PQ,
I recently took an applique refresher. Here's how she explanined it to me so I would remember. Keeping in mind this is a narrow applique stitch.
Here's what she said, "Knock it down and kick it up two".
In English that means; take both your length and width down as far as they will go, then move each of them up 2 times. So if you have a button, press it 2x's.
Make sence?????