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2002 Calendar Block of the Month
from the AOL Quilting Community
APPLIQUÉ GUIDELINES
There are 4 common techniques for appliqué and the BOM designs can be done with any of these methods. Here is a brief description of each one.
FUSED – uses a fusible web to bond the appliqué to the background fabric. The edges are then usually finished with a blanket stitch, zigzag stitch or even fabric paint. This method started with T-shirts and sweatshirts and migrated over to the quilt world. This is probably the easiest of all methods.
NEEDLE TURN – a hand technique done by turning a bit of the edge under as you sew along the edge to attach the appliqué to the background fabric – usually turning about ½ - ¾ inch at a time. This technique is used to create the wonderful Hawaiian quilts.
FREEZER PAPER – uses a freezer paper template the size of the appliqué, which is ironed to the back of the fabric. The fabric edge is then pressed over the paper edge before sewing it to the background. The background fabric can be cut to remove the paper after sewing. This method is sometimes referred to as foundation piecing or foundation appliqué.
MADEIRA – uses a point d’paris stitch to attach the appliqué piece to the background fabric. This method is commonly used to finish hems and collars of children’s clothing and the hems of tablecloths, but it may be used to many other purposes too.
You can mix these methods to create a unique design. For example, try some madeira appliqué for larger pieces or where you want a delicate edge. Add some freezer paper pieces for those pieces that are too small to turn inside out. Then fuse or needle turn the very smallest pieces. Read through the descriptions and see which method suits your needs and level of confidence.
Regardless of the method you choose, use a sharp needle and medium weight thread. If you are using lawn, heirloom lace, netting, batiste or other light weight fabrics, use a very light weight thread. Under no circumstances should your thread be stronger than your fabric. If there is stress on the seam, you want the thread to break rather than tearing your fabric. Repairing ripped fabric can be impossible. So save that quilting thread for the actual quilting!
SOME Fused Appliqué SECRETS
There are lots of brands of fusible on the market today. A lightweight one is usually best for appliqué because it does not make the piece feel stiff. Using it is very easy –
- Cut out your pattern pieces and trace them face down on the back of the fusible.
- Press the fusible to the BACK side of the fabric. Follow your fusible directions for this step – each one is a bit different. Just make sure it’s fused tightly. It gets very hot, so let it cool before you touch it.
- Cut the piece out and arrange the pieces on the background fabric.
- Starting with the pieces on the bottom of the design, tear the paper off the back and press the pieces to the background.
- Sew around the edge of each piece to hold it through washings.
If you are cutting large pieces, draw the outer edge of your pattern piece, then cut out the middle leaving ¼ - ½ inch around the edge. Iron this to your fabric. By removing most of the fusible, you will have less stiffness at the fused area – especially important if you are ‘stacking’ pieces in your design. The more layers you have, the more difficult it is to sew it evenly.
Use some kind of light weight stabilizer for your sewing. Stitch N Ditch is a good acid free paper that will tear away easily and does not dull your needles like some other papers will. It’s much better than using adding machine tape and other papers not made for sewing. Aqua Magic is a wonderful wash away that provides a good sewing surface and washes away almost instantly. Heavier tear aways may rip your stitches out. Romeo and Juliet are very heavy wash aways that are expensive and take much longer to wash out.
Try some different stitches for this – the zigzag and blanket stitches are common but you might like other built-in machine stitches for yours. Something with a smooth edge might take a different stitch from something that is more oddly shaped. For example, try a zigzag for a tree trunk and a leaf stitch for the leafy areas.
One warning – your needle may collect the sticky gunk from the fusible – watch it closely and clean or change needles as needed.
SOME Needle Turn Appliqué SECRETS
Needle Turn appliqué is a hand sewing technique.
- Cut your appliqué pieces using a ¼ inch seam allowance.
- Pin or baste the pieces to the background fabric. Baste with fairly small running stitches just over 1/2 inch from the edge to allow you room to turn the edge under.
- Sew them down using a hem stitch with a sharp needle and a single medium weight thread that matches your appliqué. Turn the edge under about ½ - ¾ inches at a time and hold the edge with your thumb as you sew. To do the hem stitch, take about 1/8 – 3/16 inch stitch in the background fabric, then a very tiny stitch in the appliqué. Go back down through the background fabric right at the point where you came out of the appliqué. The stitches should be just about invisible.
- At outer corners, turn the point under, and then turn the approaching edge under. Sew to the corner taking an extra turning stitch, then turn the next edge under and keep stitching.
- At inner corners, clip the seam allowance as necessary to make the corner lay flat. The clip should be perpendicular to the sewing line. Take an extra turning stitch here too, so that you release some of the stress on the clipped spot.
SOME Freezer Paper Appliqué SECRETS
This method is similar to the fusible method. It’s usually sewn down with machine stitches but can be hand sewn too. The technique applies to making the appliqué piece rather than construction.
