Sync

I have a few of Kay's patterns. In fact, I'm planning on doing a teapot and cups wall hanging from one of her designs.

Passthepasta

I just started appliqué and doing the "Birds of a Feather" quilt by Blackbird Designs as my first project. I am crazy. It is Hard! But I am having fun. I am using Sharon Shamber foundation paper to turn the edges, elmers glue and tiny machine blanket stitch with invisible polyester thread. It is going pretty well but I have a really hard time at the points. The needle seems to smash in the points and sometimes the raw edge kind of squashes out a little. It's those points that will send me screaming into the night. Maybe I need more glue? Any ideas what I can do when I get to those points? thanks.

ssucf

Does anyone use a fabric cutter to cut their shapes for needle turn applique? I have been looking at the accuquilt, Sizziz and cricut. Not sure which one would be best and include the 1/4 in. seam

RGAY

Debbie in Austin, What kind of thread and what size needle are you using? I took a class from an expert on needle turn appliqué who recommended Aurofil 50 wt thread and milliners [very long and thin] size 10 or 11 needles [I use Bohin]. I have found the size of the needle and weight of the thread helps with those pesky lumps and bumps. And the longer needles are easier on my old hands. Down side to milliners is they tend to bend a little bit easier...

Another thing I am discovering about avoiding the lumps and bumps is that I have started turning only enough for the next stitch or two. I also use my needle to reposition the appliqué piece after I turn the edge and before I take the stitch. Sounds cumbersome but now that I am in the habit, it just happens naturally.

Also, I am just now trying to remember to twist my needle and edge I am turning all the way into the fold as I turn the next bit. That little change of going all the way into the fold has helped me a lot with the lumps and bumps.

One more thing I am finding is that I tend to pull the stitch a little too tight, which of course causes lumps and bumps! Am trying really hard to stop doing that.

I am totally in for this appliqué club! It's my favorite part of quilting!

lindaschipper

I love to do wool applique, as someone else said the needle glides through the wool. My next project is a pattern for a quilt with Ohio stars and baskets of flowers. All of the flowers/stems/leaves are wool applique. If it turns out as I'm hoping, I'll enter it into the county fair next year. Can't wait to get started.
I'll join the applique club!!

Suz

It appears I started this thread awhile back. Had forgotten! I was interested in seeing it come up again. I still like to do needle-turn applique and started to use back-basting applique to mark my fabric. I believe there are several YouTube demos on how to do this technique. I find it is the most accurate method to get the placement of pieces. -- Several years ago while doing a Robert Callaham project and had to attach leaves, I could not place the same number that were shown in the illustration. Had several extras. One could only look at a gridlike example for placement of pieces. I recently finished an Edyta Sitar quilt using back basting. --- Give it a try on a practice block and see you too will like this technique.

judykay

Very informative post with so many suggestions. I do both machine and hand and do prefer the hand as I find it more relaxing than sitting at the machine but that is just me. No matter if it is done by machine or hand it is still applique and if you prefer one way over another there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just enjoy the process, there are a lot of great video on you tube, a couple of my favorite are Pat Sloan and Geta Gramma but there are many more out there I just can't think of their name off hand. I took a class at a local quilt store and it was very informative and now I go to you tube for a memory jolt of how to do a particular type of applique. No one is perfect so just go for it and enjoy the process.

applique

I forgot about this post! I am still doing applique and now sell it almost as fast as I make it. Now have a studio in the Brush Art Gallery in Lowell MA. I just finished the applique on three bunny tops. One is finished and hanging in the gallery, one I gave to a museum volunteer and the third is waiting to be assembled. Next are some quilts made from photographs.

Rose_P

http://oldwww.mccallsquilting.com/mc...icles/Applique The first item is a link to Eleanor Burns' technique, which is the one I've done a few times. I don't like to do hand work, but I love the look. Occasionally I use the Eleanor Burns technique to add labels to the back of my quilts, such as this:

mac

Well, it looks like you have a lot of interest in the applique club. I just noticed the date on the original thread, so I hope that I am not too late for the party.

I have been appliqueing for years. I can't say that I am an expert, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't suck at it either. I've taken numerous classes over the years, some from well-known teachers, and my favorite way of appliqueing is done by Jeanna Kimball. (Please forgive me if I spelled her name wrong.) I like her method because you can hand or machine baste the fabric down and not have to deal with straight pins or safety pins to hold it in place and your thread doesn't caught on anything while you are hand sewing. I also like it because the applique pattern goes down a lot flatter and doesn't have that poufy look.

Well, that's my story and I am sticking to it. So, what have I missed so far?