I want to start appliqueing and have been reading so much on it. I'm on a tight budget and was wondering what I truely needed to get started. I'm sure most of you all have the bugs all worked out of it and can tell me the easiest way. I seen a lot done with the funky chicken swap and I am very interested in it. So what are all the supplie I need to purchase?

A great question! Am looking forward to some answers here.

I use Wonder Under, fabric, pattern. Wonder Under is around $1.25/yard.

I've found freezer paper and a nice thin applique needle are great. If you can swing it, a neutral silk thread makes the stitches almost disappear. This is for hand applique. I'm just learning how to do this, too.

I'm taking a class next month on machine applique. Have heard wonder under is great.

What type of applique are you interested in? I do mostly needleturn and very little is needed for that. That's probably I like it sooo much.

Supplies: Applique needles (I use John James), fabric, thread, paper (to make template to trace around), and pencil.

I machine applique and use Wunder Under ( Make sure it is the lite and sewable ) , thread , pattern ( which I use Google, coloring pages to get lots of them )

A huge supply of patience!!

there are a number of different (types) of applique and the different techniques require different tools/supplies. the easiest (least expensive) would be needle turn hand applique, which you simply need back ground fabric, applique fabrics, some sort of paper (freezer is often used but newsprint works) for making templates, needle and thread.
fusable applique you need some sort of fusable material. machine applique can use any number of different time saving tools. some easy to make yourself, some pricey, some in-expensive

For my favorite method of hand applique I use thin cardboard (old cereal box weight), Cheep brush like the ones you get with childrens watercolor sets, Starch, an iron, and a needle and thread. Cut the cardboard into the exact shapes I need, cut the fabric a little bigger ( aprox 1/4 inch). Spray a little starch into a small container. Use the brush to heavily starch just the edges of the fabric, lay the cardboard on the fabric, and carefully turn the edges of fabric over the cardboard a little at a time and iron dry. Pull out the cardboard and stitch into place. Curved edges turn smoothly because they are wet when you start to turn and press, points are crisp and there is nothing adding thickness when you begin to sew.