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hand piecing

How to Hand-Piece a Center Circle into a Medallion Block

A guide to the hand-piecing center-circle video, general preparation, and how its no-appliqué approach differs from a separate inset-circle method.

By ThatPainter Team 2 min read

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To add a fabric center circle to a medallion or sunburst block without appliqué, follow the hand-piecing demonstration from American Patchwork & Quilting. Its page identifies the technique but does not provide written, circle-specific steps, so use the embedded video for the actual construction sequence rather than substituting a different inset-circle tutorial.

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What the hand-piecing demonstration covers

American Patchwork & Quilting describes its video as a way to hand-piece a center circle into a medallion block, with no appliqué. The page credits the American Patchwork & Quilting Editors, names Jody Sanders in the description, and lists a runtime of 5:01. It was published May 23, 2018. Watch the video on the original page to see its circle-specific steps; the accessible page text does not spell them out.

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Prepare for hand piecing

For general hand-piecing preparation—not as a confirmed materials list for the center-circle video—a 2026 American Patchwork & Quilting guide recommends thin sharps or betweens. Size 10 or 12 sharps are common preferences. Extra-fine pins can help hold fabric, and marked seam lines and matching points give you references to follow. The guide also suggests using 12–15 inches of thread; some hand piecers prefer hand-quilting or polyester thread for strength. See its general hand-piecing guide for broader setup and stitching advice.

How this differs from another inset-circle method

An inset circle is a full circle sewn into an opening cut in background fabric. A separate On Williams Street tutorial demonstrates a freezer-paper-guided approach: it turns and secures the seam allowance around a template, then sews along the folded edge. That is a distinct tutorial, not a written account of the hand-piecing video.

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Approach What the source establishes Useful distinction
Medallion center-circle video Hand-pieces a center circle without appliqué; the page links the 5:01 video. Circle-specific steps are not transcribed on the page. Use the demonstration for its own sequence.
On Williams Street inset-circle tutorial Uses a freezer-paper template, a turned seam allowance, temporary glue placement, and stitching along the folded edge. A separate construction method; do not assume its steps apply to the hand-piecing video.

The On Williams Street method specifies at least a 1/4-inch allowance around the opening, clipped and pressed tabs, small glue dots, and trimming to a 1/4-inch seam. It is a machine-sewing tutorial and cautions against strongly concave curves for that method. Those measurements and cautions belong to that tutorial, not to the hand-piecing demonstration.

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Practice pattern

The video page suggests practicing with Cindy Blackberg’s Handmade Medallion pattern, listed in the August 2018 issue. Current availability is not established; check the publisher or pattern source before seeking a copy.

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