HELP! Applique
10-18-2011, 09:26 AM
#3
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
Originally Posted by DebbieL
I am trying to teach myself applique and am having trouble with puckering. Is there magical settings to use? tension, etc.?
Very frustrating.
Very frustrating.
10-18-2011, 09:32 AM
#4
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Location: Western Wisconsin
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If it's machine applique, the most common cause of puckering is not stabilizing the background fabric.
Most people use some form of stabilizer underneath. I prefer to heavily starch background fabric with a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water. I "paint" this onto the fabric with a large wall painting brush, toss the yardage in the dryer, then iron with steam. The fabric becomes fairly stiff and very stable. I cut out the background square larger than finished size in case there is any distortion from the applique, then trim to correct size afterwards.
Basically what happens when the background is not stabilized is that the background fabric tends to get stretched on the bias so that, by the time you get around to where you started, there is a little more background fabric than applique. That creates a pucker.
I should add that I do machine freezer paper applique, not fusible applique. I'm not sure if fusible will stick to starched background fabric; would have to test it first to make sure.
Most people use some form of stabilizer underneath. I prefer to heavily starch background fabric with a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water. I "paint" this onto the fabric with a large wall painting brush, toss the yardage in the dryer, then iron with steam. The fabric becomes fairly stiff and very stable. I cut out the background square larger than finished size in case there is any distortion from the applique, then trim to correct size afterwards.
Basically what happens when the background is not stabilized is that the background fabric tends to get stretched on the bias so that, by the time you get around to where you started, there is a little more background fabric than applique. That creates a pucker.
I should add that I do machine freezer paper applique, not fusible applique. I'm not sure if fusible will stick to starched background fabric; would have to test it first to make sure.
10-18-2011, 09:42 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by Prism99
Basically what happens when the background is not stabilized is that the background fabric tends to get stretched on the bias so that, by the time you get around to where you started, there is a little more background fabric than applique. That creates a pucker.
10-18-2011, 09:44 AM
#6
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Michigan
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Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by DebbieL
I am trying to teach myself applique and am having trouble with puckering. Is there magical settings to use? tension, etc.?
Very frustrating.
Very frustrating.
10-18-2011, 09:48 AM
#7
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 141
Thank You. I was kinda wondering if that could be the problem.
Originally Posted by Prism99
If it's machine applique, the most common cause of puckering is not stabilizing the background fabric.
Most people use some form of stabilizer underneath. I prefer to heavily starch background fabric with a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water. I "paint" this onto the fabric with a large wall painting brush, toss the yardage in the dryer, then iron with steam. The fabric becomes fairly stiff and very stable. I cut out the background square larger than finished size in case there is any distortion from the applique, then trim to correct size afterwards.
Basically what happens when the background is not stabilized is that the background fabric tends to get stretched on the bias so that, by the time you get around to where you started, there is a little more background fabric than applique. That creates a pucker.
I should add that I do machine freezer paper applique, not fusible applique. I'm not sure if fusible will stick to starched background fabric; would have to test it first to make sure.
Most people use some form of stabilizer underneath. I prefer to heavily starch background fabric with a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water. I "paint" this onto the fabric with a large wall painting brush, toss the yardage in the dryer, then iron with steam. The fabric becomes fairly stiff and very stable. I cut out the background square larger than finished size in case there is any distortion from the applique, then trim to correct size afterwards.
Basically what happens when the background is not stabilized is that the background fabric tends to get stretched on the bias so that, by the time you get around to where you started, there is a little more background fabric than applique. That creates a pucker.
I should add that I do machine freezer paper applique, not fusible applique. I'm not sure if fusible will stick to starched background fabric; would have to test it first to make sure.
10-18-2011, 09:49 AM
#8
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
Originally Posted by DebbieL
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by DebbieL
I am trying to teach myself applique and am having trouble with puckering. Is there magical settings to use? tension, etc.?
Very frustrating.
Very frustrating.
10-18-2011, 09:58 AM
#9
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 141
Thank You! I will try that. The way you described the puckering is exactly what is happening.
What kind of applique? Details, details!!
I am using Heat n Bond lite iron on adhesive. cotton fabrics. zig-zag stitch.
You may need to set your tension a little lower. What happens with fusible is the stitching pulls the background fabric up to the edge of the applique if it's fairly stiff. Do a test piece and see if it will iron flat when you're done.
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by DebbieL
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by DebbieL
I am trying to teach myself applique and am having trouble with puckering. Is there magical settings to use? tension, etc.?
Very frustrating.
Very frustrating.
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