Rosette 1 in the New Hexagon Millefiori QAL and making a ring to frame the birds

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I've completed the first rosette in Katja Marek's New Hexagon Millefiori Quilt Along. It may not look like it but it is large. I think it is roughly 36" across. There will be partial rosettes that link into this piece and they will be smaller so that means less sewing than with this one. Don''t get me wrong - it wasn't difficult, it just had lots of sewing!

Katja has set up a Facebook page and a FLICKR page so you'll see lots of  interesting rosettes that look very different from mine! You will find links to both along with the instructions and patterns for this QAL here.

Now it is back to working on my Birds in the Loft quilt! I've made the medallion with birds for the middle of the quilt. It took some time to find just the right fabric for the ring but I finally settled on a very deep brown with olive and grey tones.

I folded a large sheet of paper in quarters and I drafted one quarter of the ring that would surround the birds. I cut it out and glued it to two sheets of kitchen freezer paper that I had ironed together. The ring was cut out. Save the leftover bits of freezer paper because they might come in handy!

The ring was ironed to the wrong side of the fabric.

I cut out the ring leaving the inside intact because I find it keeps the ring more body. I used my Starch Brush from Traditional Primitives to paint the seam allowance on the outside edge of the ring with starch. With a hot dry iron I pressed the seam allowance over the freezer paper.

I then cut out the inside of the oval and clipped the curves up to the freezer paper. Once again the seam allowance was painted with starch and pressed over the freezer paper with a hot dry iron.

Here it is with both sides pressed over the freezer paper. It looks wonky because the heat of the iron made the paper curl slightly. I can now remove the freezer paper.

I used Roxanne Glue Baste-it to affix the ring to the fabric. I'll use Superior's The Bottom Line thread in a taupe colour to applique the inside edge of the ring to the bird fabric.

Until I post again, happy sewing.
Karen H