More On My Large Hand-Sewing Project

I've been making good progress on my large hand-sewing scrap quilt project which I showed you here.

Part of the job for this project is cutting many squares, 

and

many corresponding circles of fabric.

Then I have the job of pressing under the edges for hand appliquéing.

 I cut a finished-size template from heat-resistant template plastic.  Then I put some spray starch in the starch can lid, and use a small paint brush (or, in a pinch, a Q-tip) to get a good press on the ironed-over edges of the circles.

After that comes the job of deciding which circle should go with which square of fabric.  

This is the fun part!

Not enough contrast.

Not enough contrast, plus two busy prints together (no!)

Better contrast.

A good combination.

I iron the squares in half once, 

and then once again so that they are in little folded-over squares.  

This shows me the centers of each side of the squares.

At this point I can appliqué the circle to the square.  I fold the circle in half and finger press the very edges, then turn and do it again to make fold marks which can be matched up with the fold marks on the fabric squares.  (Did that make sense!?!)  I use a fair number of those nice smaller appliqué pins to secure everything while I'm hand sewing.  The pins are only 3/4" long, so they don't get in my way as much as longer pins do.

I'm actually making pretty good progress on this quilt.  I still have many circles to appliqué, but I've already done A Lot Of Them.  So I can almost see the end!