Simple Circles Table Runner, Day 6

I had some leftover batting from a few projects I had finished before.  Some of the batting was fusible and some of it was not, but it didn't really matter with this project because the batting would be next to the muslin, with the fabric pieces on top of the muslin, so I just used pieces of batting that would fit as many circles as possible.  I was able to fit all six of the smallest circles onto one of the larger pieces of fusible batting.

Fusible batting is a godsend for people like me that don't like to pin or baste the layers of a quilt sandwich.  All you need is a steam iron and the batting secures to the material.  Fusible batting is more expensive than regular batting, though, but it would be helpful when you're sewing multiple layers that might move or slip around a lot.

I cut each individual circle out and then used the Wonder Clips again to mark where I'd need to leave a 2" opening.  I wasn't sure if the 2" was going to be enough to turn the largest circles right side out, so I made those openings 2.5".  I also marked at intervals the inside of the circle for the 1/4" seam.

Now it was time to sew the circles.  Looking back, I should have started with the larger circles so that I could get my hands used to the motion of pivoting the fabric as the needle moved up and down, but instead I started with the smaller circles.  The first one turned out looking like a bloated amoeba.  By the third circle I thought maybe I should switch out the walking foot for a regular foot.  It ended up making a lot of difference, since the walking foot had been grabbing the fabric as I was trying to pivot it.  Even still, I felt a lot like Ross Gellar from Friends as I concentrated on keeping the fabric moving: "Pivot!  Pivot!!  PIVOT!!!"

Eventually I got the hang of sewing in a circle, and even began to enjoy it.  I can adjust the sewing speed on my machine, and I started off sewing the smaller circles at Turtle-speed, but by the time I got to the larger circles I had moved up closer to Rabbit-speed.

As I trimmed the sewn-up circles with scissors, I realized that the key to sewing a circle is the same as cutting a circle - lots of pivoting and lots of short snipping (or stitching, in the case of sewing).

Next up, notching!