Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Quilty 365--A Year Long Quilting Journey

Wanna play? As was mentioned in my previous post, I'm starting a new project. Every day for a year I'm going to choose out fabric and sew a simple circle. Since there seemed to be a bit of interest, I decided to make a button and welcome anyone else who wanted to join in the fun!
Quilty 365--A new project
First of all, you'll need to decide on a background color. I chose to go with various {grayed down}cream prints culled from my stash. It will take approximately 5 1/2" to 6 yds. of fabric in all. Feel free to buy a single piece of yardage or scrap it up a bit as I intend to do. The important thing is to stick with a neutral color if you want your circles to 'pop'. Cut background squares at 4 1/2" x 4 1/2". The amount to cut will depend on how many rows of circles you decide on as 365 does not come out evenly in a proper layout.

  • 19x20 block quilt will result in 380 background squares
  • 20x20 block quilt will result in 400 background squares
  • 18x21 block quilt will result in 378 background squares
We'll decide how to deal with those extra background squares later on as we get more comfortable with how the quilt is looking.

Background fabrics
The fabric/colors for each circle will be chosen on a daily basis. The point is be able to look back and see how {and if} our choices change throughout a year. Will they change with the seasons? I know I already chose an orange fabric for Halloween day and I'm not usually cutesy like that! The quilt should end up being a very interesting fabric/color diary and it should absolutely be unique to every single person who plays along!

I personally intend to look in my scrap bin first but will stay open minded to other fabrics in my stash as well. This way I will be making an honest choice every single day of whatever fabric {or fabrics} feel 'right'. This is a project that truly will take a year to put together and will be impossible to jump ahead or power through.
Drawing the circle onto the backside of my chosen fabric...
As you can see, my circle is not a true circle at all. It was hand drawn to look a little flatter at the sides and hopefully a little more primitive looking. The inspiration for my circles is not anything new or earthshaking, but everyone should make what feels 'right' to them for this simple project.

I've already figured out that there are days I'm going to be choosing out my fabric in a bit of a hurry. It's going to be much faster {and more efficient} to use templates. Draw your circle on a piece of paper, transfer it onto template plastic and keep it handy. For the days I want to break my circle down into a patchwork look, I cut out the smaller templates as well, including seam allowances for all. I will be using the sewing machine to sew my multi-fabric circles together, but again, this is a personal choice.
A few options for patchwork circles....
When that particular days circle is cut out and/or sewn together, place it on a background square of fabric. Stitch it to the square of fabric immediately, or wait until you have a little stack of them. My choice is needleturn applique, but there are many, many different ways to approach the stitching part of this project. Keep it simple and use your favorite method, whatever that may be!

There are days I probably won't have time to get to the stitching part at all, but at least I'll have my fabric chosen according to the whims of the day. If you forget a day, try and think back to what sort of day it was. Just take your best guess and move on without agonizing. This is just a little bit of insight into our quilty life! Best to keep it fun and lighthearted!
Stitching circle down to background...
After each circle is stitched down, then carefully cut out the background fabric from behind the applique. Be careful to leave about a quarter inch or so of seam allowance! With a fabric marker, write the day of each circle directly onto that seam allowance--keeping your numbers small and hidden behind the block. This is a simple way to keep track of each days choice in the event we want to have the quilt layout in chronological order. There's no real way to know if that's something we'll even want to do, but this way we can keep track and have that as an option.
Write Day (?) in seam allowance
Feel free to jump in on any day you choose to. I didn't want to wait and start this project on January 1st as I have a history of not keeping up with New Years projects, but you might want to. 365 days is an entire year no matter when you start! As of today, I am on Day 10. And no, I'm still not remembering every day until sometimes late at night! No problem, it's a simple matter to dig through the scrap bin and the stitching can always be done on another day.
Days 1-10 choices with Day 10 still unstitched!
I changed the picture a bit so you could see my silly, less-than-perfect circles. One block was cut just a little narrow as I didn't have quite enough fabric. There are days that only certain fabrics are going to feel right, days that feel more peaceful and other days of that smack of chaos. Choose the fabric that best suits you for that day and don't worry about everything matching up 'just so'. This is a diary. A journey. An honest piece of the quilty you! By using scraps, random patchwork circles and lopsided circles, I'm hoping to achieve something I love and adore in quilts--that wonderfully unique 'human touch'! If you prefer something more ordered and precise, then by all means, work that into your quilt the very best you can!
A little more emphasis on the outline of each circle
I'll try to figure out how to do a linky party at the first of each month for anyone who cares to join in and share. Please don't feel pressured or obligated to join in as I am the worlds worst at keeping up with various QAL's and linky parties. This is something I had already started and want to see my way through just to satisfy some of that curiosity that instigates so many new projects!
Quilty 365--You can only do this one day at a time!
Grab the button on the sidebar {only} if you'd like to and feel free to join me on an interesting quilty journey. I'd be thrilled to have some friends and comrades along for the ride!


