I am looking to start appliquing and I have a few questions. Is the blind hem stitch the same as when you hem/bind your quilt? and how do I turn the edges under if I dont have any freezer paper, or something. I want to applique some four leaf clovers, and I'm sort of stuck, and am having issues cutting it out right. Any help would be greatly apperciated
Thank you
Emily

I haven't hand appliqued in awhile, but FWIW here's my info. The blind hem stitch is the one where most of the stitch is buried in the fold. Ami Simms does it this way. You bring your needle up through the background fabric, then take a stitch along the fold so thread is buried inside the fold, then take the needle down through the background fabric.

Some appliquers just use an overcast stitch, though. I had difficulty with the blind hem, so I used an overcast. I would bring the needle straight up from underneath to catch 2 threads of the fold, then go straight back down. I carried the stitch underneath the fabric.

I was taught needle-turn applique, which doesn't use freezer paper. For this method, you trace your outline lightly in pencil on the good side of the fabric. Rough cut around the outline, and pin the piece where it belongs, using at least 2 pins so it doesn't move. Applique pins help with this, as they are very short and don't get in your way. You fine-cut 1/8th to 1/4th of an inch out from your pencil outline only a couple of inches at a time (not the whole applique piece at one time). Fold under about an inch at a time and hand stitch until you need to cut some more. Clip in to within a couple of threads of your penciled outline only where you have to, on inside curves or corners (such as the indentation of a heart motif).

You might want to search the You Tube.com website for lessons on Needle Turn Applique. There a so many different ways to do it. Any time you hear someone say use freezer paper, translate that to...make a template out of card stock or even a cereal box and trace around the template on the right side of the fabric. You can also draw your design onto paper, hold up to a window and trace it onto your fabric. Use whatever type of pen/pencil/chalk (not ball point pens) that will show the line the best. As you turn under the edge, just make sure the line does not show.

As you start stitching, don't turn under anymore that a stitch or two at a time, that makes for smoother edges.

Hope this helps,

Hi Emily.

Under the tutorial section, someone has posted a great lesson. Check it out.

I prefer to use freezer paper. I started out doing applique w/ the fusibles like Heat N Bond and Wonder Under. It's only within the last year or so that I decided I would learn how to do it by hand. It takes alot of practice and TIME! Not sure how soon you need your shamrocks. PM me if you need help w/ specifics.

Good luck :wink:

Hi Emily

I love to do applique. My favorite way is using fusible web. I don't iron down I sew it with a blind hem stitch. For more information check out my site http://www.appliquequiltdesigns.com/hand-applique.html

Janie

Thank you! One other question - where would I get fusible web?
I need to get it done in march 4th

You can buy it at Wal-Mart--look for Heat N Bond LITE--it's the purple writing. You can sew thru it--the ULTRA you can't get your machine's needle through--it gums up.

Some fabric stores sell Wonder Under by the yard too. I used to be able to buy it off the bolt at Joanns. Not sure if they still sell it that way but I'd be surprised if they did not.

hth,

Emily...check out at: www.allpeoplequilt.com

go check out their free video on machine applique...you will love it!! And, to hold your edge down on the freezer paper...can use washable elmer's glue! Hope this helps...Skeat...who loves their applique by machine method