I generally just use the freezer paper, apply some starch with a little paint brush to the edges, then iron the edges in around the paper. You are all right, though, it does pay to take the time do prepare the pieces prior to sewing them down. It makes all the difference in the world.

I think if you have to turn the pieces like you are saying Alex Anderson does...I may just stick with either my method, or back basting. I think trying to turn these small pieces will be difficult.

I have used "used" dryer sheets and spray starch for fusibles, the Eleanor Burns way. I ran out of fusible web once, and decided to use something rather like it, so I boiled a few dryer sheets then rinsed them well, ironed them dry and sewed them to the right side of the fabric piece, made a little slit in the back side turned them inside out and sprayed them. Ironed that dry and they worked just as well except that had to pin them in the right place.No frayed edges there. I don't know if they fray in the wash my way of doing fusibles, I have never done a bed quilt, just wall hangings. I don't used a blanket stitch (takes way too long), I just stitch as close to the edge as I can...and just FYI, I discovered that using the heat and bond lite, the ink does not come off on the kleenex, it is instantly dry....(the fusible I used first worked as well, but the ink didn't absorb like the heat and bond does. Did you know that dryer sheets will take the goook off the iron? Out of the box ones, not boiled ones. They sold them in Keepsake Quilting for a while and I ordered some not realizing what they were, not sure they are still there because I called them and complained that they were about 5 selling dryer sheets for $10...they hadn't realized what was in the package.

I read recently that the dryer sheets are supposed to be very flammable. Before you actually use them (even washed and dried) why don't you do a burn test?

I have been out of town visiting my oldest daughter and missed so much. I enjoy all of you ladies so much. I like to use freezer paper for applique. I use it with the shinny side facing out and just press the turn under to it. Then I take out the freezer paper and Use some 505 spray to put it in place. This works fairly well. Or you can use two or three drops of glue, but not all the way around.

Lesley welcome back missed you.

Judy love that fabric. thank you for the tute.

Someone here posted a thread about that and I (of course!) challenged the comparison. So someone else actually did a burn test comparing different fusible and dryer sheets. They are ALL flammable and burn the same according to her findings.

Well that's good to know. Thanks Gai.

Jacquie, beautiful part of Scotland, cold though lol I moved to England when I was 19 then when I retired I moved here. Been here for 10 yrs in October. Believe it or not we don´t get the rain you all get but in the winter when it rains woweee does it lash down. We have had more than average this year as well. Nice to meet you.

Elle

You don't know how much I missed not being here, but thanks for the welcome back - it was only a few days, but it felt as if I had had my right arm amputated!

Good job I hadn't though - yes, I did keep sewing, I have been bewitched and can't stop making them. I am still taking pics as I go along, so when we get to the relevant week in the schedule, I can post them for you all to see how I did them - I have just finished my 8th block (sorry ladies), so I have the top two rows of the centre section done now.

It's been really interesting to read all the discussions of various alternative ways of tackling these babies. I have seen programmes of Eleanor Burns making circles and simple shapes by sewing a lightweight iron on vilene on the right side, then turning inside out, and it worked very well. I thing using this method on small leaf shapes might be fiddly, but still possible - but I'm not sure about the scroll shapes (I have just finished block 17). There is a good example of the scroll shapes on the front cover of the book. The yellow ones have their tails tucked under a leaf shape, but the others arrive at a fairly fine point - could you turn that inside out? Not sure.

I'm still not sold that you could do all parts of these smaller patterns by the turn inside out method. It may just be that we'll need to use several different methods on each block to make them easy to do and to end up with the pretty points that we all want. That is unless you are doing straight needle turn...something to think about for sure!

Lesely...8 blocks :shock:..maybe I should loose my internet! Oh NO...bite my tongue!