PenniF

I've done lots of applique - but have never removed the underside fabric. Now i have a project that has black background fabric - and one of the appliques is yellow - so i really need to remove the fabric underneath to make it look right.

I know lots of people always remove the fabric from under the applique...so for those who have done this - please share any tricks, tips, hazards, cautions.....before i get started.

Thank you !!!!!!

mrsswmohermit

Are you able to line the pieces of yellow? That would allow you to leave the background intact. Otherwise, very sharp, small scissors and carefully slit the background and trim close to your stitch line. Take your time, you don't want to snip the appliqué. You can use your needle to slip between the layers, raise the background before you snip. Hope this makes sense.

Tartan

I am assuming this is needle turn appliqué? I insert a straight pin into the background and lift it away from the appliqué. Check the front to make sure it's good and make a tiny slit in the background with my scissors. I make the slit by pinching the fabric where I have lifted it with the pin and snip. Once there is a slit for the scissors, I trim away the background leaving a 1/4 seam allowance past the needle turn seam.

ManiacQuilter2

Yes, the way Tartan described is the right way to do it. Just triple check when you make that first slit that the applique is NO WHERE NEAR the scissor tips.

QuiltnNan

i would probably line the applique. but the above advice is terrific

patchy-at-best

As above....BUT (wait for it) make the tiny slit in the background BEFORE you add your applique piece....
I know right?!?!? Lol, I had been struggling with this one step of needleturn for 15yrs. One day I was demonstrating at a show, and this very old lady told me my technique sucked. I was a bit offended and asked what she meant, and she very offhandedly told me to slit the fabric a tiny bit FIRST, just enough to get the tip of my embroidery scissors in. Boy, did I feel small lol.

nativetexan

I would rather line it because the seam of black left may still show through a bit. Good luck,