Your presentations are absolutely fabulous with detail and videos are wonderful. Guess I was just looking for another tip or two for the few
that haven't got it yet. HelenW

[RuthM1095]

I am working out the same problem with the roads. I have not yet been able to get the circle to lay flat. The inner circle road lies perfect but not the second one. I am going to deal with that once the large buildings are completed.
Ruth M
Connecticut

[Barbara B.]

Barbara, I am so sorry for my poor choice of words. I have watched as all the beautiful centers have been posted. And as you say a few are having trouble. Your presentations are absolutely fabulous with detail and videos are wonderful. Guess I was just looking for another tip or two for the few
that haven't got it yet. HelenW

No problem, you provide great additional info and are quite an asset here. Alex and I both appreciate the help you provide so keep it up!

This quilt is a challenge but many will be so happy with their final project. And I do believe the rest is easy compared to where we have gotten to today.

[Bernice A.]

Well I am having trouble with the project , it is not lying flat etc. I made the mariners compass and attached the inner road to it. It fit nicely and laid flat. Then when I added the houses to the inner road the centre was no longer flat, the houses do not lay flat. I spritzed it lightly with water and pressed it. On the ironing board it looked good, but once I set it back on the floor, it was not looking good, not flat etc. The houses did match the road seams very well. Not sure what is the problem. I have a feeling the circumference of the houses is greater than the outer edge of the inner circle . What advice do you have for me to fix it?

[Helen W.]

Bernice, It is nice to know you eliminated the compass and inner road from the problem. And I am glad that you tried the spritzed with water and ironing, because that sometimes works. I would lay it
on a cutting mat and stick a pin the center of the compass and align that with a line on the mat. Then
align the houses so one seam represents 12 o'clock position. Then check 8 houses clockwise. It should be 90 degrees or 3 o'clock. If not the seams in that area are off, or your original paper template was not printed at exact size. Then check the next quarter and so on. If the amount you
are off is just a little bit you can probably take out a few inches on the road nearest any seams that
are not the perfect 1/4 inch on both sides. Or just decide to make larger or smaller depending on how far
off of 90 degrees you were. A circle will not lay flat if it is not 360 degrees. Let us know how it goes.
Photos are always nice for trouble shooting, but I know getting a good photo on the forum is not easy
for me. HelenW

[Bernice A.]

Thanks Helen for the help with my question. I took the houses off from the inner road and split them into quarters and checked if they were 90 degrees. That was a very good tip, a circle can't lie flat if it is not 360 degrees!!!!! No they weren't , they needed a bit of adjusting in the seams, etc and I got them each to be 90 , joined them and the house circle was nice and flat. All of my measurements were exact as Barbara posted, 18.5" for compass and inner road units, the hole in the house circle was 17.5" . So I sewed the two units together, the houses to the inner road and still had a problem. The houses lie flat but now the compass is not flat. I am usually good at math, but my question is why is the inner road/compass 1" larger than the hole of the houses?? Shouldn't it only be 1/2 " difference (1/4 " sewn from each part) I think I will adjust the size of the inner road and hand applique it on. Unless you have another solution for me, and I am sure you do.
I also looked at the You Tube videos about sewing a circle, as another member suggested. A good video but a bit different concept, because we are creating a circle from the many houses and there can be seam allowance problems verses just preparing a circle to stitch back in.

[Laynie S.]

Hi
This is Laynie again. I sent out a post that my Mariner's Compass with inner road measured 18 1/2 inches in diameter. Is that an accurate measurement? Also I am embarrassed to say....I don't know where to click on this forum to see any answers. My bottom of the houses may be too small or large to fit the Mariner's Compass with inner road. How do I go about finding out this answer and what should I try to fix this......HELP! and thanks......

[Barbara B.]

Hi
This is Laynie again. I sent out a post that my Mariner's Compass with inner road measured 18 1/2 inches in diameter. Is that an accurate measurement? Also I am embarrassed to say....I don't know where to click on this forum to see any answers. My bottom of the houses may be too small or large to fit the Mariner's Compass with inner road. How do I go about finding out this answer and what should I try to fix this......HELP! and thanks......

Yes, 14” compass, 2” inner roads plus seam allowances. There is a topic that answers your question. Official: size of circle after houses are sewn. I just found it easily by using the Search the Forum box. I typed size of circle and it came right up.