96 comments:

  1. You are such a Project Enabler! You know I'm in! Not sure if I'm feeling ordered and precise or a little wonky - probably some of both. And I love the idea of patchwork circles, too. Back-basted applique - I hope.

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  2. Oh how fun!!! I am thrilled with this project...fun and unique!!

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  3. love this idea...but I'm absolutely starting nothing nee until a few ufos are completed...maybe I can hook a circle a day...hmmm

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  4. Hi Audrey--I will be joining in...sounds like a wonderful memory quilt in the making....
    hugs, Julierose

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  5. Audrey! Thank you! I am there, as an admirer of your scrappy beautiful heartfelt quilts, so there!! Ooohhhh all excited now. :-)

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  6. I am so tempted as this sounds very doable.....Let's see if I can get one together tonight....

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  7. I'm really intrigued, and may play along, but not yet. I'll start closer to the end of the year, I think. I'll have to see if I can figure out a way to get to my sewing stuff every day first. (My sewing studio is about 1/4 mile down the road...)

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  8. This sounds like it would be a perfect project for me as I try to overcome my fear of appliqué, but I've got so many projects already lined up - thank for the inviation! I'm looking forward to seeing how everybody does!

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  9. I am in for sure! Thank you Audrey, for inviting us along on the journey. Mine will definitely be scrappy. Maybe a little wonkiness thrown in for fun!

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  10. I'll decline for now - but ya'll have a wonderful journey! I'll love seeing the progress!

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  11. how big of a circle or is it any size we choose if we do this?

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    1. I'm cutting my squares out at 4 1/2" so without the seam allowance the circles will have to be slightly smaller than 4". You can make your circles (and background squares) any size you'd like though!

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  12. What fun! I have your button. Now to start my first circle. BTW, linkys are easy to set up.

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  13. This looks like a lot of fun / tempting but I better not start..too much going on now as it is! Still I will watch you and the others! :)

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  14. When I read the last post I thought this sounded like fun, so I'm in, though it might take me a few days to get organised. Good idea!

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  15. Oh this really gets my brain going with options...like dark backgrounds with light circles and alternating with opposites. Cutting circles out of orphan blocks that I already have. And on and on. What a great idea! You might be onto something here Audrey!!!

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  16. Love appliqueing circles, love this idea. I'll have a little think about joining you.

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  17. What an interesting project! I love that it's a diary. I m just not sure I can keep up. Have to think a bit...starting at new years might be very special.

    lizzy

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  18. Love this idea too, in fact I've already picked out a scrap for #1 starting this evening!

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  19. Count me among those that love this idea and may join at some point in time ... just can't jump in yet.

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  20. I'm working on circle shapes in a dedicated sketchbook, plus I just learned to do the six-minute circle technique (thanks to Sophie) and absolutely love it. Count me in.

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  21. Oh no, I know my limits! But I will be interested to see everyone else's. A link party is a great idea!

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  22. When you first posted about your circles, I thought, "Wouldn't that be fun to do along with Audrey!" Since I am good at starting and not so good at following through, we'll see how this goes for me. It may be one a week instead of one a day!

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  23. I think this is marvelous. I will certainly join in and I am a scrapper of tiny bits, so mine will be on the riny side.

