Welcome from Illinois. I have been sewing for over 50 years and learn something new here everyday. This board is the best. You Go Girl, you can do it. Just take your time with the eye on the prize, and I know Lottie and her partner will love it. What a special gift.

Welcome Mags, you will find this site to have very helpful and friendly quilters to ask for and get advice. Have you looked at the Quilt in a Day site for Eleanor's tutorial for a double wedding ring, as I think her technique may make the quilt easier to put together. I used her techniques when I did a Dresden Plate quilt and I found it much easier to add the center circle using fusible interfacing. Don't let anyone tell you that you are crazy for tackling a more challenging quilt - when I first started quilting many years ago, I usually went for more intermediate and sometimes some challenging quilt patterns and I was pleased with the results, so step out of the box, you'll be amazed at what you'll be able to do.

Welcome from California. Just writing that made me think how this board really does go world-wide. Good for you. I am self-taught too and this board has been very helpful. Everyone here is so supportive! Post pictures of your progress, we would love to see it. I am still intimidated by the DWR, but I am OK with circles....go figure!

Phew. It's been a hard afternoon working on the quilt! When I take a break I read this lovely comments and think 'just keep going!' I'm going to look up the suggested resources, every little helps! I don't mind the curved sewing, but getting it a to meet in the corners is tricky! I'm going to be done with the first complete ring shortly so stand by for my first pic post!!!!
Mags
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Ok so here's the first completed ring. I have concerns about the bottom right hand corner, it does not want to lie flat and it has been pressed. Any suggestions?

Ps I'm so glad I have a year to do this!!!
Much love
Mags
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Hmmm and I can see some seam puckering. ������

Sorry I don't know how to fix the puckering. I just wanted to say that I think that will be one beautiful quilt. Can't wait to see where the sunshine yellow goes. Lucky friend. Loving friend.

The first thing to remember, is you are making a gift of love. If it is not completed by the shower or wedding day, wrap a photo of your progress, and add a nice note about how much love you want to put in it, and allow them the fun of seeing it grow. There, now you have a contingency plan for if it is not done in time. Now you can relax and enjoy the process. You have chosen a more difficult pattern for a beginner, ( think challenge, not impossible) but if you look at some of the amazing first quilts posted here, you will see folks do have success doing more challenging first patterns all the time, so you can too! We are here if you need help. Keep in mind that my way is only my way, finding your own methods is one of the enjoyable things about quilting. No right way or wrong way as long as it works for you. Good luck dear and don't forget to post pictures. -Kelly

The botom right corner can be adjusted by putting a slightly deeper seam from the outer edge of the seam between the red square and the white square. Make it a,little wider at the open edge and taper to the other end, kind of like sewing a dart. Start small, and deepen the " dart" until it lays flat. Sometimes as we sew seams, we end up with a slight curve towards the second end just because some of us do. Watch for that. You can also draw your seam lines if that helps. I did a 49" dresden plate quilt a couple years ago, and became quite an expert at getting things to lay flat. (When first sewn, the dresden was a "volcano" and I have quilted for years!) Your first circle looks way better than my volcano did! Lol! Keep going. Love the colors so far!

If you go to Kaye Woods site & check out her tut for Rings that Bind, she shows a very easy way to make this pattern. You will be amazed how easy it is. Your colors are fantastic & will be a beautiful quilt. You are doing wonderful for your second quilt.