Donnamarie

I love applique and do it all by hand and never used a hoop with applique. I don't think it would allow you to hold the fabric correctly to be able to applique. I don't like the flat look of machine applique, its not for me. I have tried all applique methods but what works best for me is to trace around your applique piece. There are a few good white mechanical pencils available which are great for tracing, they make a good thin line to work with. I baste the applique piece to the background fabric. By doing this, you do not have to work around pins or freezer paper curling off. I also always applique using a flat toothpick. I keep in my mouth and use it to turn the fabric under. By it being wet, it makes it easier to grab the fabric and turn it under. I find it much easier than using a needle. Good luck!