Cosmic Spirals

Figure A

Terms:

• The radiating line is a line that extends from the center to the outer edge of the circle.
  
• A section is the area between two radiating lines.
  
• Circles begin in the center and get progressively bigger as they progress toward the outer edge (figure A).
  
• A circular section is the area between two circles.
  
• Points are drawn in the area between the inner and outer spiral and resemble a saw tooth.

Preliminary step:

Draft a spiral design on circular graph paper. If you can count and connect dots, you can draft a spiral without a mathematical approach. Tip: A different counting sequence creates different sized spirals.

Figure B

Steps:

1. Plot the outer spiral (black and white) by beginning in the center, counting sequence is over two sections and up one circle, place a dot. Continue this sequence to the outer circle on the graph paper (figure B).

2. Free hand connect-the-dots to draft an outer spiral.

3. Plot the inner spiral (graduation colors) by counting back five sections from where the first spiral intersects the first circle in the center, place a dot. The counting sequence for this spiral is over three sections and up one circle and place a dot. Resume sequence to the outer circle on the graph paper.

4. Connect the dots to draft this inner spiral.

5. Points or teeth can be skinny, fat, tall or short. Spiral teeth are two sections wide and one circle tall. Use a ruler to draw points in the spiral.

6. Darken all the drawn lines with a Sharpie.

Figure F

Drawing Radiating Lines
As you look at your drawing you see a spiral and the outer edges of the paper that have no lines drawn in yet. The lines outside the spiral will now be added to complete the drawing. Important: Never draw the radiating line through the spiral, always skip over the spiral.

7. To draw the radiating spiral lines, place your ruler on the center dot and on any corner of the paper (figure F).

8. Draw the line, using your Sharpie, from the center to the spiral, stop, skip over the spiral and continue the drawing line on the other side of the spiral until it meets the spiral again, stop, skip the spiral again and continue the line out to the corner.

Figure H

9. Count over two sections and draw the next radiating line from the center to the edge.

10. Continue until all the radiating lines are drawn. You now have a complete pattern.

11. Enlarging the drawing to 18" x 18" or any desired size (figure H).

Trace Drawing on Sulky Foundation

12. Tape the full size spiral section to the table.

13. Cut a piece of template material the size of this section and lay it on the drawing with tape in place.

14. Trace the dark spiral and radiating lines and points on the Sulky with a see-through ruler and a black fine point pen (Sharpie). Important: Do not trace all graph paper lines.

15. Also trace the outside box of the drawing and mark the top.

Figure I

Cutting the Spiral

16. Cut out the spiral accurately by punching a little hole at the end of the tail to begin cutting. Do not cut through the radiating spiral from the outside edge.

17. You now have two pieces, one piece containing the spiral section containing the points (figure I), and one piece containing the radiating line sections.

18. Set aside the radiating line section.

19. Fabric strip cutting:

• Cut one black and one white strip 1" x 42"
  
• Cut one black and one white strip 2" x 42"
• Cut one black and one white strip 3" x 42"

Foundation Piecing the Spiral

20. Machine setup:

• Place black thread on top and black bobbin thread in the bobbin.
• Use a 80/12 needle and shorten the stitch length to 2.

21. Lay the spiral on the table traced side down. Strips are always placed on top and sewing is done on the traced side.

22. From the 3-inch strips of black and white cut a chunk 3 inches long.

23. Place both pieces together.

Figure K

24. Place black fabric on the bottom of the spiral tail section (figure K).

25. Flip piece to the back side and hold up to the light to make sure the strip covers the section and extends about 1/8" to 1/4" past the first stitching line, into the next section.

26. Lightly glue the fabric in place with repositionable glue stick.

27. Flip the entire stabilizer over and stitch exactly on the first line. Important: Do not sew into the seam allowance.

28. Return to the right side, trim excess seam allowance close to the stitched seam and finger press toward the black.

Figure M

29. To position the next black strip, flip to the reverse side, fold the foundation along the next stitching line, and trim the fabric with a 1/4-inch seam allowance beyond the fold (figure M).

30. Flip to top side and add a chunk of the 3-inch black strip and continue the above process until the spiral is complete. There is a point when the 3-inch strip is too wide so switch to a 2-inch strip and then to a 1-inch strip. Note: Additional strips may have to be cut.

31. After complete, lay the template face down, and trim the outside edges leaving at least 1/2 inch past the edge of the template on each side.

Figure Q

Radiating Spiral Foundation Piecing

32. Select fabric gradations for the radiating spiral.

33. Begin in the center and position the first two fabrics together. Tip: Sections are so small in the center that you can cover three or four sections with one fabric (figure Q).

34. Repeat the foundation piecing process above (same as black and white spiral).

35. The last piece of the spiral (end) will be machine appliquéd.

Figure U

Combining the Spiral and the Radiating Section

36. Pin the two spirals together, easing each end together, as you pin. Tip: Turn the center spiral (gradation) edges under and glue with repositionable glue prior to pinning the two spirals together.

37. To achieve perfect points, as the spirals are machine-appliquéd together, open and close the points with a stiletto (figure U). Note: Points can be opened and closed because you did not sew into the seam allowance.

38. Machine-appliqué the pinned spirals together with a blanket stitch using invisible thread.

39. Remove the Sulky foundation carefully and press.