January 2020 NZP Block of the Month: Circle Block
Nancy’s Red Elegance
2020 Block of the Month January: Circle Block
Introducing the first of 12 FREE! Quit Block Tutorials for the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series! The Circle Block is a great block to start off the new year and our NEW! Monthly Mystery Quilt Series!
Earlier this month, Team Nancy Zieman introduced the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series. Join the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series, anytime, by viewing the Basic Supplies and Tools Listing in the January 1, 2020 NZP BoM20 Kick Off Blog Posting.
On the third Saturday of each month, we’ll feature one block design, and we’ll be stitching one or more blocks of the same design each month. The blocks are created using Our NEW! Red Elegance Fabric Collection by Riley Blake and the Carefree Curves Trace ‘n Create Template Set by Nancy Zieman for Clover. Follow along as we show step-by-step how to create the January Circle Block.
January Circle Block
NOTE: This block is 8-1/2″ square; 8″ finished square when sewn into finished quilt.
Block Fabrics
For the Nancy’s Red Elegance January Circle Block, select the following fabrics from the NEW! Red Elegance Fat Quarter Bundle along with the “Circle” Template from the Carefree Curves Template Set.
Red Elegance Main Cream and Red Elegance Main Taupe
Prepare your fabrics! Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing, and steaming and pressing a second time. Then, stabilize fabrics for the sewing process by pressing and starching fabrics with June Tailor’s Starch Savvy. Press and starch, press and starch.
Carefree Curves Trace ‘n Create Template by Nancy Zieman for Clover
View the complete Basic Supplies and Tools Listing in the January 1, 2020 NZP BoM20 Kick Off Blog Posting , .
Cut Fabric for the Block
Create one super-simple circle block with just two easy fabric rectangles and a square of Pellon SofShape!
Cut one 8-1/2″ background square of Red Elegance Main Cream.
Cut one 7″ background square of Red Elegance Main Taupe.
Cut one 7″ square Pellon SofShape Fusible Interfacing
For this first block of the m0nth in the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series, we’re sharing Nancy Zieman’s techniques for creating a perfect circle – without ever cutting a circle!
Construct the Block
Create the Center Circle Appliqué
Place 7″ background square of Red Elegance Main Taupe to 7″ square Pellon SofShape Fusible Interfacing – matching smooth side of the fusible interfacing to right side of fabric. Pin.
Position the Circle Template on the interfacing , centering the template on the interfacing square.
With a fabric marking pen and Circle Template, trace a 6″ circle on the onto the interfacing – tracing along the yellow lines at the die cut openings.
Stitch directly on the marked line using a slightly shorter stitch length.
It’s always easier to stitch smooth curves with a shorter stitch length, such as a 2.0 mm setting.
With a 45mm Rotary Cutting and Pinking Blade , trim away excess fabric, leaving about a 1/4″ seam allowance on the outside of stitching line.
Carefully cut away the center of the interfacing, leaving about 1″ of interfacing at the inside of stitching line.
Save interfacing scraps for a later project when making, perhaps, smaller circles
Use Clover’s Point 2 Point Turner, smooth the curved edge as the interfacing is turned to the wrong side.

Press.
Topstitch Appliqué to Block Background
Fold the background square in half, then in quarters to determine the center, use a Roll ‘n Press, or ‘finger press’ along the folded edges.
Open.
Fold the center circle applique in half, then in quarters to determine the center, use a Roll ‘n Press, or ‘finger press’ along the folded edges. Open
Layer the circle applique onto the background square aligning fold lines. Pin.
Thread sewing machine with monofilament thread in the top thread of your sewing machine, and regular all-purpose sewing thread in the bobbin.
Use a narrow blind hem stitch, blanket stitch, zigzag stitch, or straight stitch to “machine appliqué” the circle to the background.
Press.
The Nancy’s Red Elegance January Circle Block is complete!
Watch Quilt with Carefree Curves (Part One and Part Two) on The Best of Sewing With Nancy.
Save 10%-30% Off Select Products *plus FREE shipping* through January 21, 2020 at shopnzp.com!
For a chance to be the random winner of a Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack with S!S button & sticker, please leave a comment below sharing your thoughts about the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series and/or The January Circle Block. Nancy Zieman Productions will give away one Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack to one US resident in the 48 contiguous states. Winner must reply within 30 days to the official giveaway announcement email message – sent from Nancy Zieman Productions.

The randomly selected winner of a set of eight Landscape Quilt Note Cards by Nancy Zieman, from the January 11 Blog Post, Nancy Zieman Original Giclée Canvas Landscape Art Print: Moon Lit Birches, is Diana Todd.
Her comment is: I don’t think I could choose one if I had to ! They are all amazing! I am saving scraps now to try making one myself . They are stunning!
Happy Quilting!
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
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