Adding Large Silhouette to Quilt
 

I am in the midst of designing a boys quilt (small) for my expected 6th great grandchild. I am thinking of doing bright batik colors (in blocks of 9") and then adding a very large silhouette of a boy with a balloon.

My questions to all of you knowledgeable quilt members is: 1) How to keep the appliqué "soft" as is the quilt, 2) Best "soft" stabilizer, 3) Will FMQing over the silhouette lessen it's quality, 4) Ways to ensure that heavy laundering will not destroy the silhouette. 5) Best "soft" black fabric for the silhouette (I was thinking Kona but it is a bit heavier than I believe this project should be. I really would appreciate your input for this project. Thank you.
Attachment 622394
Here's my design:

That's a really cute design. [img]images/smilies/thumbup.png[/img] I don't have advice for 'softness'

I would think outside the box with this and make the silhouette out of something with some texture, with no backing under it to keep the softness. Use something like nubby toweling if you can find a black, or make your own chenille fabric. Instead of cutting it out of one large piece, you could add the texture in pieces so that the stitching will hold it in place and not suppress too much of the texture. If you add it after the piece is quilted and it gets messed up, you can just unstitch it and sew a new silhouette on it.

With similar concerns, I used a very thin batting to stuff my appliques and then I quilted through all layers. This one gets to stay with Grandma until the grandbundle is a little older.

edit: I do the sew two pieces together, slash the back and turn method. I used a very light weight soft batiste type fabric for the back.

Hand work is not my strong suit, you can see my visible thick stitches but machine applique with tiny stitches is too hard on my eyes. I can do a big thick solid visible stitch, but not a neat non noticeable stitch like so many people can do.

Give Mistyfuse a try. It does not change the hand of the fabric. You can’t even tell it’s there.

Misty Fuse is a great idea; your other choice is to cut away the fusible center (before you fuse it) and just leave about 1/4” on the edges. I would use Misty Fuse.

I would not FMQ over the applique. I would edge stitch with either a narrow zig zag or a straight stitch.

Since you're asking about stabilizer, I'm assuming you're going to fuse this as an applique? Or were you going to do some sort of embroidery?

This is how I would do it if it were my quilt. I wouldn't use Kona, I agree with you about Kona's hand. I'd find some other quilt shop-quality black fabric (I'd use something with a subtle print, but if you want a solid black I've heard good things about Michael Miller's black fabric). I would not use any kind of fusible. If you're going to machine-applique it on, use a zigzag or buttonhole stitch with black thread around the edge of the silhouette, then cut away the background fabric behind the applique. Quilt as normal. The zigzag or buttonhole stitch will secure the quilt, and you could quilt a cute design in the silhouette to make it even more secure. I don't think you'll have any problem with laundering.

Love your ideas and love your quilt! Thank you! Yolanda

Your suggestions are just what I needed. As I was reading your reply, I was thinking that I may stabilize/secure the edge of the silhouette (with no stabilizer in the center), and cut away the background. I use spray adhesive to baste my quilts and will be using Shannon cuddle for a backing. Quilt the silhouette as a separate entity and then do a continuous FMQ for the rest of the quilt. I'm feeling less stressed and more confident with these suggestions and decisions! Can't wait to create it. BTW, the face on the silhouette is his 5-year old brother! I really want this quilt to hold up and be quite usable. Also, hope the design will grow with him. Thank you so much for your insight! Yolanda

I did one on the same line as what you are doing, only did lots of assorted yellow and gray strips up & down and a large elephant in the right hand corner. Used Elmer's glue stick to stick the elephant down, then satin stitched around the outside. Also did some outlining on the elephant (it was a gray polka dot) with a light gray thread, eye, lines on trunk, a blanket across the back, lines on legs, etc. to secure it in place. Then layered it up with batting and backing, and quilted. It was a gift for a friend and she has been using it for awhile now and loves it. All seems to still be secure and holding up.
Peace, Brenda