Applique Club (Do you like to applique, lets chit chat here)

I am learning to applique and thought this would be fun for all of us to chit chat here about applique. This way we can all learn together!

I do like to applique but I do the raw edge machine applique and I don't think it's really considered appliquing. But, it works for me and that's what I will continue to do. I absolutely hate to do any hand work.

Hi,

Love to see some of your projects with your raw edge machine applique

As a matter of fact, I just finished a wedding quilt top that has sunflowers, hearts, and guitars for a dear friend's son. My only problem with it is that I'm not sure it will be completely finished (ie. quilted) in time for his wedding. :oops: :roll: I do enjoy doing hand applique because I find it so relaxing, and I can take it anywhere with me. I can hardly wait to get started on another hand-appliqued quilt. I have done machine applique, but I really prefer doing it by hand. :wink:

Count me in! I'm dying to learn to applique. I've looked at tutorials but they confuse me. Does anyone have a website or youtube video they could recommend that would help me learn how to applique? Thanks!

I would love to join. I have been leaning to doing aplique cannot wait to talk!

I have an applique project all ready to go, but I need some help. I'm hoping my mom will have time to help me learn this new skill.

Most of my applique is dogs. I have done some flowers, as in 'Happy Daisies'. I will have to look and see what I might have left. I give most of my stuff away.

Here are the dogs.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-50844-1.htm

Those are too flippin' cute! :thumbup:

I've never done it. I would love to chat about it to see what I can learn.

Why would applying by machine be any less "real" than applying by hand? Applique means "to apply" in French. Just as machine piecing and machine quilting are just as real as hand pieceing and hand quilting, machine applique is just as real.

I have done some raw-edge machine applique, and am currently doing A Primitive Garden BOM quilt with wool. It is a huge project; but working with the wool is so nice. The needle goes through it like a knife through butter. Got to see the quilt at the VT. quilt show a couple of years ago, and 3 of us gals ordered it.....still not done by any of us lol.
Hope to learn needle turn at some point.

I just found this cool video to watch blanket stitch by hand applique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpyF4...eature=related

I will be watching this topic...I have never appliqued before but I soon will be starting a project that the center is applique and I will be doing the old timeeeee way of needle turn...I feel it is important to start at the beginning of applique and adapt to the technique I like best.

Great idea! I have been trying to improve my appliqué technique
for some time. I seem to do better when I use the freezer paper method, but it still looks pretty sad next to the work that some of my friends do.

It's not that it isn't 'real', it's just that, to me, the hand applique looks so much better. There is such a difference. That being said, when I do dogs, that's not something that is elegant and the raw edge applique 'fits' the project.
I do admire the hand stuff, though.

I've seen some pretty poor-looking hand applique. Just because it's hand done doesn't mean it always looks better.

My machine has a stitch that is called 'applique' and it looks just like that hand stitch in the video. I use that stitch for some things, such as flowers. If I'm doing the dogs, I use a tight zig zag stitch.

I certainly agree with you there. I've seen some of that, too. But when I see some that is 'good', the turned under stuff, I really like the looks of it -- that is, when it is good.

Holy cow, that looks easy! :-D

Those doggies are just too cute!!! :thumbup:

We just finished re-doing the bathroom. I found the perfect plain shower curtain and am planning on appliqueing the flowers from Eleanor Burns' Magic Vine book.

I had made a table runner with the magic vine and added whimsical birds on it and love it so much that I'm going to do it on the shower curtain. I hung the table runner up on the shower rod and think it will be the finishing touch that I'm looking for. And if it isn't, then I'll cut off the "button hole" hooks and have a new tablecloth!

I only know how to hand applique. Also, applique on wool is the most enjoyable hand sewing that I've ever done.

I have done both frezer paper applique, and fused with raw edge applique. I love doing applique, count me in!

I just finished my first applique project. Dumb me-I chose circles. Used freezer paper and lots of starch. It didn't turn out too bad. I like this, CraftyBear-I can't wait to see all the suggestions from everyone.

I started appliqueing more than thirty years ago. As my vision changed and some arthritis crept into my fingers, I do just machine applique now using the satin stitch. I love it and do quite a lot of it.

I've done some applique by hand and some by machine with invisible thread, but nothing very complicated. I've stuck with pretty simple shapes.

I would like to do the fusible with the machine buttonhole stitch, but wonder if that would hold up to lots of wear & tear if used for kids' quilts.

I'd also like to do needle turn, but haven't tried it yet.
I enjoy handwork-find it relaxing. But by machine gets completed faster.

I just started my first applique crib quilt for my grandson who is due to arrive Dec 7 :). His parent s would like a quilt similar to the Pottery Barn airplane on a blue and blus gingham background. I have all the pieces of the design ( self drafted) cut out and on freezer paper. Next dilema is to decide how to sew them the a big white cloud. This will then be added rto top layer fabric and sandwich put together. I think I will baste the edges down and then machine stitch on or try hand stitches that are large w/embroidery thread to give the homemade effect I would love some tips on how to proceed. I was thinking of cutting the backside of the cloud part to take out the freezer paper and use it agin at a later date. The hand sketching was the toughtest part for me.

I love needleturn applique.
Here is my current work in progress

That's beautiful! So you didn't fold down the edges prior, right? That's what hand-turn applique means?

