Appliqué question
 

Hi I am going to attempt my first appliqué quilt. "Whiskers in the Wind" by Ryan McKenna. I am doing the whole quilt it comes in different sections. After fusing a section on should I sew around the edge of the pieces then without being sandwiched or wait until the whole quilt is done and sandwiched and sew around each piece then?
Thanks for your advice.

After fusing sew the edges down. I googled the pattern and WOW! Amazing!

I just finished my first appliqué quilt. After fusing a section, I did a blanket stitch around each piece with a matching color thread. After making the quilt sandwich, I used an invisible thread in the needle to sew around each piece to make the piece stand out. This was my first appliqué quilt and I am no expert; but I was very pleased with the results. I am eager to read what others write so I will know what to do on my next quilt.

Franc I would love to see a picture. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks leatheflea I hope it doesn't prove to be too much.
Tartan that was one of my worries on how to get the whole thing in there and moving.
Any other tips would be great!

the quilt is cute cant wait to see yours

I have done it both ways. On a small wall hanging, it works well to wait to sew the edges until after you have sandwiched the quilt. Then you are quilting at the same time. On larger quilts, it would probably be too cumbersome as other people have said.

I love the pattern

It is easier to stitch the appliques as a block, Try to do your stitching in order of what will cover your previous applique stitching. Wish I could explain it better. It is the same concept as to the order that you layer your appliques in your block. Good Luck !!

If you go to McKenna Ryan's website, she has a section on Helps and How-To's that talks about how she makes her quilts. She does not sew around the edges first but instead, stitches around the edge of each piece after sandwiching it so that it acts as the quilting also. If it's a big quilt with numerous blocks involved, she starts in the middle block, sews/quilts around all the edges, then stitches in the ditch around that block before moving on to the next one. After all the blocks are finished, then she goes back to do some background stitching/quilting. By then the quilt is completely stabilized. Reading her technique might help you but of course, you can always do it however works best for you. I did it her way because I did not want to stitch around each piece twice, once before sandwiching and once after.

McKenna does the "RawEdge" technique. If you plan on laundering the quilt and do not want the fraying, blanket stitch as you go, then quilt as desired after sandwiched.

I've been considering getting one of her kits with the laser cut pieces. I was thinking about the stitching versus quilting question and I think I might try to do a quilt as you go with it if I do spend the money on the kit. The back would have an interesting look to it.

I took a class that used one of her patterns and we did the stitching on each block as we finished it. Not sure you would be able to use the blanket stitch as she has many small pieces in her patterns.

When I hand applique I complete one block at a time. I have a West of Baltimore quilt at the longarmers now. I use the blanket stitch and use contrasting embroidery thread sometimes and sometimes coordinating thread. Never mastered machine enbroidery.

Do it before you sandwich it. And be sure to use some sort of stabilizer underneath so the stitches don't pucker the fabric. I use 'Tear Easy" because its what I have on hand from embroidery.

I just finished a quilt for our DGD with many, many appliques - butterflies - hearts - dragon flies which I fused on the quilt, then stitched around each one using a zig-zag or straight stitch, for raw edge applique. After sandwiching the quilt, I did sew around the appliques to make them extra sturdy for a 3 1/2 yr. old GD, to make them last.

Perhaps it would be just as easy to applique' each block and do the outline stitching at the same time. Or you could do the applique' on all of the blocks, and then switch to invisible thread and quilt most of the rest of the block. Then sew the blocks together. Obviously you'd still have to do enough quilting to nail the batting down, but at least the most fussy stuff would be done.

If it is a wall hanging, raw edge is probably the easiest and can be done as a sandwich. If it is a bed quilt I would secure the edges before sandwiching it with a satin stitch (tear away or wash away stabilizer behind the piece) or blanket stitch to make it washer and drier friendly. I often enlarge her patterns so I can more easily satin stitch them down which is my preferred way. Here is the detail on one of her fish.

Wow! You sure don't start small. Her patterns are a big undertaking. Can't wait to see your progress.

I tend to just jump into things with both feet and eyes closed. Sometimes I am pleasantly pleased when I open my eyes back up sometimes not.
Your fish is beautiful!