Quilt in a Day Forums

I am trying to make a birdhouse quilt. I am supposed to applique black fabric circles over each house to represent holes. I have never appliqued circles before. In fact, the only applique I have ever done was the needle turn method.I am having a horrible time getting them round without little points. I tried basting around the outside, drawing the thread up with the template in it, and lightly pressing it. Well, that didn't work. Now my template is all wonky even though I barely touched the fabric with the iron. I am trying to iron freezer paper on the back side of each circle. Still not having much luck. Are there any tips you can give me to get good circles? Am I suppose to clip the seam allowances around the circle? Do I still need to gather around the freezer paper with thread? I guess what I am saying is 'Help!' LOL I never thought this would be so hard.
Winona

Can you use raw edged applique and just do the button hole stitch around the edges to cover the raw edges?

I would use the raw edge method - or you can make yo-yo's for the circle, or use buttons - I think that would look cute ) of course this is totally my opinion )

I have had some success with using freezer paper the size of the circle without seam allowance. You put the freezer paper on the wrong side of the fabric and the you paint, with starch, the seam over the freezer paper. It has worked for me even though the freezer paper gets sort of messed up. After painting the seam with starch then iron till dry then just take the freezer paper out. I hope this helps.

You can use fusible interfacing to make circles sew a circle of fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the circle slit the interfacing and turn it so the right side of the fabric is out and the fusible side of the interfacing is ironed to the fabric. then blanket stitch around it.

Mo, there's another thread on this a bit down in the "Quilting and fabric discussion area", with some very good tips and hints. (I asked pretty much the same question as you the other day...)

I've now settled for this method: cut out the circles (without seam allowance) in freezer paper, iron onto fabric, cut out circles with approximately 1/4" seam allowance, pull the seam allowance back/in by using a needle and thread, press with starch, pull off freezer paper and then sew the circle on the background fabric.

I use freezer paper.
Like Homespun said... cut freezer paper exact size, press shiny side to back of fabric, add 1/4" all around when cutting out. Then I baste the edges to the freezer paper, with the knot on the top.
Press well, then put it on your project, paper side down. Taking small stitches, sew it down. Try to not get the paper in the needle. When you are just about done, remove those basting stitches, (with the knot) pull that paper right out, then finish your little stitches. Works every time for me and no gathers or puckers on outside.