hi ya all....i have been doing a lot of applique table runners lately, and no matter how much i practice, or how many i do, i have alot of trouble with satin stiching letters, and inner, outer curves....does someone have a secret tip, the name of a book, or tutorial that shows how to do these letters so they look smooth and nice? mine look so bumpy and not straight!!!...any help would be appreciated....thanks gina

I think it's more practice than anything but then again sometimes mine are a little wonky too.

If the appliques are not fused, you may need a stabilizer behind your stitches :D:D:D

Are you getting tunnels in your satin stitch? If so, you need to stabilize the background fabric. I heavily starch my background fabric so I do not need to add a stabilizer underneath.

Harriet Hargrave's books are really good, and I believe she does explain satin stitching techniques. You may even be able to find some of her book online.

Are you using an applique foot? Mine has a little groove on the bottom to allow the satin stitch you have already done to move freely under the foot. It has an extra wide open toe to help see where I am going.


http://www.myhappycrazylife.com/how-to-applique/

http://laquiltworks.bizland.com/my_tips.htm

You also have to stop lots and raise the presser foot and turn you work just a tiny amount. Stop with the needle down so the fabric can't move. When I've appliqued I've stopped every few stitches.
I still need lots of practice, but I found that's what seems to work best for me :)

When I used to applique childrens' clothes back in the days before Stitch Witchery and fusibles, I just put a sheet of tissue paper on the back of the item and appliqued my little lambs, big giraffes or whatever. Worked well. For larger letters, I'd use a fusible to keep the letter in place and a stabilizer like the tissue paper or a real purchased brand under the base fabric.

thanks so much for all your info.....it is really useful to me.....one more quick (is there such a thing in quilting!!) question...what is the difference in fusable, and stabilizer...i do fuse all my appliques to the fabric before i start to satin stitch....i even sometimes use the satin stitch as the quilting process, so there are three layers: top batting bottom.......thanks again for all your help...this is the most friendly board!!!!! gina

The stablizer goes on the back of your background piece and will be torn away after you are finished stitching. I have used waxed paper, sometimes I use coffee filters.

Fusing is done to secure the piece you are appliqueing to the background and is usually not removed. It depends on what you are stitching as to what order you fuse your appliques to the background. Sometimes I have fused several pieces together to make one applique piece using an applique sheet. It all depends on what you are making.

I have never used the satin stitch to quilt with so I can't advise you on that.

I think it would be very difficult to quilt with a satin stitch while doing applique and have the finished product look nice. You likely find it much easier to do the applique with satin stitch, then do the quilting separately with a straight stitch about 1/4-inch outside the outer applique.