Hi, ya'll. I am going to be making an applique quilt for my daughter soon. She wanted horses instead of the pattern I have been collecting fabrics for these last 8 years! I am going to be using the same creme background fabric in another quilt, but don't want to be short. How much will needleturn shrink the background fabric of the block? The finished size will be 12"x12". If I cut them 13" square will that be enough? Or should I make them 14"? Thanks!

I would think that would be fine

Ummm. Which? 13 or 14?

13 would be plenty - good luck with it

Thanks! You guys are fast with your replies. If I was wanting to cut tonight I could. Love this place!

it really depends on your stitching style...sometimes your 'shrink-up' can be quite a bit, or very uneven depending on the peices and how tight you draw up your threads, lots of variables and never the same results for 2 different people. i would recommend making a smaller practice block, maybe cut a 6" block, applique it, press it and then remeasure...that would give you an idea if you tend to pull it up lots or not much at all. and base you decision on that. personally i always allow 2-3 extra inches that way i have plenty of trimming/squaring room when the block is done. and i can use the strips cut off for other projects.

If you are doing just hand needle turn applique (not raw edge when you stich over the edges with your sewing machine), I would say you probably will have little to no shrinkage. I just finished a needle turn block all done by hand and I have no shrinkage. But I know when you cover the edges of a raw applique on a machine there is often shrinkage with that though. I have been cutting my backgrounds about 1 inch wider and longer just to be safe and have been fine.

Rachel

I agree that it is never the same for 2 different people. For some there is no shrinkage at all, whereas others sometimes pull on their stitches a little more and it is there where you will see variations. I tend to cut my blocks about an 1 larger. What I have noticed is that sometimes the edges become wavy, so this works for me because it gives me plenty of space to trim. Good luck with your project!

May also depend on how much applique you plan to do. A lot or a small amount of applique? I agree with doing a sample block.

I am going to be using the back basting method of needle turn. I did three practice blocks, but I didn't measure the size of the background first. I just grabbed some scraps. And the practice was to decide if I wanted to do needle turn or fusable. I tried Steam a Seam lite and Misty Fuse and the back basting thing. All the blanket stitches I did by hand. The pattern book is Just Horsing Around by the lady who did the cat, dog and bunny applique books. I forget her name right now. Anyway, I will be doing the nine different foals. But my practice was two lambs and a kitty.