Best Applique instruction book for a beginner
 

I'm just starting to learn about applique.....any suggestions for a good instruction book? Name and author would be helpful. Many thanks, Julie

http://www.amazon.com/Applique-Basic...words=applique

Wonderful book. You can get a used one reasonably prices on Amazon.

"Applique the Basics and Beyond: The Complete Guide to Successful Machine and Hand Techniques" by Janet Pittman

Are you more interested in hand applique or machine applique? I taught myself machine applique using Harriet Hargrave's book. It has wonderful detailed explanations and photos. Here is a link:
http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Mach...dp/157120136X/

If you are thinking of trying needle turn applique, I learned from Dierdra McElroy. She published the book That Invisible Stitch. She has really wonderful information about how to clip curves, turn the fabric under & smoothing the edge of the applique -- plus the basics about taking applique stitches and whatnot.

Learn Applique the Piece of Cake Way; Becky Goldsmith from Piece Of Cake Quilts

Wool Applique the Piece of Cake Way -- would that be a good book if I can't get the one you mention?

Wool applique is a raw-edge technique that does not work for quilting fabrics, so it would not be a good substitute (unless you are only interested in wool applique).

There seem to be several versions of the Piece o Cake book. Here is a link to them on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ce+of+Cake+Way

Ok, I think that all of these books are great. They are all going to cover transferring the pattern to your template material. Marking your fabric,placing you pieces and your needle turn technique. I'd pick one of the newer books. But they all do a pretty good job of explaining. Get an applique book that you want to make something in the book.

If you can't take a class from a teacher, I suggest you try to find some DVDs, rather than books. For hand applique, I would suggest Pearl P. Pereira or Karen Kay Buckley. You need to remember that there are many different methods of preparing your pieces -- needleturn, template and starch, back basting. There is no "right way", but many methods. Explore them all and decide what works best for you. I sometimes use more than one method in the same block. Search YouTube for tutorials.

Try looking at the video and written tutorials on One Piece At A Time - Erin Russek's website. She has free patterns and applique and pieced block BOMs. Her tutorials are detailed and have great pictures.

http://erinrussek.typepad.com/one-pi...lique-lessons/