Hi
What is a good source on how to do appliqué ? What have you found is the best way for you?
Also, Appliqué Patterns would be appreciated.

Click here: Applique Basics

Click here: How To Applique (Tutorial on Appliqueing, page 1) Here are a couple of how to sites, if you need more you can PM me, also there are a lot of patterns out there. I haven't been appliqueing that long but have been collecting a long time. So let me know, good luck. Maybe someone will have more info than I have.

Rita

If you want a good DVD on how to do freezer paper Applique, I suggest investing in the one put out by www.P3designs.com (Pearl P. Periera). She has an excellent descriptive way of showing exactly how to do this technique and it is probably one of the more popular techniques out there today other than needleturn.

I taught myself. I have my own way of doing it. I don't use freezer paper or anything, just Lite Heat N Bond to put it on the fabric, then machine stitch around it.

I think it is a personal preference to what and which way works for an individual. I have tried several...and, I mean 'Many!' different ways to applique. I have to say I find the best method that I enjoy the most and seem to get the shapes perfect with is the freezer paper w/needle turn.

Here's how...
*Trace your pattern on the dull side of freezer paper-cut it out -on the line.
*Iron this freezer paper shape to the backside of the fabric. (shiny side on the fabric)
*Cut around shape leaving your 1/4" around the shape w/fabric.
*Clip any serious curves or points, like what would be inside the arm of a star. Clip almost to the edge of the paper.
*Iron 1/4" seam allowance over the freezer paper (I love to steam mine here!)
*Place pieces in order on your backing (this is where I LOVE my applique pins!)
*Then come up w/needle and thread (w/a knot in end)thru the backing and the very edge of your pattern. Then sneak the needle ever-so-slightly back under the edge of the pattern of where you just came up (only thru the backing and slightly 'under' the pattern shape)Then come back up and continue this 'blind hem' stitch. You can pull the thread gently when to the top w/a stitch and it will hide your stitches on the side.
Hope this helps! And, I do hope you wanted to know how to 'hand' applique:)If not...I just wrote a book for something:)

Machine...can do the same only use a blind hem (my favorite) on the machine. Difficult shapes that I plan on using the machine to applique, I might use some glue to hold the shape under (elmer's washable is great!)
Skeat

Go check out 'Bunny Hill Designs' for a freebie BOM...so cute! And, free!

Also, what is great about freezer paper is that you can re-use and re-use many, many times a shape you have ironed with. Loved that stuff:)

I have done the freezer paper and the needle turn, have not done anything with steam a seam, nor have I done any machine applique. I love the hand portion of applique, although I am not that good at it. Out of the two I like the freezer paper the best, its the easier of the two. But I am so shocked, I was thinking of using the iron on as a placer only. I thoght I was just out in left field with that thought. But was going to use it instead of basting everything. Thank you so much for telling me I am not stupid for thinking of doing that and that it works woo hoo.... I love to do applique and am even thinking of doing tops totally hand. The piecing and everything. Thats how much I like the hand sewing. Again anyone behind me lined up to check out my sanity???? I am afraid to look. :lol: :oops:

Thank you for helping me out.

Rita

I do the Terri- way, heat n bond and stitch around.

foxxigrani, I am also a needle turn applique hand person. I love making most of my quilts and things by hand. It is much easier to manipulate the fabric by hand.
Just my way of doing things. I use templates and then draw a pencil line where the fold should be and then fold the small seam in and stitch. I find it much less fiddly than freezer paper and then you have the foldingline there and it cannot move.

I do it like Terri. I tried freezer paper but didn't like it. To each their own.

When I started quilting, my time was limited. I taught myself using heat and bond lite or wonder under, light weight. Its a process that I enjoy more than hand stitching. My hands hurt and I couldn't do all that I do if I had to do it by hand. I am retired now and time is still short since we are working on our old house. Doing fusible applique allows me to do more quilts in a limited amount of time.
But try several methods to see which one works for you.

[quote=foxxigrani]I have done the freezer paper and the needle turn, have not done anything with steam a seam, nor have I done any machine applique. I love the hand portion of applique, although I am not that good at it. Out of the two I like the freezer paper the best, its the easier of the two. But I am so shocked, I was thinking of using the iron on as a placer only. I thoght I was just out in left field with that thought. But was going to use it instead of basting everything. Thank you so much for telling me I am not stupid for thinking of doing that and that it works woo hoo.... I love to do applique and am even thinking of doing tops totally hand. The piecing and everything. Thats how much I like the hand sewing. Again anyone behind me lined up to check out my sanity???? I am afraid to look. :lol: :oops:

Thank you for helping me out.
Always glad to help the quilt addiction in any way I can!:)I forgot to say in my post that depending on the applique shape, I remove my freezer paper from the shape when I have sewn 3/4 of it down...then pull it out. It comes right out!:)On small pieces, I just remove it before sewing and it holds the shape great! And, no....nothing in quilting or thinking out of the box in quilting is ever stupid:)Only stopping sewing to cook or something might be!LOL Also, I too love hand applique and am working on 'When The Cold Wind Blows'...check it out!:)You will love it! Also check out of your library 'applique the piece of cake way' books..and, they are online too. Love their stuff too:)And, another new fun book (and she's online) is Belinda Phillips Applique book...can find the front of it on Barnes and Noble.
Best part of applique...it travels light and easy!:)I take mine everywhere! Skeat

Oh thank you for saying that. I was beginning to doubt my sanity. But then everyone I know doubts it too. :lol: Anyway I keep telling myself go check out the library, but around here its harder to get to library than it is to hit every store and mall in one day. Its like a maze to get there. I know I know, excuses. Will look on internet tho, as you suggested. Thank you so much for all the encouragement.