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  24. This sounds exciting and I'm going to do it to...only I'm going to make a small change. There is no way that i will be able to do this EVERY DAY for a year. So I'm going to set up seven blocks at a time and applique them over the course of the week. Little difference but same end result! Also I'm going to make 366 because 2016 is a leap year so I need an extra to represent February 29th! I will look forward to following your progress.

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  25. I really like the idea! I'll look and think. I want to participate!
    Audrey! Thank you!

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  26. I've been mulling this over in my mind for a couple of days, going off on all sorts of tangents, I know they won't be done on a daily basis, but what a great way to practice some needle turn applique, so I'm in, but probably on a bit smaller scale!

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  27. This sounds like such fun! Hmm, gonna have to think this one over for a bit but it makes me want to just run to my stash and start.

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  28. Wow, I can barely keep up with eh Time Warp stars once a week, but this is sooooo me! Count me in. Hope I can figure out the linky thing after you figure it out! Thanks for the nudge Audrey. I'm looking forward to starting my first one tonight. My grandson is coming over for the night so there may be lots of stops and starts, but I'll get it done I (almost) promise.

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  29. Well, this does look fun!
    You & niftyquilts are making me want to start hand sewing & hand quilting.

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  30. This sounds interesting and fun! I'm in but will probably start the 1st of the year. I hope to finish some UFO's by then.

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  31. Hello, thank you for all the info. Great project! I'm not quite ready to tackle it yet but I'm linking back to this blog post on a French quilters' forum. I hope that's OK with you. PS Found you thanks to "Sweet P Quilting and Creations" blog.

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  32. Hi, Audrey ! It is an interesting idea , I want to join. I'm not sure that I 'll be ok, because I'm just starting to quilt . I will try ! I will begin with January 1, 2016 .My name is Natalia

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  33. What a fantastic idea. It's a great way to keep a simple journal for a year, and to make a dent in all those scraps we accumulate daily. I like the idea of starting with the new year. Thanks for sharing and looking forward to participating.

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  34. What a great idea! As soon as I´ve chosen my basic fabric I will beginn.

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  35. I read your post the other day Audrey, you don't hang about do you, haha!!! I'm definitely in for this one :) I've been trying to do something else 'diary-like', but this feels like a much better idea...can't wait to get started!

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  36. I came across your blog by my friend Doris Perlhuhn and I am delighted of your idea "a circle aday". Wonderful idea - will I join in? I have not yet decided -it might be. Thank you so much anyway for this wonderful post - I will keep on looking.

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  37. I'm always over-committed, but I would like to reserve the privilege to check in occasionally! My push will be to complete some UFOs, but as it happens, I did have an idea for a series of circle-ish applique blocks similar to what you are proposing here, and I'd like to share! Not sure I can do as many as one a day, but we shall see!

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  38. Count me in! I'm looking to be a bit more reckless these days. Can't promise that'll happen quickly though I'm OCD to the bone. Sounds like loads of fun and very do'able... I'm off to grab that button before I get cold feet! lol xxx

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  39. I love the idea ! I read about your project on Maryse's blog. I really like her choice of red as background. So unusual. I'm a little anxious about making a scrappy quilt but I think I will join in !

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  40. I am in too. Not sure for how long or if it will be a daily thing. What got me was the Idea of a daily stitching journal using fabric. That intrigues me...only if it is a mini for a month! You are definitely on to something! Thanks.

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  41. I'm in- but am making mine all scrappy! And what fun to go in and select a piece for the square and a different one for the circle! And am considering at the end making four patches and stripping between them and rows to make them pop! Having fun with this one!

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  42. OMG>.........Do I need to do Circles too! OOOOOHHHHHH!

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  43. I know I'm late but I can't resist - hope you don't mind if I join in too? Am rifling through the stash now for ideas of fabrics to fussy cut perhaps...

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  44. Quiero hacerlo, me he llevado tu foto a mi blog, empiezo hoy 15-11-15

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  45. This is killing me not to do this. Is this reverse applique? Maybe I could do this . . .

