This circular stitching challenge for the year is incremental - one challenge per month, with no advance suggestions which makes it interesting. It has a set requirement of 6x6 inch squares with a 4 inch diameter circle in each - that is all we know before each months challenge is released on the first of the month by Paula.
That makes it very doable because you have the whole month to finish that months challenge.
When I started in January, I cut 13 squares for the fronts, the same for the backing & bought a large roll of embroidery / thin crochet cotton to do all the edges to keep it uniform. Each months has to have a stiffener in between the layers (pelmet stiffener - a new one for me) and I cut all of them as well & the 3 layers are stored in a tub just for this challenge.
I know I am more likely to finish the project if it is all prepared & I just have to do the circle, and that depends on the challenge set.
The sides have to be bound with a blanket stitch, we do not know how the finished set will be bound together which makes it interesting.
My front squares was cut from some lovely linen, however, the edges are prone to fraying so I have machine stitched 3sides of each together, cut & inserted the stiffener, then machined the 4th side before over stitching all the edges with blanket stitch. The row of machine stitching gives a firm row to do the blanket stitch from which has solved the linen fray problem.
After stitching the 7th challenge, I machined, then handstitched before deciding to do the lettering for the last 4 challenges on the back (my choice) so I know what each challenge was.
Fortunately my second machine has lettering (that was a deciding factor when I bought it off a friend who was upgrading). However, I still have to look up the process each time when changing the machine feet for it.
I saved a length of black fabric to do the lettering for all of them. For some reason, the under thread bundled up a few times & it had to be cut loose which then messed with the lettering order but once I changed bobbins, it seemed to resolve itself.
Machines, particularly electronic ones, can be more temperamental than the bog standard ones (like my old one I now have set up for free motion embroidery.
The name labels were glued on to the reverse of each with fabric glue & it is all up to date now.
These challenges have been interesting, with new techniques but that makes it exciting. It also depends on your creative skills to adapt to the challenge in a unique way.
Are you tempted by such things but don't complete because you run out of steam or interest? Tell all ...
Dee 🧵🪡📍
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