Whirlygig Tutorial... Part 3

Hello Everyone,

First I wanted to thank everyone who took part in the giveaway! I will have results later this week. So be sure to check back. Also, a friendly reminder that everything in my online store is 15% off with the code all15 through 12/17.

Now onto the final part in the Whirlygig tutorial!! Thank you all for your patience. This took me a little longer than I thought. But I hope you like it and I would love to see some of your own Whirlygigs!! Please e-mail me photos if you are making them I would love to do a post with them.

You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

First up here is a blown out photo of the parts that you should have now. The black and white corners where cut from a template from Quilts With A Spin.

Take one of your corners and find the center by pressing to mark.

Here you can see the center on the right side of the fabric. The center is found on the curved side of the corner.

Now find the center of the paper pieced arc. There is a marking on the paper side. Pin them right sides together at the center.

Now pin each side of the corners to the ends of the arc.

Then pin in between each pin. You will now sew a 1/4" seam with the corner side down next to the feed dogs. This will allow the corner fabric to feed properly.

Sorry for the yucky ironing board photo. But this is what the arc and the corner will look like before it is pressed.

Press the seam towards the corner, not the arc. Pretty, huh?

Repeat 3 more times until you have four corner blocks sewn. Now to join them.

Take two of your corners and line up the ends and seams. Pin and sew a 1/4" seam.

It will look like this.

Now rip the paper away from just inside the seam allowance on both sides.

Press the seams open. Repeat this three more times until all four corners and arcs are joined together. You will have a hole in the center. This is where the Whirlygig comes in...

Now take your Whirlygig center and you are going to press it in half to find the side centers. Then you will fold it in half the other way to find the other side centers. So you will have 4 creases at each quarter of the Whirlygig.

Now we will take the four corners and match up the center points on each arc with the creases we just made on the Whirlygig.

Once you have done that you will remove the paper from the center curve of each arc. That will help you to pin the arcs to the Whirlygig with more ease. They will be more pliable.

It will look like this when it is all pinned. Yes, it is a little scary looking but don't fret. When you sew it remember... slow and steady wins the race!

This is what the back side will look like all pinned. Now you will sew with a 1/4" seam with the arc side on top and the Whirlygig next to the feed dogs. Again, remember... slow and steady.

Once it is sewn together, this is what the back will look like. The seam will get pressed towards the Whirlygig.

Turn it over and... Voila!... you have your Whirlygig block. The last thing that you need to do is attach you center circle as shown in Part 1 of the tutorial.

I hope you have enjoyed this Whirlygig series! I have and I will continue making them in the New Year. Not to sure when the quilt will be done, but I know I will love it!

Make sure you stop back tomorrow for something special!

Until Next Time...

Whirlygig Tutorial... Part 3

Whirlygig Tutorial... Part 2

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to Part 2 of the Whirlygig Tutorial. Sources for the tools used will be at the end of the post. This part is all about paper piecing, one of my favorite ways to quilt! This is mostly because of it's accuracy and precision. So, let's begin...

First you must have your arcs all printed and trimmed to about 1/4" from the edges. Each whirlygig circle requires 4 arcs. Also have ready either a piece of template plastic or postcard, (something rigid) and a glue stick. Locate #1 on the paper foundation, then flip the foundation over...

...and swipe the #1 spot with the glue stick. This will keep the first piece of fabric in place.

Attach the first piece of fabric, right side up, to where you applied the glue. It is important to make sure the fabric covers the entire #1 area and the seam allowances. You can check this by turning it over and holding it up to the light.

You can see it better here in this photo. Now take your piece of template plastic and place it on the solid line. Hold template plastic in place and fold back the paper foundation.

This is what it will look like folded back.

Then take your add a quarter ruler and butt the lip of the ruler against the rigid plastic. You will see excess fabric extended beyond the ruler.

Take your rotary cutter and trim away the excess. This will leave an exact quarter inch of fabric left to sew the seam allowance.

Now flip the foundation back over so the fabric is facing up, add your next piece of fabric, matching the cut edge of the #1 piece with the edge of the next piece as pictured above. Fabrics are right sides together. It is critical that you make sure the #2 piece of fabric will cover the #2 area on the foundation prior to sewing.

