I want to do applique with an understitch so that it can't be seen, but have a really hard time with freezer paper. I do applique with heatbond light but can't do that with the understitch. Can anyone give me some tips on other ways maybe. Thanks so much.

Wish I was helpful. Tried hand stitching on steam a seamed pieces and was way too hard. Tried freezer paper and couldnt keep it straight. So went machine blanket stitch which you can make VERY small and if it matches the fabric being appliqued on you can hardly see it at all unless your face is right next to the piece. Check out youtube for tutorials. lots of them you can play over and over til it makes some sense.

WonderUnder works better than HeatNBond.

Thanks for the you tube tip... I use that for many things but didn't even think about it for this... duh :roll: Thanks again I found something that explains it well and totally think I can do it now. :D

You're welcome to PM me... I've gotten pretty good wih freezer paper and needle-turn (I had a really REALLY good teacher!)... If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them.

Hi, have you tried sulky sticky, it goes on top of the fabric and you trim to your 1/4 or 1/8 of an inch and turn under as you go along, works great.

i do many types of applique to achieve that needle turn look without having to needle turn could you post a pic of what the design is and maybe i can tell you a way to achieve the look you want for the design you have.

great tips.

I'm wanting to do the christmas row by row on www.fatcatpatterns.com So far they have only released the snowmen.

What are you having trouble with when using the freezer paper? What steps are you taking? If we know what you're doing, it should be pretty easy to help!

The snowmen are a really pretty simple applique project for needle-turn. The bows and arms will be harder, but getting going on the snowmen will give you the confidence to tack the rest.

Oh - and I'm planning on doing the same row-by-row. It's really really cute!

if you don't want to do needle turn for the snowmen - i would make them with either non fusible or fusible interfacing (one sided not 2 like the fusible web your using).

if you want to use the fusible type you would trace the shapes onto your fabric and onto the fusible interfacing. sew them together (right sides together) then cut a snip in the interfacing and turn the piece out (like you would a pillow).

fuse it in place and then use a small blind hem stitch with matching silk thread to attach it permanently down on the background fabric.

be mindful here that the interfacing isn't peaking out from the piece, although with the white snowmen its not so critical since the interfacing is white too.

if you want to use the non-fusible interfacing you would do the exact same thing as above expect i use water soluble thread.

once you have the piece pressed the way you like it, give it a shot of steam or spray with a little water to dissolve the thread.

the interfacing will remove from the piece and you are left with only the needle turned fabric piece.

and then blind hem stitch in place with matching silk thread.

the up side to this, since you are making numerous snowmen you can reuse the interface pieces over and over again.

those tiny little arms are stuff are going to be harder because they aren't even wide enough to have a 1/4 seam on each side.

so you might want to fuse them on with webbing and raw edge or do the needle turn thing like above except trim those seams to 1/8 inch.

What I do with the freezer paper is...
I trace the item I want to applique onto the paper side
cut out the shape then iron the waxy side down on my fabric (right side down).
Cut the fabric around the freezer paper leaving a 1/4" allowance.
I try to iron the allowance over the freezer paper, but this is the part where I mess up. I can't make a good enough seam to iron to so that I can stitch it down.
After that you take the freezer paper off and iron on the applique onto your background at the seams

and you're using fusible web on the wrong side of the fabric while you're doing this? i'm confused.

wouldn't the press under seam be web to web and adhere it down?

then when you fuse it to the background the turned under part wouldn't have any fusible web to iron onto the background fabric.

I'm not sure klue... I'm totally lost with all of this. Beginner and all I'm always lost.

typically if you're going to turn under using freezer paper you wouldn't use fusible web on the fabric.

do you understand the method i typed out? if so, try that on just a square shape to understand the process and then move up to the snowman pattern.

i'll look around for a tute that shows the method i use.

if you can wait about 2 weeks i'll be posting a tute showing this methods of applique.

here's a pretty good tute on how to do freezer paper applique.


http://blocksnswaps.blogspot.com/sea.../Appliqu%C3%A9

I draw pattern piece on freezer paper (On Paper side) then cut it out..I then iron cut out piece(wax side) on top right side of fabric..I then cut around piece adding 1/4 inch around pattern piece..them I put a little piece of wonder under on wrong side of fabric cutout to hold it in place..the freezer paper acts as a guide to turnthe 1/4 under...it is so much easier for me to put paper on top!! Hope you can understand this..

are you turning under the seam by hand?

Yes I turn it under as I go around the design..I am sending this website. if you scroll down it is under "Now This is the method I use"..
http://www.quilterscache.com/StartQu...ltingfour.html

I use just enough of the wonder under to hold it in place as I sew it in place on block..You can trim the 1/4 inch turn under to 1/8 inch to turn easier.

this is hand applique not by machine

instead of freezer paper use template plastic, cut your pieces with just enough (turn under) fold it over to the back, starch it into place with an iron, remove the template plastic, and repress so it is all shaped properly with the turn under crisp, stitch down with tiny stitches. good luck.

Yes it is by hand..I did these doing it that way..

i misunderstood, i thought the original poster wanted to machine applique.

The best way to needle turn applique is the Back-basting technique. It is easy, transportable and looks perfect when finished. Find it at http://www.appleblossomquilts.com/tips/backBasting/

I have been using this for some time but found her instructions after getting a computer.