I really like needleturn applique too, but I have a terrible time with points. Any pointers on that?

any lessons on points on hand turned applique most welcome!! I seem to do them a different way each time and can never get them really sharp - so count me in on anything to do with applique as it is my most favourite method of sewing

I think you're dogs are wonderful! Ever so cute :)

And to me, applique is applique, only the methods are different - thank goodness - there's one out there that suits each of us :)

I'm a hand applique person. I just find it more relaxing - and portable - than machine work. I love back basting and needleturn applique.

I love the fruit basket. That is going to be so very attractive when it's appliqued. Can't wait to see it. I can visualize it in a quilt with cross hatching quilting.

I hope everyone will show some of their work.

I'm new to appliqué, and am just learning. I've been trying out different techniques and searching for tutorials to help me. Anyone interested in me posting some of the ones I find?

I started out with a project that is like 3 pictures of flowers in vases, all separate blocks. The first one is a starter level, the second one intermediate, and the third one quite a bit harder. Then you sew all 3 together for a wall-hanging. The picture is lovely...the applique...well, I'm learning :) I'm on the second picture, and have restarted 3 times :(

In addition, I have a wall-hanging of TX with some cute stuff (hat, boots, coyote) around it that is a fusible machine appliqué. So I've got both projects going on at once (one for the TV, the other for the sewing room) and am learning and making lots of mistakes. <grin>

On the picture project, I can't seem to get flower petal edges that ripple to look nice. I've tried freezer paper/starch, needle turn, back basting and none of them are great. I don't know how to get the petal edge ripples to look good as I'm stitching them down. They seem to bulk up or get too pointy instead of being flowing curves. It's a hump, dip, hump, dip, hump on a small piece of fabric, maybe 1" wide. Then it's combined with 5 others petals with the same edging to create the flower. Any hints here, I would really appreciate...I just can't seem to get it!

Sorry to be so long-winded...I just have so much to say, and learn, on this topic :)

Have a wonderful day!
Debbie in Austin

I have done a lot of applique, all by hand, mainly needleturn but some rough edged. I love it and find it so relaxing. I usually cut freehand but have used freezer paper.

Here's some links, since I was searching for something, I decided to post a couple of tutorials that you may like:

Back Basting Tutorial:
http://sentimentalstitches.net/instr...hand-applique/

Points: This is the one that helped me. About 3/4 of the way down the page (date is 9/25). Also has lots of various info throughout the blog.
http://www.allaboutapplique.net/cate...turn-applique/

Hope you folks like these :) I've bookmarked several.

Debbie in Austin

[quote=dgm

On the picture project, I can't seem to get flower petal edges that ripple to look nice. I've tried freezer paper/starch, needle turn, back basting and none of them are great. I don't know how to get the petal edge ripples to look good as I'm stitching them down. They seem to bulk up or get too pointy instead of being flowing curves. It's a hump, dip, hump, dip, hump on a small piece of fabric, maybe 1" wide. Then it's combined with 5 others petals with the same edging to create the flower. Any hints here, I would really appreciate...I just can't seem to get it!


It sounds as though you might have more than a quarter inch of fabric to turn under. A quarter inch or even an eigth of an inch is about all that you should have. Otherwise you will need to clip the curves before stitching.
As far as points go, again there would probably be some trimming needed. A tiny perpendicular stitch in the very tip of the point helps keep it where you want it as yo tuck the edge under to stitch the other side. Do just a little at a time, a few stitches then sweep a bit more under.
Not sure if this will help but hope it does.

My machine applique is so much faster and easier on the hands that I have done very little by hand. One of my pieces is waiting for special order fabric for the borders so it can go to the quilter. I don't hand quilt anymore either.

[quote=appliqué][quote=dgm

On the picture project, I can't seem to get flower petal edges that ripple to look nice. I've tried freezer paper/starch, needle turn, back basting and none of them are great. I don't know how to get the petal edge ripples to look good as I'm stitching them down. They seem to bulk up or get too pointy instead of being flowing curves. It's a hump, dip, hump, dip, hump on a small piece of fabric, maybe 1" wide. Then it's combined with 5 others petals with the same edging to create the flower. Any hints here, I would really appreciate...I just can't seem to get it!
-------------

It sounds as though you might have more than a quarter inch of fabric to turn under. A quarter inch or even an eigth of an inch is about all that you should have. Otherwise you will need to clip the curves before stitching.
As far as points go, again there would probably be some trimming needed. A tiny perpendicular stitch in the very tip of the point helps keep it where you want it as yo tuck the edge under to stitch the other side. Do just a little at a time, a few stitches then sweep a bit more under.
Not sure if this will help but hope it does.

My machine appliqué is so much faster and easier on the hands that I have done very little by hand. One of my pieces is waiting for special order fabric for the borders so it can go to the quilter. I don't hand quilt anymore either.[/quote]

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Thank you so much! It might be that I do have too much fabric there. I'll certainly try cutting some more away. I did try the clipping, but that resulting in fraying because I think I handled it too much trying to sweep it underneath. And it could be I clipped too much/not enough also. Those tiny, close little humps/dips will be the death of me, I'm sure! :) I do appreciate your help!

And your appliqué is awesome! What a great piece of work! That is really something to be proud of :)

Yes, this would be great. I can do the machine applique. And I am working a sort of rustic blanket stitched one by hand, but have seen the needle turned? And would like to learn how.
Nancy