But please learn needle turn or to use the freezer paper.

There are so many ways to apply fabric - Elly Sienkiewicz has a book called "Applique 12 Easy Ways"

I found the book a bit difficult to understand, but I've read that Elly S. is a master at applique work.


I think "needle turn" is the best method for "take along" projects.

I love the freezer paper method. Cut it a little large, use glue stick on the edges, fold them over and iron. I also use glue stick on the back and iron it into place, then machine quilt it down. works great.

I did a harley quilt this way, I did every letter and the edges have not frayed yet, so I must have made my edges large enough that they were stitched down well. ...whew...

I'm one of the people that havn't tried applique, but as usual, your enthusiasm has inspired me. So many techniques so little time.

I love applique and this was one of my first attempts when I first started quilting. You may not be able to tell by this pic but it's still not done...LOL.

Lately, I've been thinking about doing something in applique that I can do at night while watching TV.

Hi There, I love your snowman.He is so cute.I have appliqued for years. I use felt matt. and cut out desighns for the fronts.They are usually pincousins and I have a whole trunk full of them.I just enjoy doing them.When my daughters dog died I made her a pin cousin with his picture on it and now when I go to her house I enjoy seeing it on her shelf.Handquilter

You can have an applique project on the side. I do needle turn applique while watching tv in the evening. Daytime, I go to my sewing room to do piecing. I will do some whimsical wall quilts sometimes and machine quilt these.
Try a small project and have fun.
marla

My mother showed me some of her own applique work when I was 8 or 9 years old - scared the daylights out of me! I didn't think I could ever do that beautiful, tiny stitched work. Now I occasionally will applique some small piece and I get knots in my stomach every time. I think the only way I will ever feel I am any good at it is to do more of it. A LOT more!!

I feel that so long as you know the basics and can stitch 1/4 seams then it is never too early or too late to try applique. You just might find that it is the technique that you love the most and are the best at.

Hi Mama, My thinking on this is you might try some appliqué to add to your next project. I do both and it seems to soften the sharp angles of the pieced project. Start with something small, like a center block with pieced borders. I do needle turn, myself, but there are several methods, and you should try them all to see what you are more comfortable with. I turn under a 16th of an inch, and clip my valleys to turn them. If you can, take a class on it.