APPLIQUE TUTORIAL, PART 4 (end)

We're ready to stitch our appliques down. One important consideration, is to use a stabilizer. This will prevent your applique from 'bunching up' as you stitch. I use Sulky Tear Easy. There are many kinds available, and some gals use coffee filters or children's drawing paper. I get the Tear-Easy on the notions wall at JoAnn's. It comes in two widths.

Here you can see the stabilizer sticking out, as I'm ready to stitch. Just make sure it totally covers your applique back.

Practice on scraps to get the look you want. Things to consider: stitch (buttonhole, satin, etc.) stitch length and width, thread thickness, thread color, etc. I'm using Aurifil 50 in a color to match the applique. This is a thin but strong thread, 50 weight. I use it and Precensia for almost all my stitching. They work well and don't fuzz up the needle and bobbin area excessively.
Stitch all around your applique piece. Fasten beginning and ending threads. I have a tack stitch on my machine that I use for this. You can also pull the threads to the back to tie.

This is what the back looks like, all stitched.

Tear away the stabilizer from the back, both outside and inside the applique. The type I use removes easily without distorting the stitches.

Here's an up close of my stitches.

Just continue with all your appliques. I change the thread color in my top thread, to match the applique piece. The bobbin can remain a neutral.

No affiliation with any of the products mentioned. Just what I like.

I want to mention that many gals find it helpful to starch at every step of the way. This will help to keep your fabric crisp and smooth. I avoid extra chemicals in my life for heath reasons, so I rarely use starch.

As with all things quilty, we have choices. There's no one right way. Isn't that nice?

Enjoy!

FUSIBLE APPLIQUE TUTORIAL PART 3

Now it's time to get your appliques onto your fabric. First you need to prepare the background. Cut it out larger than needed. The process of stitching applique, whether by hand or machine, 'takes up' some of the fabric, and you will trim the block to size after it's all stitched. Then finger press it in half in both directions, so you can see where the center is, and you have guidelines for centering your design. A finger press is good enough for you to easily see (although maybe not in my picture, LOL!), but will iron press out easily later.

The fun begins -- arranging my pieces.

Here I have my pieces pretty much (not exactly) how I want them. It's time to start sticking them down.

Peal back and remove the paper.

You can see that the paper is removed but the adhesive remains all around the outside edge of my applique. I can finger press it in place now. Continue with all your pieces.

One last check that everything is placed just how I want it. I can still move things around here, just like moving a sticky note.

I have appliques on my triangles too, so I finger press those in half both directions too, so that I know where the center is.

The stars get centered on the triangles and finger pressed down.

A star goes on my star.

Once you are satisfied that everything is just how you want it, it's time to press. Use the settings for the fusible product you are using. Mine says to use steam and a cotton setting, and to press for 10-20 seconds, so that's what I'm doing.

Here's everything all pressed down and ready for stitching.

Next, I'll finish with how I stitch these down.

FUSIBLE APPLIQUE TUTORIAL PART 2

We're continuing on here with my tutorial. You have your shapes all drawn and cut from lesson one. Now select all the shapes that will need to be cut from one fabric. Your fusible will go on the wrong side of the fabric.

Be sure you follow the directions on your fusible product. They do vary a bit, and for best results follow the manufacturer's guidelines. I'm using Lite Steam a Seam 2, and following what they say.

First lay your shapes on the wrong side of your chosen fabric to make sure they all fit.

Give the wrong side of your fabric a good press to remove wrinkles and to heat the fabric. You don't necessarily have to heat the fabric, but I do, and the directions say if you have trouble with it sticking, heat the fabric first. Whose wrinkley-looking hand is that on that iron? LOL!

Peal off the backing paper. Be sure the fusible stays with the paper with the drawn line! With my product one side peals off easier than the other. You draw on the side that sticks better, so that at this stage you can easily remove the paper on the other side.

Give the shape a good push down with your finger all around the shape.

Here they are all finger-pressed down. Don't use an iron at this stage!

Cut through the fusible and fabric following the drawn line. You may want to use smaller shears for small appliques with more details. Sorry for the blur. It's hard to take a picture and cut at the same time, LOL!

All cut out and flipped to the right side.

Cut out all your appliques for your project in the same manner. Next we'll be arranging them on your fabric.

STARTING A NEW PROJECT

Today I'm starting a wall hanging for my daughter. She selected the pattern, a Pat Sloan applique. The finished quilt will hang on a quilt hanger that my oldest son made for her the one year we drew names and required home-made gifts for Christmas. She was one of the lucky ones, receiving a lovely hand-made quilt rack. Don't ask me why we no longer require home-made, LOL!

Since I took the Process Pledge (see the left of my blog) I decided to make a tutorial of how I do fusible applique. It's probably a combination of many ways. I've just selected and kept what works for me through the years. I'm no expert. Just offering what works for me, and isn't it nice we have choices???

These are the fabrics I'll be selecting from. Except for that bright green. I'm not sure how she jumped into this picture--shameless show off! The center fabric is the focus, and will be the flower pot and the wide border. The other colors I drew from that. My friend Carol found the focus and helped me pick the others. She said that if DD doesn't like the end result, she'll take it, LOL!



First things first. Today I'm tracing the patterns onto Lite Steam-a-Seam2. It's my favorite fusible. You can put the appliques in place and sick them down, but still pick them up and move them if you decide you want/need to (almost like moving a sticky note). It's the lightest version, and doesn't gum your needle. My pattern is symmetrical, so there's no need to reverse them. But if you want your pattern to face the same way as pictured, generally you need to reverse them for fusible applique (like if you want the bird facing as shown and not the opposite, etc.).



I cut them out about 1/4" outside the drawn line. It doesn't have to be exact or anything. Just cut. Then I'm removing most of the interior. The centers don't need to be fused, and even though I'm using a light stabilizer, the fabric will be less stiff with the center gone. This too is cut at about 1/4" inside the line, but not exact, and where the pieces are tiny, I just leave it.



Stay tuned for the next steps.