Hi to All:

I am doing an applique and after I quilted around the applique and some quilting further out on the square it began to look distorted. It's only about 24" x 24". I didn't use an embroidery hoop to start with, but I have undone the quilting stitches to start over. Will a 6" or 8" hoop solve all this. I basted with safety pins about every 4" or 5". Didn't seem to do any good. I would appreciate any advice. Thanks

good luck, i have not done any so I would not know.

Are you talking about the quilting process??? I can't help you there...applique - I have some experience.

oh, i've never had that happen. sorry, i don't have an answer.

I read somewhere that you should cut your block slightly larger than the required size due to the fact that applique may warp it or change the size of it. Once the applique is done, you trim the block to square it.

I don't speak from personal experience b/c I haven't done much applique...yet

I mean that the outer edges are drawn up towards the middle, mostly along the lower edge and one side edge. It's no longer even around the edges.

well, I added border strips before I quilted it so, maybe that's where I went wrong. Thanks for the advice.

Did this occur when you did the sewing of the applique to the block? If it did...I have found that putting some tear away, tissue or my current favorite coffee filters on the underside while sewing keeps it flatter. Then you can tear them off when done.

Did you use any kind of stabilizer when you appliqued? It truly makes all the difference in the world!! Can you post a picture?

It is always advisable to cut your squares about an inch larger than the final square size, that allows for any draw-up that you might have while quilting. If you are pulling your quilting stitches too tight that will cause a distortion. Also, make sure that your square is cut as near as possible to the on-grain directions. If the backgound is cut on the bias it will distort in one direction more than the other. Also, start your quilting in the center of the piece and work out all around. I do not use a hoop, but do lap quilting and I pin baste about every three or four inches and sometimes I thread baste, starting from the center and going out to the corners than filling in with basting threads between the "spokes". Good luck.