To find answers to a question you ask, check the Topic where you asked it. Here I did a Quote, so what you wrote is shown again and then my answer. If someone Comments on your post, you will see their name and their comment to you.

[Barbara B.]

Thanks Helen for the help with my question. I took the houses off from the inner road and split them into quarters and checked if they were 90 degrees. That was a very good tip, a circle can't lie flat if it is not 360 degrees!!!!! No they weren't , they needed a bit of adjusting in the seams, etc and I got them each to be 90 , joined them and the house circle was nice and flat. All of my measurements were exact as Barbara posted, 18.5" for compass and inner road units, the hole in the house circle was 17.5" . So I sewed the two units together, the houses to the inner road and still had a problem. The houses lie flat but now the compass is not flat. I am usually good at math, but my question is why is the inner road/compass 1" larger than the hole of the houses?? Shouldn't it only be 1/2 " difference (1/4 " sewn from each part) I think I will adjust the size of the inner road and hand applique it on. Unless you have another solution for me, and I am sure you do.
I also looked at the You Tube videos about sewing a circle, as another member suggested. A good video but a bit different concept, because we are creating a circle from the many houses and there can be seam allowance problems verses just preparing a circle to stitch back in.

Bernice, the compass is 18” finished. The empty hole in the Small Houses ring is 17.5”. Add the 1/2” seam allowance back to that empty hole and the seam will be sewn at 18” on the Small Houses ring. So they fit together.

[Helen W.]

Bernice, the compass is 18” finished. The empty hole in the Small Houses ring is 17.5”. Add the 1/2” seam allowance back to that empty hole and the seam will be sewn at 18” on the Small Houses ring. So they fit together.

Bernice, Maybe the problem was not your math. Maybe your printer was just a little off. You would not be the first. I personally would do what you are comtemplating. I would applique it. I did that with great success on this wall hanging that has 3 circles with paper pieced other circles. I did interfacing with turned edge seam allowance then machine stitched with a 1.0 - 1.0 zig zag.
HelenW

[Linda N.]

I was so excited that the inner road fit the center circle nicely. So excited that the outer road fit the houses cleanly without much "finiggling." Then came attaching the houses to the circle/inner road. Houses were a lot too big. It's puzzling since the outer road fit well. I'm in the process of "darting" the seams that don't have trees, hoping to take up enough of the slack that I can "ease" the rest. onto the center/inner road. Can't think of anything else to do.

[Barbara B.]

That should work. Slow and steady wins the race.

[digiusep]

I did the same thing

[Helen W.]

I was so excited that the inner road fit the center circle nicely. So excited that the outer road fit the houses cleanly without much "finiggling." Then came attaching the houses to the circle/inner road. Houses were a lot too big. It's puzzling since the outer road fit well. I'm in the process of "darting" the seams that don't have trees, hoping to take up enough of the slack that I can "ease" the rest. onto the center/inner road. Can't think of anything else to do.

Linda, Great idea to dart the houses without trees. That is the way my mind works also. I would check the 90 degree points. That would be every 8 houses. See how much each section is off and dart according to that amount. That will keep everything looking balanced. Let us know how your dart idea works out. HelenW

[Bobbie S.]

Coming along. It’s not perfect but I’m okay with it. I got delayed with a broken arm in May but I’m back at the sewing machine!

[Valerie C.]

Here's my inner circle. I decided to make 1/2 the quilt, having a rectangular finished project. Just need to make the tall buildings for each corner.

[Frieda I.]

Barbara, I have made the roads and attached the inner road and the small house circle. It went together well. Where is the tutorial video showing how to attach the small houses to the inner road? Cannot find it. Please advise. Thanks. Frieda Pickett

[Barbara B.]

Barbara, I have made the roads and attached the inner road and the small house circle. It went together well. Where is the tutorial video showing how to attach the small houses to the inner road? Cannot find it. Please advise. Thanks. Frieda Pickett

Here is the Live broadcast for Month 5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gWalysMGkY

The blog for Month 5 has lots of info too:

https://bbquiltmaker.blogspot.com/20...h-5-roads.html

[Sallieh]

i understand the block patterns will be finished up in November? I am wondering if, as a member, i will still be able to access your videos on each month beyond november?

[Barbara B.]

i understand the block patterns will be finished up in November? I am wondering if, as a member, i will still be able to access your videos on each month beyond november?

I believe the videos will remain beyond 2021.