Prism99

what are your favorite materials and techniques? I started out with Harriet Hargrave's freezer paper method and YLI nylon monofilament thread, but over the years I have experimented a lot.

For example, I started out with kitchen freezer paper. I developed a technique whereby I would trace once on a piece of freezer paper, then layer that on top of 5 additional pieces of blank freezer paper, iron around the edges to secure, then cut out along the traced line. This way I got 6 freezer paper patterns for only one tracing and one cutting.

Now I have an Accuquilt Go! and much prefer cutting applique shapes with dies whenever I can. While cutting freezer paper with the Go!, I decided to finally spring for some Jenkins freezer paper. Oh, my! I immediately loved that it came pre-cut and laid flat, meaning I didn't have to perform any prep for it on the Go! Decided that the extra cost for Jenkins was worth it to me, given my age and the savings in time and effort it made for me.

Then I discovered Beth Ferrier's Wash-Away Applique sheets. Now that's all I want to use. However, the price is becoming prohibitive. Looking back in my Amazon history, I see that I purchased a package of 25 sheets for $10.85 back in 2011. In November of 2016, the same package was $14.65. Yesterday when I looked, the same package was $19.28 on Amazon. I found it for $17.24 on the createforless website, but it's still pricey for what I have in mind -- a quilt with tons of applique on it. I would need so many packages, it would push the price of the quilt up quite a bit. So now I am thinking of experimenting to see if I can come up with my own fusible wash-away interfacing -- maybe by fusing MistyFuse to the back of a plain wash-away. I really don't want that extra work, but at some point a craft material is not worth its price.

Anyway, that's been my journey on freezer paper. I have had another, less productive journey, on glue. I did not like the glue sticks I tried, and discovered that Elmer's white school paste worked perfectly for me -- very fast for me to spread with a finger, was immediately tacky, yet allowed me to adjust the edges. I loved that stuff. And then they discontinued it. I have a stockpile, but it has dried out even with vacuum-sealing in my foodsaver, so it generally requires re-constituting with water. Now I am back to trying out different glue sticks, mostly for smaller items. I do like these glue dots a lot for larger pieces, such as the Go! butterfly pieces:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VBXC38/
They are pricey, but worth it to me for larger pieces because they make them go so fast. However, the glue dots don't work as well for small pieces, hence the search for a glue stick.

I have run on long enough. What I am really wondering is what other freezer-paper-type machine applique quilters like. What have you found useful? I will detail the pros and cons of what I have tried if you will share the pros and cons of things you have tried.

QuiltyReese

I do a lot of turned edge hand applique but you could use the same method. I use this interfacing:

https://purpledaisiesquilting.com/co...que-foundation

and then I use Elmer's Glue sticks. The purple kind that dry clear. It stays tacky for a bit while I fold over my edges and I can see where I put it. Then I use Elmer's washable school glue to glue the pieces to my background. I then sew my pieces by hand but there isn't any reason you can't do it this way by machine.

Meant to add that this interfacing stays in the project. It will pad the applique a little and gives it a little pop. I love it.

Prism99

I have some of that interfacing and tried it out a few years ago. However, I found it to have a really soft edge compared to the freezer paper that I was accustomed to, making it harder for me to turn the fabric. I am considering trying it again with a Misty Fuse backing, though. Maybe I can get used to the softness of the edge. I've used the Elmer's purple glue sticks too, but they are just not tacky enough for me. I was spoiled by the Elmer's white school paste, which provides much more immediate tack.

JustAbitCrazy

I recently bought some fusible wash-away stabilizer at JoAnn's. It's a roll in a package, expensive, but not so much if you use a coupon. The stabilizer is sticky on one side, and you stick that side of the cut out shape to the back of your applique fabric, cut out the piece with the narrow seam allowance for turning, then use wash away glue sticks (I bought Fons & Porters, more $$ than Elmer's but I like how thin they are) to turn under and stick down the seam allowance. There are expensive long metal thin dowel-type rods for sale to use to help turn under the glued edges, but I use cheap wooden cuticle sticks. They work great---the wood grabs the fabric really well. Then place your applique where you want it with either a dab of glue on the fusible (on the backside) or pin in place and machine applique. I found this technique to be fast (faster than hand needle turn, anyway) and fun to do. I've been using the microquilter thread to do the machine applique, too.

Prism99

I will have to check JoAnn's for that fusible. Is it the one put out by Apliquick? Do you have the name of it?

I tried the Sewline glue pen because, like you, I like the narrowness of it compared to glue sticks. However, it didn't work all that well for me. Was a little dry and not tacky enough. To my horror, I also found out it dried very quickly when I failed to cap it tightly. It works well for piecing, to "glue pin" seams without having to go to the ironing board to heat set (which is what I do when I use Elmer's school glue). I've been reluctant to try other brands as I suspect they all use the same factories for production and just stick different labels on. However, I may have to bite the bullet and order every one. I'm doing that with glue sticks first, as it's less expensive. If I can't find the perfect glue stick, I will have to try to find the perfect glue pen.

I switched from YLI nylon filament to Superior's Bottom Line. I forgot about the microquilter thread. I bet that would show even less. Thanks for reminding me to get some! What color do you use?

Edit: I will probably never use tools to turn the fabric. I'm really good at using just my thumb and fingernail. Harriet Hargrave had really good tips and photos that helped me get good at that. So the Apliquick tools do not interest me. However, I have wondered about their foundation fusible and glue pens.

SusieQOH

Prism, I'm going to save your post. You are a wealth of information, thanks!

quiltingshorttimer

Prism--I think Superior's BottomLine is a bit finer than the MicroQuilter Thread--IMHO.

Also--Is the Purple Daisies site's stablizer water soluble? Is this what Kris Viera uses for her award winning quilts?

jmoore

I just purchased a product at the Maine Quilt show in July called Barely There. I haven't tried it out yet but I purchased it for my upcoming Mommy & Me baby quilt project. You can also feed it through a printer.

Bree123

I mostly do needleturn now, but before I just used the Reynold's freezer paper I can get at Wal-Mart or the grocery store. I do use a Clover mini-iron to help turn my edges. That made a huge difference for me. I also got a small paintbrush to "paint" on the starch.

Mkotch

In a class with David Taylor this summer, he applied diluted starch around the edge of the freezer paper with a paint brush and then ironed the seam allowance over the freezer paper using a small iron (Clover). Then he sewed with invisible thread (I forget what kind) and pulled out the paper. A friend and I waited until the seam allowance dried and then took out the paper before sewing. Each method worked well. I hate invisible thread - can't see it - so I have been using this method with cotton thread that matches the applique piece. Works for me.