SueSew

This will be my second raw edge applique. You all helped me big-time with my first one.

I designed this one as a 12"x35" wall hanging and I think I overdid the details.

Now I am worried about how to straight stitch or if to blanket stitch with a short stitch length and width. My machine won't satin stitch properly and the zig-zag looks tacky IMHO.

I made a bunch of practice pieces and I'm trying out styles. Appreciate your ideas much![ATTACH=CONFIG]471192[/ATTACH]

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Ripped on Scotch

I would do a straight stitch. Some of the details may not stand out as much with the blanket stitch.

WTxRed

This is really cute! you could use monofilament and zigzag, use color matching thread and blanket stitch, use contrasting thread, straight stitch, lots of options. Play with it a bit and sit back and look at the various results to see what YOU like!

BETTY62

Love your work. It's beautiful

snipforfun

Use a monofiliment thread.Maybe a blanket stitch or small zig zig on the outside edges and straight stitch on inside pieces. I think I would not use a straight stitch on my projects but rather small zig zag everywhere. that will hold the edges down better and with less fraying. If you are using the monfilament you wont see it anyway.

quilt addict

I took a class with Phyllis Binkley and one of her techniques is to do a very narrow meander/serpentine back and forth across the edge with monofiliment. It almost completely disappears.

We also learned a techinque to just kind of free motion back and forth across the edge with thread that would look good on the feathers of the birds.

Tartan

Great wall hanging! You could do a small zig zag around all the pieces with mono thread if your machine can do that. If not then a buttonhole stitch with mono would work.
You could also lay sheer fabric over the whole thing and do a bit of thread painting on it if you wanted before sandwiching for quilting. You could then outline quilt your shapes without worrying that the edges would come up on the appliqué.

Geri B

Yes, use monofilament thread in a small zigzag...it is a wallhanging, no wear n tear, no washing, will last a long time

IQ2

One of my quilting buddies just covered a quilt with small white birds and she just did a small straight stitch around the edges of each bird...very close to the raw edge. She had treated the edges with a product called "Fray Check" which keeps the raw edges from unraveling. It looks beautiful. The stitching is the same color as the birds and barely shows.

LivelyLady

You did a fabulous job!