I've heard Nancy Chong from Pacific Rim Quilt Company speak, and she claims there is no such thing as reverse applique. You're still turning under some fabric and stitching it down, so it's just applique. The only "difference" is that the primary design element is on the bottom instead of the top. I guess the term 'reverse applique' is her pet peeve.
Regardless, I don't do a lot of needle turn, but I have found that some fabrics turn under more smoothly than others. White on white, for instance, doesn't turn nicely because of the thicker areas. Batiks don't ravel, but I've found that some of them are not as soft and easy to turn as others. My friend who does do a lot of needle turn often remarks on what a nice hand some fabrics have, so I think you will learn to tell by feel whether a fabric will work well for applique.