Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Happy Pi Day!

Happy π day!

This post is written for the Coulee Country Chapter of EGA.

So, what is π and what does it have to do with Coulee Country EGA?

π

Pi (π) is the ratio of a circle's circumference to it's diameter.  Its value is approximated to 3.14.  That is why we celebrate π day on March 14 (3/14).

Calculating the Circumference of a Circle
(Image source: Wiki How)

Coulee Country EGA

Our April project is about finishing a pin drum. Bring your stitched piece to the meeting and we will finish together.  A pin drum is a round pin cushion that looks like a drum.  Our technique will have the embroidery on the outside edge of the drum.

You can purchase a design especially for a pin drum, design your own, or adapt something you already have.  Your pattern should be a long and narrow rectangle.  Some of the designs I've seen  have a finished stitched area which is 12" wide and 2" tall.  As long as your fabric is wide enough the entire area need not be stitched.  The final dimensions of the drum depend on the size of your piece.

There is where π comes in.  If your piece is h tall and w wide then your drum will be about h tall (the top will be a little puffy) and w / π across the top.  So, if your pattern is 12" wide, your finished drum will be about 3 7/8 across.

Pattern Ideas

If you want to design your own pattern, here are some ideas:
  • Repeat a small design such as a flower, ladybug or bee.
  • Chart a single word, or short phrase such as your name, "Believe", "Christmas", "Give Thanks"
  • Make a sampler with rows of your favorite stitches
  • Make a sampler with blocks of your favorite stitches
If you are thinking of adapting a pattern you already have, but wasn't originally designed to be a pin drum here are some ideas:
  • Take a small chart 2-4" tall and center it on a 12-14" strip of fabric.
  • Repeat the design more than once along the strip
  • Center the design and flank it with small motifs taken from the pattern

To help you along I've designed a simple pattern with some tulips.
Tulip Pattern

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