Cosmic Spirals

Materials:

80/12 embroidery needles
smoke invisible nylon thread
black sewing thread
rotary cutter
mat and ruler
1-1/4 yards of foundation material - Sulky Totally Stable at least 18" wide*
Clover or basting glue stick--restickable or repositionable
-Cosmic Spirals pattern or circular graph paper
black permanent ink felt tip pen (Sharpie extra fine point)
black lingerie bobbin thread - optional
* Or a comparable foundation that is transparent enough that a drawing underneath can be seen and traced.

Fabrics:
- 1/2 yard each of pre-washed black and white quality 100-percent cotton fabric
- 5 different colors for fabrics; 5 fabrics in each color 1/8 yard or larger pieces for a total of 25 different fabrics; grading from dark to medium to light or even more graduations per color as desired.
- A variety of fabrics including batiks, small or medium prints, make for a pleasing combination of colors and textures for this project. Multi-colored fabrics help transition from one color to another.

• 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.

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 (figure C).

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 (figure D).

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 (figure E).

6. Darken all the drawn lines with a Sharpie.