When doing a feather wreath, I mark the spine and then then the inner circle that is the border for the edge of the feathers on the inside of the wreath. I mark this boundary because it is hard to get a circle out of the inner feathers if you don't, and believe me, this will show and look wonky. For this particular size of feather, the top of a ziplock container is perfect. (The old design had a circle in the middle that could be cut out). Another way to make the perfect circle template is with freezer paper and a compass, then mount it on a piece of cardboard (cereal or cracker boxes are great for this) or template plastic. Be sure to cut out the center for the edge of the inner feathers. After I get the marking done, I build the feathers without marking. This takes some practice and I did this practice on a couple of charity quilts for my guild. when I turned in these quilts I was told, " Oh, Mary Ann these quilts don't have to be quilted so beautifully, just an all over design will be okay." I responded with. I hadn't ever done these wreaths before and had to practice somewhere, so I practiced on these." Charity quilts are a great place to practice new designs or your skills on new a sewing machine or equipment.
Remember, the more you quilt, the better you get and that is the ONLY way to get better.
Happy quilting!