- Draw your appliqué pieces to the paper side of your freezer paper and cut out the templates.
- Iron the freezer paper – waxy side down – to the wrong side of your fabric.
- Cut out the pieces leaving ¼ inch seam allowance around all the paper edges.
- Iron the seam allowance over the paper edges.
- Sew the pieces to your background fabric using either machine stitches or hand sewing. Use a fairly narrow stitch for this.
- When done, snip a small area in the back of the background fabric and pull out the paper. If your seam was too wide, this step will be more difficult.
SOME Madeira Appliqué SECRETS
Madeira appliqué is commonly used for hems and decorative borders on collars. You will usually find it on children’s clothing and household linens – the border is usually a different color from the rest of the item. It is always sewn with a point d’paris stitch and a 110, 120 or wing needle. The stitch is made by sewing forward, back, forward, over to one side and back to the other side to the original line. The back and forth motion will leave a decorative pulled hole in the fabric. It is only effective with natural fabrics – cottons and linens are best.
You sew on the background fabric using the side to side stitch to catch just the very edge of the Madeira piece. The thread traditionally matched the madeira so the stitch into the appliqué would not show, but feel free to use contrasting threads for a more decorative look. I always mirror image the stitch on my machine because I like the side to side stitches to go right to left with the appliqué on the left, but use the one that you feel comfy with.
This stitch is on all top of the line sewing machines and many other models now. I will not list all the models here, but will be happy to find the stitch on your machine if you let me know the make and model. On the Pfaff 7570, it is stitch 112. On the Viking Designer 1, it has been D6, but the latest upgrade has a new one at D46. On the Bernina 180, I believe it is stitch 330.
To create the Madeira piece you can use the freezer paper method. There is also a new method using wash away thread. Although it was developed for heirloom sewing, it can also be used for quilting appliqués. Here is that method. It changes slightly if the design is not even on both sides (such as a heart design), so the method is described for both types of designs.
If you are using a mirror imaged design -
1. Fold the design in half and fold your fabric in half right sides together. Draw half of the design on the folded fabric with the middle on the design on the fold using a pen that you can wash out. You do NOT need to draw the other half!
2. Sew around the edge using wash away thread in either the top or the bobbin leaving an area for turning. Some machines like the thread in only the bobbin – some do very nicely with it in the top.
3. Cut out the piece leaving a ¼ seam allowance. Clip the corners if necessary.
4. Turn the piece inside out and finger press the edges trying to keep the seam allowance flat.
5. Press the piece very well but avoid the fold since you don’t want to have to press that crease back out.
6. Lay the piece on the ironing board and spray the piece with water and press it dry still avoiding the actual fold. Do not handle it more than necessary during this step.
7. The two sides should just fall apart – the wash away thread should dissolve to make this easy. If it does not, spray and press it again. You should have an appliqué piece with perfectly folded ¼ inch seams.
8. Press the piece again if necessary and lay it on the background fabric.
9. Sew the edges down.
If your design is not a mirror image, you can make 2 of the same piece -
1. Draw around your entire pattern piece on one piece of fabric.
2. Lay 2 pieces of fabric right sides together.
3. Sew around the outer edge leaving a place for turning.
4. Cut around the whole piece, leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance and clip corners as necessary.
5. Turn the piece inside out and finger press the edges trying to keep the seam allowance flat.
6. Press the piece very well.
7. Lay the piece on the ironing board and spray the piece with water and press it dry still avoiding the actual fold. Do not handle it more than necessary during this step.
8. The two pieces should just fall apart – the wash away thread should dissolve to make this easy. If it does not, spray and press it again. You should have 2 appliqué pieces with perfectly folded ¼ inch seams.
9. Press the pieces again if necessary and lay them on the background fabric.
10. Sew the edges down.
If your design is not a mirror image, you can also use a washaway stabilizer -
1. Draw around your entire pattern piece on one piece of fabric.
2. Lay the piece of fabric right side down on the stabilizer.
3. Sew around the outer edge leaving a place for turning.
4. Cut around the whole piece, leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance and clip corners as necessary.
5. Snip a small opening in the back of the stabilizer and turn the piece inside out and finger press the edges trying to keep the seam allowance flat.
6. Press the piece very well.
7. Lay the on the background fabric.
8. Sew the edges down.
To store wash away thread or stabilizer, put it in an airtight container and drop in some of those packages of silica that you get in shoe boxes. A pill bottle is great for the thread – a zip lock type of bag works for water soluble stabilizer.
Mark the bobbin that has water soluble thread so that you do not use it by accident for other projects and make sure you remove it as soon as you sew the seam! You definitely do not want to sew regular seams with it!
I hope you try all 4 methods and find the one or more that suits you! If you have questions, please contact me at SeasideStitching@aol.com Good luck!!
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