Hello quilters
Just wondering if I can fuse dinosaurs to a quilt (I'm making a boy and girl quilt for my baby which will be born in December). If I use the fusing (Heat N Bond or other) do I HAVE to stitch around the edges? I'm really no good at using my machine on anything but a straight line (even with a quilting foot), so I would have to hand stitch the dinos- which isnt' that big of a deal except that I want to get 2 quilts done! ANy suggestions or tips?

Thanks,

Kim

PS here is a link of the dinos I want to fuse onto quilt patches and make into a rag quilt.
http://www.blockcrazy.com/dinosaurappliqueblocks.htm

My experience so far with fusibles is that you have to stitch around the edge even if you use a heavier one. I use Heat-n-Bond Lite so that it's not so stiff and I just do a satin stitch around with my machine, or do a blanket stitch by hand. I picked up and used my regular Heat-n-Bond once and I'll never make that mistake again!! It was so stiff and sticky that it gummed up my needle, so I had to do it by hand which nearly ruined my fingers. It's sooo stiff and sticky. But even at that, I could see that it was starting to lift off the fabric in places and would never have withstood washing. Since you're making baby quilts that will get washed a lot, I'd just go ahead and do some kind of stitch around. You could do a primitive applique which is simply a straight stitch (by hand or machine) about 1/8" from the inside edge of the applque. It ravels a bit, but it can be charming.

I just now looked at your link and realized that you said you'll be making this dinosaur one into a rag quilt. In that case it would be just FINE to do a primitive applique and let it rag around the edges of the dinos. Perfect!! :)

In my experience with working with fusable, I do not think that they would hold up to the washing involved with a baby's quilt.
Have you tried using a foot with the guide on the side, you run it right next to the edge of the applique and you could evenly top stitch around it. It would also give you a cute design on the back of your quilt if you topstitch after you have completed your quilt.

Good idea amma. That really would be cute.

Yes top stitching is necessary. Just take it slow and easy and use a simple stright stitch. The fusing will hold but with baby stuff, you would want to do top stitching as well. Line ethe middle of the presser foot just to the inside edge of your desing and stitch right at the edge of each piece. BAck stitch one or two stitches when starting to anchor your stitching and then go all around each piece. Its not that hard. If it is necessary to turn the piece, leave the needle in the down position and lift the presser foot and turn until your needle will fall back on the applique. Just continue to stitch and turn until you have gone all the way around. AT that point take a few more stitches backwards before cutting the thread and everything should be secure.

The only alternative is to do needle turned applique, by hand, turning under the raw edge as you go. Top stitching by hand through heat n bond is not easy and a royal pain in my opinion.

Good luck and let us see pictures when you are done! :-)