Back in 2010, we began a series called Art Concepts for Quilting. The first concept we considered was shape as we examined squares and rectangles (post 1 and post 2), triangles (post 1 and post 2), hexagons (post 1, post 2, and post 3), and octagons. Many of these articles consistently rank among the top-read posts on this bog, so shape is clearly a popular topic. For some reason, however, we never looked at circles. This beautiful shape has been so prominent in my recent work that I decided to write about it now.
A circle is a simple geometric shape formed by a set of points on a plane equidistant from the center point. The distance between them is called the radius. Circles would have been observed since the beginning of time, simply by looking at the sun or the moon. The circle is the basis for the wheel and for gears and the mathematical studies of geometry, astronomy, and calculus.
Incorporating a circle into patchwork traditionally involves curved piecing, but I have had success using appliqué instead. My quilt Lake Ontario Fan is a perfect example. Made for the Great Lakes, Great Quilts Challenge, it was inspired by the String Plate Quilt (ca. 1945) in the Michigan State University Museum. Each quarter-ring was pieced onto a paper foundation then appliquéd into place.
A Mariner’s Compass-style quilt features spiky triangular or kite shapes, but is actually based on a circle. This can be seen in a close-up shot of my quilt The Hiding Place.
In my quilt Instruments of Praise, circles represent cymbals and form part of the background in the four instrument blocks.
A circular medallion anchors the center in the quilt Flourish on the Vine and makes a cute mini-quilt all on its own!
This medallion was also the inspiration behind the block “Capstone”, which was published in Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Volume 7.
Last week, I finished a wall quilt made from four modified “Capstone” blocks. Just look at all the circles!
Overlapping circles create even more interesting shapes, but we’ll save that for next week.
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