marsye

As many as you probably know I make to sell fabric appliques and applique quilt blocks. I don't actually finish them myself, don't have the time! But everyday and sometimes several times a day I get emails wanting to know how to finish the applique (raw) edges once they apply the appliques to their fabric (or projects) or how to finish my blocks. Alot of the people that email me say they are beginners and want to learn. The only ways I know to finish them are machine satin stitch, a small zig zag stitch or by using permanent washable fabric paint. Many customers have told me they hand stitch them but I've never done that with these. Are there other ways? I am not real good at describing what I'm not a expert at. I mostly design the patterns and the customer finishes them. I was wondering if there are some of you on here that could write me a short description explaining the many techniques to finishing that I could cut and paste to my Etsy and Ebay items? I'm just talking about a short paragraph telling the many techniques that can be used to finish....but not alot of detail instructions on how to do it due to space. Am I making sense? :-) I've decided to kinda make this a contest. You can PM me or post your short description here and if I use your description I will send you a free set of my appliques. (your choice) :-)

Maride

Here I go. I attach my applique by machine. Most machines from mid way and up have what is called a blanket stitch (which I use with 40 weight thread) or double blanket stitch (I use this with 60 weight thread). I select where to start. The first thing I do is to take a few straight stitches along the edgfe of the applique and then do them on reverse. Start the blanket stitch and go around the entire piece. The tricky part is on corners (pointing out) and angles (pointing in). Learn the stitch on your machine. (For example, blanket stitch goes up, down, left, right, front, back front, left, right, etc. )When approaching the angle, do up, down, left, right, pivot, restart the stitch, go up, down, left, right, pivot, restart the stitch and go on. The stitch can also be adjusted when doing corners. I sound clear as mud, but at the end you have beautiful applique and the blanket stitch looks like done by hand.

Maria

marsye

Thanks Maride for the reply........but I'm really looking for a brief description of the techniques that can be used to finish them, not necessarily the instructions. I know I'm probably not explaining this very well. :roll:

feline fanatic

Marseye,

If many of your customers are beginners they WILL ask you for explicit instructions no matter what you put down on the sale sites.

For your websites you can simply say: "can be finished by machine with a satin stitch, small zig zag stich, blind hem (aka blind applique) stitch or blanket stitch. Can be finished by hand using blanket stitch with embroidery floss or thread or hand embroidery satin stitch"

I am sure there are loads of other ways like maybe stitching already made very thin bias tape over them giving a stained glass effect and I suppose some people could even use a straight stitch on the machine or another embroidery stitch. However, it doesn't matter what you put for your short little description you will get hammered with questions by people, especially beginners.

Moonpi

Do your appliques have fusible backing on?

marsye

Yes, they do.

Mama

When you say finish - do you mean, make it stand out? My favorite way is to use trapunto to puff the pieces up higher. (I do my applique by hand).
So here goes:
An easy way to make your applique stand out is to use the trapunto method. If you've used cotton fabric, then all you need is some yarn and a sewing-up needle. Simply thread the yarn onto the needle (use dark color yarn with dark fabrics, light color yarn with light colored fabrics). Insert the needle on the back of the inside edge of the applique area, have it emerge directly opposite at the inside edge and smoothly draw the single strand of yarn through. You will not be knotting the yarn end and so may draw it completely into the applique area. Where the needle emerges, clip the yarn even to the fabric, push any excess back down into the applique area. Use your fingernail to smooth the fabric threads back into place, removing all traces of the needle holes. Repeat as necessary until your applique area is filled. Apply backing and batting after the trapunto is completed.

butterflywing

here's one that i personally don't like, but some might like it for a small child's quilt or accessories.

you can iron it on, then finish the edges, covering them up, with that oozey puffy paint that creates a line of color. it's very washable.

i saw it done on very expensive kid's clothes and thought 'how easy is that?'.
it would be trendy on infant diaper carriers, etc.