I bought the Olfa Rotary Circle Cutter. It has an adjustable gizmo so you can cut up to 8 3/4 circles. I've made quite a few mock cathedral window quilts (MANY circles.) the olfa cut perfect circles every time. Works like a compass. You can get it cheap with a joann coupon or wait for a sale. If I need bigger circles I make a template out of foam board the size I need. Have fun

Lots of good ideas here. Will have to remember them when I'm ready to do circles.

I do this all the time, but you need to be careful what you use to draw around the plate. I have Corelle, also, and the edge absorbed the marker color. A scratched up CD will work if that's the right size. froggyintexas

I don't draw around the plate. I just cut around it.

Feline, your quilt is gorgeous. I'm just not sure about doing it applique and making the outer stitching nice and smooth. I like the look of the Cut a Round ruler another person posted about. That looked like a good system. I'm just wondering how round and smooth the circle ends up being. I have a very picky eye for these type of details.

Wow this is a great way to do it. I made a circle using the Eleanor Burns way. I must say using the fusible interfacing in my circles made my circles kind of stiff. not sure I'd do another one this way. Like your method much better!

For a template I just used a tupperware container I liked the size of. I drew this circle onto a piece of mylar I bought from our local quilt shop.

Just rec'd Nancy's Notions catalog and there are two circles cutters in it, reasonable prices too.

I hate to sound stupid, but I have that template and I can't for the life of me figure out how to use it with a rotary cutter! I have the 28mm rotary cutter and it just doesn't go down far enough to cut the fabric. What am I doing wrong? I have a Fiskars rotary cutter. Thanks so much for any help from anyone!

I have both sets of Perfect Circles and like them, but it really depends what size you have in mind.

Really easy method...take a coffee filter - press it flat - stitch to right side of fabric - trim (I usually use pinking shears). Slash the coffee filter and pull the circle through - the slit. Press - trim the coffee filter to about 1/8 inch and top stitch it to the background square/quilt top. This works and is an easy time saver. I used this to make a queen size top - and created attic windows with the circles sewn to background squares.