My husband  recently got his very first “just-for-him” quilt, an anniversary present for our 16th.  🙂  Finished size is about 72″ by 82″.

It started with stumbling across this fabric, on my way to something else.  (I cannot be the only one this happens to!)

From Blank Textiles, the Tooling Around collection:

I was stuck on how to use it, though.  Then one morning in the shower, it hit me and I saw it so clearly in my head.  Basic shapes, circles and squares, primary colors (well, except for green, but let’s not be too technical.)  So I made 20 of these, 10.5″ across.

I decided circles on top of squares, so using a circular papercutter from my cardmaking days (I highly recommend this for freezer paper!), out these came, about 5.5″ in diameter:

Now for the technique I had just learned in a class, using freshly and thickly made liquid starch; a rather new experience for this well-worn shot glass.  😉  The starch is brushed into the fabric edges, which are then pressed down onto the paper.  Reapply starch and use the stiletto to work out puckers and smooth the outer curves.  After they are dry and cool, the paper easily comes out but the circles retain their shape and crisp edges, and are ready to be appliqued.

I used monofilament thread to attach these with a machine applique stitch, but it was very frustrating!   Unwinds at bad times, catches on the spool, breaks, snarls… I was snarling as well.  I may try it again as it’s been suggested to me that a different brand might help.  Nonetheless, I finally got all assembled, and hubby has his quilt:

As usual, my backing is a hodge podge of leftovers and rejects.  😀