PenniF

Hi Ladies....i am starting to stitch my under the sea applique pieces and having a bit of trouble with the batiks. Have any of you found that it is harder to hide your stitches with batiks than with regular cottons?...or am i just messing up??

Tartan

Batiks are harder to needle turn appliqué because the edges are more difficult to fold under. Since they are harder to fold under, the thread is a little more noticeable at the edge. If you can find matching silk thread and needle, it will be less noticeable.
However, batiks are wonderful for raw edges appliqué because the tight weave makes them less likely to fray.

grammy Dwynn

I am just finishing up my 4th, Pacific Rim '2 fabric applique' (avatar was #1). All are in batiks, love using batiks for applique. I 'think' my stitches a hidden, but I also take VERY small stitches.

How small/large are your stitches?

Pictures say a thousands words... do you have one you could share? Then 'we' might be able to 'understand' better.

dunster

Also, there are batiks and then there are batiks. Some are very smooth and easy to needle, and others are stiffer, harder to fold and needle.

Peckish

You are not messing up. Dunster is right - some batiks are stiffer and harder to handle than others.

A finer thread might help. I've used silk with success, but if you have a lot of different colors to match, I highly recommend getting one of those doughnut bobbin assortments of Bottom Line thread. It's fine (60 wt) and very strong, and much cheaper to buy than 10 spools of silk.

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AnnieSue

Using silk thread, and taking tiny, tiny stitches is the only way I am at all happy with batik applique. Have you considered the Don't sew it until you Quilt it method? That's my next plan.

ckcowl

What a Great Idea! I've been using silk thread for a long time- but do not have all of those colors= I
am going to have to go check one of those out!

PenniF

Thank you all so much...i am definitely going to check out the bobbin assortment idea as this is a very diversely colored project and i could use the colors for sure.
I THINK i figured out my problem - on the part i'm doing now i did freezer paper / starch to prepare the pieces. The batiks reacted differently with the starch than with regular cotton - the edges are MUCH stiffer - and so the threads don't seem to "bury" themselves like they normally do. I dampened and re-pressed them which seems to have removed some of the starch - and the process is going much better.
Again THANK YOU ALL for your suggestions / tips !!

AliKat

I don't do needle turn anymore because of my hands. When last I did I ironed the edges under first so I didn't have to really do a needle turning. Cheating maybe, but the only way I could find to do it at the time.

okie2tx

uh oh -- I didn't realize ironing under the edges was cheating. It sure is easier to get a smooth edge. And a lot more fun! (Your motto says it all!)