Prepping Little Circles

The scrap quilt of last post is now a quilt top.  And surprise of surprises, it lays flat.  All those little pieces sewn together into 4" squares, then into blocks with sashing, and now into a quilt top.  And it's flat.  Amazing!

I think it has a bit of a center medallion feel to it.  I played with several layouts but went back to the one with blocks with the lightest sashing in the center.  The fabric of that striped sashing -- I don't know if you can see it very well, but I'll post better photos later -- is one I love with its gentle cream and pale coral colors.  The fabric came from a pair of boxer shorts and there's a limited amount of fabric in boxers  I would have used it for all the blocks in the quilt had I had enough of it.

Today I cut out circles for the center blocks,

and basted the edges.  I still don't have success with needle-turned applique, so it's basting for me.

I considered cutting circles by hand, without a pattern, but in the end decided to trace the circles on the back of the fabric and use a cardboard pattern to press them into the same size.  While the pieces of each square are random sizes, shapes, and tints, the overall feel of the quilt to me is one of precision, with each block and sashing exactly the same size.  I decided the circles should also be uniform.  I plan to put circles around the edges, too, but in a different fabric.

I wish I could photograph the colors accurately.  Maybe I'll find just the right lighting when the top is finished, or when the quilt is quilted and bound.  For now, this is as good as it gets.

I was able to get this far because my daughter and children are coming this evening.  They needed to be at church on Sunday.

I'm linking this post to
> Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt 
> Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
> Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag
Thank you for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.
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