I just went to Susan Cranshaw's workshop yesterday on applique. You can see some of her designs at
http://www.alderwoodquilts.com/shopp...ranshawDesigns.
It was SO amazing! She does raw edge applique too, but she showed us some tricks with the Steam a Seam 2 so that it doesn't make the quilt too stiff or get too much gunk on the needle. And she is a master thread painter and she showed us some of those techniques too.
Of course, I bought 3 of her patterns and am now dying to get my other projects done so I can do them!