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Question from a totally green newbie. I'd like to learn to applique but I'm a bit daunted by all the different approaches. Needle turn appeals to me but the seeming ease of using fusibles looks interesting. I'm sure there are as many opinions as there are appliquers here but what method would you suggest as my first try? I haven't done much (any!) hand sewing in recent years so the instant gratification of "fuse it down and buttonhole around it" looks interesting.
Dorothy in Denver
I am no help - the only applique I have done has been with my embroidery machine. I still cut the pieces wrong......ugh!! I should try it again. :)
I would recommend the fusible method .........I guess because that is what I am most familiar with....what I have done so far is fused machine applique. Needle turn applique is very pretty.......if you do a lot of hand work give it a try. That is something I want to learn one of these days.....but haven't done mcu handwork since I was a kid. If you are undecided try a small sample of each and see which one grabs your interest the most. Good Luck!
I like to do machine applique. I don't have the patience to do the hand work of turned applique, but I admit that my grandmas did it that way and the work was beautiful. If you enjoy hand-work, try the method, otherwise, you can get some pretty nice looking applique work by machine stitching.
I usually do raw edge applique. There are so many nice iron-on products that it makes it easy. The double-sided products like featherweight Heat & Bond are easy to use. There are many brands available. Once you've set your designs on the quilt and bonded them to the fabric, the fun begins with the stitching around each motif. Just go slow and take your time. You might want to look for some tutorials on YouTube or blogs that will teach you the technique.
The really lightweight fusible makes it so easy (as long as you remember to fuse it on before you cut out the shape, yeah, that was a huge oops) and then just blanket stitch, or zig zag or some other stitch you like on your machine. Sometimes I've even used spray baste to hold a shape in place if it is a simple one.
If you are looking for simple designs to start with, google "coloring book pages" and you will get a whole bunch of free, easy pictures to work with.
I have done both needle turn and machine applique. For me it depends on the look I am after, the time I want to spend(whether I am looking for something to do while watching TV or want to be more secluded at my machine). Machine is much sturdier like for children's quilts.
I have done more needle turn but they have all been wall hangings.
My machines are all straight stitch only so I might try finishing the edges by hand with the fusible method. Thanks, y'all, for the information.
Dorothy, try all the methods and then stick to the method or methods that please you. I've tried everything over the last two decades, including various methods of machining pieces on fabric but truly enjoy needle turn by hand.
I've very new to applique, and I like the fuse method. I like a blanket stitch the best for my edge, but plan to experiment more.
As someone who has (and had) no idea how to applique, I found using basic shapes the best. Then fused each shape, one at a time, on the quilt to zig zag around.
Here are my applique quilts-the first one I did is at the bottom and is the simple sail boat quilt.
http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/mem...ue-quilts.html
Corners were a challenge. Also finding the lightest weight fusable (I am limited on what I can buy locally). I did use 505 spray at times. I drew up the image or used a coloring book image (outline image), but maybe getting a applique pattern with simple directions would be best for the first time so you know which piece to place first.
Instead of a pattern, I just decided what I wanted and jumped in. Sometimes its better not to know what you are getting yourself into because you might not try it.
I say, GO for it! Have fun and have a good seam ripper handy.
Love RiverMomms appliques! She inspired us all to applique on jelly roll race quilts! Fusible would be the only way for me, i tried it on one of my JRR quilts.
I just finished an applique quilt for my dgt. I researched every technique and because I am basically impatient and a little lazy I decided to do the "easy" way. I used feathweight fusible and the zig-zag stitch on my machine. Worked out great. I liked the featherweight because it does the job and the applique doesn't feel stiff like some of the fusibles
RiverMomm those are adorable. I have been thinking I want to do a jelly roll race to get practice piecing. That simple pattern with the appliques just jumps out at me. Thank you so much!
River mom, I love your appliqués !! They are so darling I am inspired to try it myself.
I've never done much appliqué, but I think I'll try it agin
Thanks
Needle turn worked very well for me when I first started quilting. Now that it's been years since I did any hand work, it's not so easy anymore. If you prefer the look of needle turned, give one piece a try to see how you like it. :) That first piece would be easy to rip out and fuse on if you don't like how it turns out.
I think you should pick some small projects and try out a different method on each project to determine what YOU like to do best. There are many methods to choose from, and all kinds of free tutorials and how-tos on the web.
The only applique I do is with my embroidery machine. My fingers are so full of arthritis that theres no way I could sew it by hand. I love doing "In The Hoop Applique".
I just looked at your applique quilts and they are beautiful! I love the same one that you cat does, the one with the Turtle.Quote:
Originally Posted by RiverMomm
I took a class in machine applique and liked it. The instructor's method was to create the shapes as if you were doing needle turn, but then sew it down with a blind hem stitch and invisible thread. I thought it was fun to do and pretty easy once you learned all the techniques. Find a design and try it in each method and see what works best for you.
RiverMomm your quilts are nice! I'm not a fan of JRR, but the applique changes everything. They look great!
Years ago, everything I sewed practically had applique on it! I loved applique. I'd buy (this was before internet days so we had to buy!) coloring books and use the pages as patterns. I always just cut fabric slightly bigger than the pattern piece, pressed iron on interfacing to the back of the fabric piece, then pinned the pattern to the fabric and cut it out, and then pinned to the project and zig zagged around it....adjusting the width and length of the zigzag to accomodate the pattern. Very easy and applique is the best ever way to enhance something!
I see now that they have this interfacing with a backing on it and you peel the back off the interface and press to the fabric...and dont even have to sew it down. I have also seen Eleanor Burns version..where she sews a thin interfeacing to the right side of the pattern, then turns it inside out, giving it a totally finished edge and then either sews it down completely or sew it just in the middle and leaves the edges loose for a 3-D fussy cut decoration. I look forward to trying that one of these days.
RiverMomm -
You have inspired me to try and applique. I had just watched several youtube videos this weekend about how to do it, but now that I see your finished projects, I am totally buying in to trying it. I just made a JRR baby quilt top. I haven't gotten around to finishing it because I felt that something was just missing so was playing around with ideas for the border. But now I think I have the solution - applique! Thanks for sharing and giving us "newbies" ideas.
Y'all have given me some great ideas. I had already decided to just do some little swatches with different methods. Now I just have to put together a shopping list (poor me LOLOL) to get started. Funny story: I've done handwork for years and have a couple of antique hump back trunks with fabrics and fibers. However, when I wanted to test the stitching on one of the vintage machines I restored, I had to sacrifice an old pillowcase to get "normal" fabric on which to sew. My trunks are filled with linens, canvases and fabrics for counted thread techniques. Not a piece of plain old cotton in the whole mess!
Ok here is a question to all of you that machine appliqué. If you want to do a white bunny on a primarily pink background, do you have a problem with color showing under the white fabric or does the lightweight fusible help with that?
The lightweight applique fusible may not hide the background color from showing through a white fabric. For a white bunny, I would interface the fabric first with a lightweight fusible interfacing, then fuse that piece to your applique product and cut out your design. The layer of interfacing should help with the see-through problem. I am referring to raw-edge machine applique motifs.Quote:
Originally Posted by KerryA