Originally Posted by
ghostrider
As far as I know (according to the art quilt network), there are very few battings that will not wind up looking very puckery if fabric is fused directly to them...whether the fusible is first put on the fabric or the batting doesn't matter, the batting surface is not smooth enough and/or the heat needed for fusing is too high. For a good result, I would do as DogHouseMom suggested.
After you stitch the applique to the background fabric press the applique with LOTS of steam. It removes the fusible stuff from the batting or fleece therefore eliminating puckers. You don't need really high heat to use the steam function on your iron.