Applique question
 

I am doing the dance of the dragonflies quilt (you can find it here: https://www.keepsakequilting.com/dan...-quilt-pattern )

I've got everything cut out and all the pieces ironed on to the black wings and body.

My question is this: In the pattern it says iron everything onto the front of the quilt (fabric provided) and then put the batting and then the backing. And then do the applique.

I'm wondering if I couldn't applique the pieces of fabric onto the wings and body before I put it all on the front piece of the quilt. Since there is black fabric in between all of the colours, I could then sew with black thread between all the colours when all three layers are together.

make sense?

Ideas? This is second time doing applique and my first was not as pretty LOL

Thanks so much,

Marion

I’ve never done applique this way. Usually, you iron on the applique pieces to your background, stitch them down, then add batting & backing and quilt it.

If I understand you correctly, you can fuse the parts all together and then fuse the one large applique shape to the quilt. Build your pieces on an applique sheet so that you can peel it off and adhere it to the quilt easily. Toni Whitney uses that technique in her patterns, I did her Eagle one.

You can certainly do it that way!

We've had them in the shop where I work. I think it needs to be quilted and appliqued at the same time, so there isn't extra thread showing on the top, that might distract from the design.

I sew the appliqué on the front when it's sandwiched, as the pattern instructs. Time saver since you will not have to stitch quilt around the appliqué. (Unless you use trapunto method) But it's really a personal preference and your way would work, too. And, if appliqué has layers, I just glue baste (I don't do raw edge appliquing) them together as one unit then glue baste to quilt top. Then you just have to sew appliqués on whatever edge is visible. Saves time here too. I love this pattern but have never seen it finished so I'll look forward to seeing your project when completed.

My guess is they do it this way so you are doing the applique and your quilting at the same time and do not require 'extra' stitching later. This lets the applique design stand alone. Then you would only have to quilt in the outside area.

I did this one for my daughter. I followed the directions exactly. Placed the background on my dining room table and was able to use the picture on the pattern to lay out the dragonflies. The pieces were backed with fusable before i placed them on the background Once dragonflies were in place I fused them in place and used invisible thread to go around each dragonfly. Used a pebble stitch to quilt the light parts of the background. Also used straight lines on the black parts of the background. Hope this makes sense. My daughter loves it.

I just finished " summer breeze" from keepsake quilting. If you follow their directions the sewing down of applique is your quilting and it comes out AWESOME! I used a very tiny blanket stitch and it almost looks like straight stitch! I entered it our local fairs quilt show and the judges where impressed by the way I quilted it.