Here I go. I attach my applique by machine. Most machines from mid way and up have what is called a blanket stitch (which I use with 40 weight thread) or double blanket stitch (I use this with 60 weight thread). I select where to start. The first thing I do is to take a few straight stitches along the edgfe of the applique and then do them on reverse. Start the blanket stitch and go around the entire piece. The tricky part is on corners (pointing out) and angles (pointing in). Learn the stitch on your machine. (For example, blanket stitch goes up, down, left, right, front, back front, left, right, etc. )When approaching the angle, do up, down, left, right, pivot, restart the stitch, go up, down, left, right, pivot, restart the stitch and go on. The stitch can also be adjusted when doing corners. I sound clear as mud, but at the end you have beautiful applique and the blanket stitch looks like done by hand.
Maria