I cut a dress from a pattern I draw myself and I baste (hem it)the edge of the dress under. I do the same with the hat and the pocket and the boot.
I sew the pocket onto the dress baste the boot onto the bottom of the dress and baste the hat onto the dress so I get the right angle. Then I lay the whole Sue on the fabric and sew the Sue on with my machine.
I clip and pull out the basting thread when I am done. A pain to do but easier than sewing the applique turn under method for me.
It is not hard. I baste with a running stitch with a needle and thread by hand. Start at the top of one side of the dress and turn the edge under and take a running (basting not a whip)stitch with your needle but make sure you have a decent tail so you don't lose your thread in the baste. It can get pulled out accidently.
Your thread should run through the fabric as if you were going to gather it. But you don't gather it. It holds the fabric in place til you sew it down.
I did this quilt with hand stitching but now I sew the Sue on the fabric with the sewing machine. I still do the running stitch by hand.