Originally Posted by bailey
Thanks ladies. If you machine applique your quilts do you use fusible interfacing to apply your pieces and if you do does it stiffen your quilt too much. I am just thinking if you are doing a fair amount of applique on the quilt does it still drape nicely?
amma I love your flower! You are not using a satin stitch - so I was just worried that the raw edge would fray?
I prefer machine applique, but I usually use the Harriet Hargrave method of invisible machine applique that uses freezer paper and turned edges. There is no fusible involved.
What I found personally is that satin stitching takes considerable time, especially for small shapes that require frequent adjustment of the fabric and needle.
For me, it is at least as fast to use freezer paper and do invisible turned edge machine applique. Instead of the glue stick that most people use, I found it is much faster to smear paper paste (the kind from kindergarten that smells like peppermint) on the edges with my finger. To remove the freezer paper, I cut out the background fabric from behind the appliques; the freezer paper makes it pretty easy to do this, as it protects the applique fabric from the point of my scissors. I usually just pinch a piece of the background fabric and cut a hole, then cut all around the shape. Once everything is cut out, I spray all the applique edges with water until they are saturated, let everything sit for 10 minutes or so, then remove the freezer paper. By that time the paste has softened and it's very easy to do.
I do occasionally use fusible. My favorite so far has been Steam-a-Seam. I don't know if they still make the one-sided version; for me, this was softer than the more common two-sided version of SAS. They now have a lighter weight SAS that may also be quite soft. I was not happy with the stiffness of Wonder-Under and other fusibles I tried. I found that the SAS -- both the one-sided and two-sided -- frayed less than others too.
If you want to do fusible applique, I recommend picking up 3 or 4 different brands and making sample blocks to run through the washing machine and dryer with your regular loads. You will find out that way whether any stiffness or fraying problems are going to put you off.
I prefer satin stitch if I am using a fusible. That way I'm sure fraying will not be a problem with repeated washings. The next time I use a fusible, I want to try the new one that is out -- MistyFuse. It is supposed to be really soft and lightweight. It's relatively expensive, though, and I don't know how the edges hold up; I would think it is best to satin stitch it.
(Sorry this post got so rambly. I should edit it, but don't have time.)