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  46. This does sound like an interesting project. Let e think on it - it is a pretty big commitment, but oh I do love circles so. If I did it, I would do raw edge applique.

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  47. I have taken up the challenge - done 8 days of blocks so far. Using all my cream/off white scraps and fat quarters for the backgrounds. I am thinking of setting an extra challenge of not repeating any fabric - for a 365 different fabric scrap quilt? I don't have a blog, but am using the #quilty365 on instagram.

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  48. Interested but concerned about all those cut out circles for reverse appliqué…is that right? 365 circle scraps at the end?

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    1. I am actually doing my circle in needlturn applique, sewing them on top of the background fabric then cutting out the excess. You could definitely make them in reverse applique {or any other type of applique} and cut out the background from the top if you prefer. Either way there will be a bit of the background to either throw away or put back into your scrap bin. Some people aren't comfortable cutting out the excess and that's okay too!

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    2. thanks, that makes sense…I plan to begin on Jan. 1st!

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  49. I'd like to join the challenge (never done one before), but is it okay if I tweak mine a bit? I already have a geometric theme throughout my house, but instead of squares for a quilt, I'm making 8" square pot holders with circles on the front. I plan to hang them from split rings on dowel rods in that huge blank space on both walls over the kitchen cabinets. I'm sewing a piece of fusible web to the backside of the circles, turning, fusing to the potholder, then stitching in place. Thanks much for the inspiration and I hope you'll let me tag along, even if I'm not playing strictly by the rules ;)

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    1. Absolutely. Everyone should make this exactly as they please!

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  50. What a lovely project! I'd like to join in, but I'm still wondering whether I have the time. I'm notoriously bad at keeping up with BOMs etc!

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  51. I just realised 2016 is a leap year: 366 days! That's even more interesting!

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  52. Me gustaria participar, hoy hice el primero
    Muchas gracias

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  53. Yo también me apunto.
    Hoy publico una entrada en mi blog.
    http://cosoquetecoso.blogspot.com.es/2015/11/primer-proyecto-para-2016.html
    Muchas gracias por la iniciativa.
    Besitos.

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  54. Yo también me apunto a esta idea tan genial.

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  55. Hola Audrey, conocí tu propuesta gracias a Mary Carmen del blog Cosoquetecoso, me apunto también!
    Gracias!!
    Besitos

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  56. Hola Audrey, yo también me apunto, me parece un proyecto muy agradable.
    Me llevo el botón a mi blog.
    Un beso

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  57. Hola amiga!
    Me encanta la idea !!!
    Un fuerte abrazo desde Venezuela!

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  58. This is the most wonderful idea! I am going to have to start my own circle diary today. I am about to start Bonnie Hunters's new mystery quilt Allietare today and so my first circle is going to be the gray constant fabric I will be using in that quilt and my first circle background will be one of the neutrals I use in the first clue. The sky outside is gray today so finding this is an omen. Thank you for the inspiration,.....just hope I can keep it up every day for the next year.

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  59. What a fun project. I miiiiiight jump in soon.

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  60. very interesting. love what you have done and the idea. not planning on starting now, but in the new year. I don't know how to become a blogger, totally not computer savvy..

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  61. Hello Audrey, just a wee note to say thank you for giving me so much fun making these wee circles, I have many lovely old vintage kimono fabrics and this is a wonderful way of showing them off ; to see each one in a little frame shows of their wonderful colours and weaves. I have been making them since early Dec after seeing Karens lovely fossil fern circles. Kind Regards Glenda Australia.

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  62. I'm jumping in and have your button on my blog and created a post for a shout out. Stop by! (myplvl@blogspot.com) Hey, will you be having a weekly or monthly linky where we can share out progress??? Please do let me know:) As i'd like to visit others and get ideas and cheer them on. V:)

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  63. Well this could be good fun and use up stash in the scraps bags ... Of course I need to buy some creams fir the background lol but yes I'm in and will play catch up next week when I'm on term break. Yeahhhh bring it on!