Now time to sew. You will need to decrease your stitch length on your machine to about 1.5. This will allow for you to pull the paper away without pulling the stitches out. Stitch on the solid black line.

Turn the foundation over and press the #2 piece back for a very crisp seam. Then you will repeat the "flipping and sewing" technique as you just did until you have filled up the foundation sheet.

You can see what it is starting to look like.

Here is the whole arc completely sewn before trimming down. Now turn it over to see the line on which you should trim the excess fabric away. If you are confident, you may trim with a rotary cutter. If not, carefully trim with a scissors.

This is what you will have once trimmed. A beautiful spikey arc!

Continue to repeat the process making 3 more arcs to fit around the whirlygig circle.

The third installment will show you how to attach the arcs. This most likely will come next week. I am currently on a quilting retreat taking the remainder of the photos!

Tools and sources:

For this project, I used Fons and Porter Glue Marker. However, if you don't have this you can use UHU glue stick as it is washable. Be sure to check your glue stick to assure it is NOT permanent.

Add A Quarter ruler can be found here.

Quilts With A Spin by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins for the paper foundation arcs.

I hope you are enjoying this so far!!

Until Next Time...

Whirlygig Tutorial... Part 2

Whirlygig Tutorial... Part 1

Hello Everyone,

By popular demand, here is the first part of the Whirlygig tutorial. Today I will show you how to construct the center whirly part. Sources for the tools I used will be at the end of the post.

First choose your two fabrics. As you may recall, I am using black and white and one bright color. Then lay your template on the fabric and cut 12 "whirly" pieces, 6 of each color.

I stack my fabric and cut through at least two layers at one time. But if you do this make sure that your fabrics are ALL right side up. I use a rotary cutter right up against the template, if you don't feel comfortable with this method, you can trace and cut with a scissors.

Once you have all your pieces cut, you will begin to join them together. Take one of each color and begin.

Line up the inner corner of the whirlygig black and white piece, right sides together, as pictured above.

Then gently curve it to meet with the bottom piece so it looks as pictured above. I pin at either end then fill in the middle portion evenly with pins.

Then take it to your sewing machine and gently feed it through using a quarter inch seam allowance, removing pins as you go along.

Once it is sewn you will have a piece as pictured above.

Take it to your ironing surface and gently press the top piece back so that it nicely pressed flat.

Continue joining all the whirly wedges together until you have all 12 together.

Once you have all 12 together, then you will have to complete the circle. This is done the same way that you have sewn the rest together.

Join them right sides together, pinning at both ends and then through the middle of each piece. Sew your quarter inch seam to complete the circle. Take it to your ironing surface and press open.

Now you have a completed whirlygig circle!! Well, minus the middle.

Now because I altered the original pattern, which was applique, my whirlygig circle comes out larger than it should be to fit the spikey curves on properly. If you use, John Flynn's Template set, you will not have to do this and you will also not have to do the second part of this tutorial. So we have to trim it down. I traced the correct circle onto template plastic and then laid it on the whirlygig circle as shown above.

Trim away the excess with either a rotary cutter (if you are confident) or trace and trim with a scissors. Now you have the perfect size to complete the block.

Next we need to make the center circle. Choose your fabric and lay your template on and cut with the rotary cutter or trace and cut with a scissors.

This circle includes the seam allowance for turning under.

Take a Perfect Circle, the correct size, and trace around with a chalk pencil to mark your quarter inch seam.

You can see the chalk mark in the photo above.

Now take a needle and thread, and run a basting stitch in the seam allowance.

With the perfect circle inside, pull up the basting stitches, spray with a little starch and press. Pull the perfect circle out and you are ready to applique the circle into the center of your whirlygig. You can either machine applique or needle turn. Whatever your preference.

The next post will feature how to paper piece the spikey arches.

Here are the resources for the tools I used:

Whirlygig Template set can be found at Material Obsession or John Flynn Quilting Company.

Book used is Quilts with a Spin by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins.

Perfect Circles by Karen Kay Buckley.

Stay tuned for the next part of the tutorial!!

Until Next Time...

Whirlygig Tutorial... Part 1