Rita

I do mainly needle turn applique . I love it !

The first one I did was "Welcome to the North pole . The book shows how to do it all and very easy instructions. Beckey Goldsmith and Anita Jenkins do a great job of explining this type of applique. You can create a small wall hanging instead of doing the enitre quilt . It is fun to pick from the blocks and create a nice small wall hanging. I did the big one .


http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Wel.../9781564771940

if you like the needle turn look but don't want to do it by hand you can use fusible interfacing.

sew your shapes right side to the fusible side of the interfacing. then snip the interfacing and turn the right sides out. now you can fuse it to your background fabric and you'll have the needle turned look without all the hand work.

I have four appique books and my favorite is, " Applique, The basics and Beyond" by janet Pittman. It is a beautiful hard cover, spiral bound book that is the best book I ever read on the subject. It covers everything in such wonderful pictures and instructions.

Mary L....that is awesome!!I love it and will be calling my Barnes soon!! Thanks for the picture! Skeat

Thank You !!!

It is a lot of fun to do !!! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did !

I love Mary's North pole quilt! Amazon has it for much less. Amazon also has some good applique books at reasonable prices.
Di

I too, use the fusible interfacing technique, just remember when you turn it you CANNOT PRESS with a iron, use a wooden stick, then press in place on your quilt.
Diana in Texas

Thanks for this. It helped a lot. But when do you take out the freezer paper?

Good idea! All of these are helping.

another way to get the needle turned look without doing it by hand is to use interfacing (not the fusible kind) and stitch the shapes together with water soluble thread.

snip a hole in the interfacing and turn out and now iron with hot steam. it will dissolve the water soluble thread and you can then remove the interfacing.

i use this method when i'm doing many of the same shape because you can keep using the same interfacing shape.

snowbird...not sure which post on this you are asking, but, if it was mine, I take it out after 3/4 of the subject is sewn. I just reach in and pull it out w/a little tug. It will come right out!:)Hope this answers your question:)Skeat

I do Skeat's way but a lady at my quilt group recommended basting the fabric to the freezer paper then basting the shape to the background and i find this gives a flatter finish. It's a bit more work but the sewing down goes quicker and my points and curves are better.

K x

BTW Skeat, whose that chickie in your new avatar?

That is one of our mommas. Kid in 4H projects:)She had 2 lay their eggs out and now she has 3 more sitting for they want their own too:)Have to say it is cute and love it when they are out walking w/momma in that new grass. Too cute:)So, put a pic in the avatar to share w/everyone...spring is here!:)Skeat.........interesting is the one momma dumped her large group of chicks for the rooster(have we not heard this story before?!). So the other momma adopted them. Which involves warmth and the help of finding worms, etc and protection:)

Thanks for all the replies, I am working on my first applique block, a birdhouse.

That does sound like it would work. I am going to try it. thanks you for answering.

My first class was with the freezer paper and then cut the back and take the paper out. I started needle turn and thats all I do now. It takes practice. Some of the girls in the guild are now drawing design on the back of the background and then basting the material on the front and then needle turning on the basting lines...sounds like double work to me but haven't tried it.

I hand applique with freezer paper and a round wooden toothpick. I keep the toothpick in my mouth to keep it wet, then use it to turn the 1/4" allowance as I go along. Keeping the toothpick wet allows it to "pull" the fabric around behind the paper. It's the fastest and cheapest method for me....as someone said, you can reuse the freezer paper 100s of times.

Re the freezer paper method -

When and how do you remove the freezer paper from the applique?

bear, I iron the freezer paper on the RIGHT side of the fabric. I use the toothpick, as mentioned above, and sew the fabric onto the backing. Once that's done, I peel the paper off and re-use. Some people put the paper on the backside and fold the 1/4" around, sew on, then clip in the middle of the back of the piece and pull the paper out. That's never been satisfactory for me. I hated having a "raw edge" at the clipping and sometimes the paper got caught up in my sewing and would pull the threads when I'd pull the paper out.

AHHHH

THAT makes a lot of sense.

I'd seen the freezer paper on the wrong side of the fabric, and it never even occurred to me to put it on the right side.

I just now realized that I probably didn't read your instructions accurately, either.

Thank you.

Yes I put the freezer paper on the right side of fab too. Jolo