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  64. I love this idea. My husband and I are avid RVers, and we stop into quilt shops all across the country. I always look for regional prints in our travels, and I'm thinking this would be a wonderful way to memorialize our travels.

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  65. Hola Audrey.
    que encantador proyecto y novedoso, me uno a él.

    saludos

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  66. Hola Audrey, gracias a unas amigas, me enteré de tu iniciativa, aunque empecé el día 30 de Noviembre, no he tenido tiempo de publicar, pero en breves fechas, lo pondré en el blog. Un saludo

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  67. Hola Audrey, me enteré de tu iniciativa por el blog de una amiga, yo comenzare con el año, intentare hacer todos los días uno y subirlo ami blog cada mes.Un besito felices fiestas y gracias por tu iniciativa..

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  68. Hi, Audrey!! Está teniendo mucho éxito tu idea en muchos de los blogs españoles que conozco, así que te felicito. A mí también me ha gustado, y espero poderlo empezar en enero con el nuevo año. Ya he publicado tu enlace en mi blog. Thanks and hugs from Tenerife. Happy New Year!!

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  69. Hola bonita.
    Vi tu propuesta ennla página de una amiga y me gusto, me parece una idea bella. Creo q la tomaré como ejemplo y hacer mi propio proyecto. Grax!

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  70. Hola bonita.
    Vi tu propuesta ennla página de una amiga y me gusto, me parece una idea bella. Creo q la tomaré como ejemplo y hacer mi propio proyecto. Grax!

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  71. Thanks for the idea of using scraps. I will fuse my circle on 4 1/2 block and then button hole it.

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  72. On Jan. 3rd, I discovered your Blog and Quilty 365 Circles. Love the challenge and started as of Jan.1st, and am now caught up. Thank you for the wonderful idea.

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  73. Hola, me parece un trabajo precioso, me apunto si estoy a tiempo, muchas gracias

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  74. Thanks for this lovely idea and tutorial! I was sure I had saved it, but alas, no-- so I just came over here with help from Pinkadot Quilts! I love the idea of capturing your daily mood (or even, what you are working with that day) in a circle :)

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  75. Hola, me encantaría apuntarme si aún estoy a tiempo.Saludos.

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  76. No sé si llegó a tiempo , pero me gustaría viajar con vosotras. Bss.

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  77. I started Jan. 1 and I've been keeping up. This is so much fun!!

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  78. Hola, me encanta como lo explicas gracias.

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  79. Hola, me gustaría participar, si todavía puedo

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  80. I'm in! Sort of, anyway. I'm making circle blocks using my woven plaids and I'm in until I'm not. You can find my first post (which explains all) at http://fleurdelisquilts.blogspot.com/2016/02/quilty-365-beginnings.html

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  81. Hello Audrey,

    Thanks for the idea, have just started my 365 quilt. A great way to use up fabric. I am using up my stash of calico and homespun for the blocks which are 4 inches square. I chose 4 inches as this will use up those smaller bits of calico etc I have.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

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  82. This sounds like so much fun! I just heard about it (or it just registered with me) from Red Letter Quilts. I'm going to do this, too. So what if I'm just A BIT late. :) I love the idea of keeping track of which block is made each day. I'm thinking September will be a perfect time to start.

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  83. Ok! I'm in! So glad you started this! Will be sharing at: https://faithtrustandbreastcancer.blogspot.com! Thank you so much for sharing this idea!

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  84. I really like this idea, its like a fabric diary. I'm going join in for 2017

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  85. I started this last year and only did a few. I'm in for 2017!!

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  86. Ok so Im going to start this now. My question is why are we cutting the circle out of the back? Do we have to?

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    1. I cut the back out because I tend to hand quilt and don't want all the layers! You absolutely don't have to!:)

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  87. Hi. I did a google search to find the beginning of the circle a day quilt movement I discovered on Instagram. #circleadayquilt I just wanted you to know folks are still interested in this in 2021!!! I loved the quilt by northportquilter and caught the bug! I see there are other #s like #quilty365 for inspiration. Thanks for sharing your lovely idea with “the world” !

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  88. Think I may be a little late for this party. Looks like a fun project

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