The most amazing thing happens when an instructor shows you how to cut and while sewing the pieces together-mentions tips along the way.
The class is $5 a semester and by the 2-3 month; I could look at a pattern and tell how to make it more mine. Plus I totally enjoy the humor directed at us "weird" quilters-they get it when I told them that I put off hair cuts in order to buy more stash.

No class for me. A friend got me started and into a quilt guild. My first quilt was a sampler that I machine pieced and hand quilted. Loved doing the hand quilting but due to arthritis had to give it up = all machine quilting now. Have done a few quilts and find that following the instructions and working on it myself I learn better.

The thumb tack is pushed thru a piece of tape from the stickey side up. This allows the sewer to tape the tack down with the point up. Take a small ruler and line up with the needle straight to the left, you could make some sort of a mark. This will be where the center of the head of the tack is taped down and this needs to align with the needle. I found that using a second piece of tape that goes across the first piece is helpful. Cut two squares of fabric, larger than the circle you want. I also found that using a stablizer was necessary. I used a fusible on just one of the squares. Stack the squares one on top of the other, Then fold the square in half first from one direction then the other direction to find the center of the square. Right where the two fold lines cross should be the center. With the tack already taped to the machine bed, push the point of the tack thru both fabrics and stablizer. With the fabric under the pressure foot, start sewing being sure to sort of help the fabric stay down on the tack. Go slow at first and you will see how the fabric feeds around. My first test was with just straight stiches. There are a lot of things that can be done once you are comfortable with this technique. Squares of fabric with the stablizer can be sewn with the right sides together then after completion trim close to the seam with peaking shears, make a slit (for turning) in the back of the fabric which would be your backing fabric, then pull the front fabric thru this slit, use your favorite seam/corner dodad to get the seam smooth, then press. If I remember correctly, the Fons & Porter show was using these circles as an applique in a quilt, the Sewing with Nancy was cutting the circles in half and using like pararie points on the front of a jacket. I did some test sewing on a piece of fabric using wash away stablizer and decorative stiches. This was not fabric stacked and sewn to gether to turn, just a a single piece of fabric with a HEAVY STABLIZER (the plastic like stuff) This did not work well the stablizer was too slippery. The wash away stuff that looks more like a dryer sheet used in two thicknesses worked best for me. I have in mind being able to take some solid colored fabric and using some embroidery thread and decorative stiches and sewing circles of various sizes to make the fabric more pleasing to the eye for a jacket or blouse. I do see a lot of shows about a lot of emblishments to fabric to creat a very pleasing look and I've noticed that there are a lot of fabrics now with printed circles of various sizes. Some overlap, some have heavier lines, etc. It could be the answer to using some ugly fabric in a very creative way. As I have been writing this, I have been reminded that a picture is worth a thousand words. Hope you get the picture of how this is done. Others may have been much better at the explanation.

nana2 -- great instructions! And yes I can "see" what you're talking about!!

Thanks!!!! :D