Help With Applique
 

I made a Chevron quilt in teals. grays and whites for my daughter's baby, gender unknown. She had a girl and wanted me to add pink elephants to it. It was machine pieced and simply quilted. I used light weight fusible webbing to add a mama and baby elephant to the bottom of the quilt. It is backed with fleece and has no batting. The problem is how to finish the applique? I am scared to satin stitch around the edges. Any suggestions??
I will try to down load a picture if that will help.
Thanks!
Sharon
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Since the quilt is already quilted, I would have probably done needle turn for the applique. However since you've already ironed it on with fusible, you could just stitch about 1/4" inside the elephants and their ears to pin it down. The edges will fray a little, but I think that will look cute. Or you could possibly use a zigzag. Like you, I'm afraid that a satin stitch or other decorative stitch would not feed evenly through the machine at this point. Normally you would do the applique before quilting, but good for you that you got such a cute quilt made in time for the birth.

I never satin stitch any of my appliques- I do not like the heavy stitching- I would use a small zigzag, blanket stitch or straight stitch= the blanket stitch and zigzag will 'finish' the edges- the straight stitch will mean it will fray a little around the appliques.

Very cute quilt! :thumbup:

You could remove the elephants and do a new applique. What I would do is draw the elephants and use a lightweight backing, then satin/zigzag stitch around, THEN cut out the figures. You could then apply them to the quilt and straight stitch, just inside the satin/zigzag stitching.

You should be able to reheat the fusible and peel the elephants off. If you position the new ones over the old spots, all will be well.

"We" were sure it was a boy!! :) She did not opt to find out and carried opposite the way she carried her daughter! Tricky little one.

Thank you for the suggestions! I should have asked here before getting all crazy and going ahead with the applique. I have made many quilts, but only appliqued 2! I am a Nervous Nellie when it comes to applique.

I think I will do a quarter inch inside the edges and ears and hand embroider an eye and tail fringe on each.

Live and Learn!!
Sharon
PS I appliqued prior to sandwiching and quilting on the other 2. This was a special request.

Do as suggested and stitched them down close to the edge as you can with a straight stitch. Maybe even a couple of lines of stitching and then fray check the heck out of them. With enough fray check they won't fray hardly at all.

Well, I gave it 4 tries using 3 different methods :( I will be removing the elephants and either leaving it blank (depending on residue from the fusible webbing) or appliqueing a simpler pink something there. My daughter understands and just requested a fuzzy blankie for the baby for Christmas. Good thing the baby has a full head of hair! No one should mistake her for a boy ;)

Thank you for the input! Lesson well learned...ask here first!:thumbup:
Sharon