Learning to applique
 

Can you direct me to a good tutorial to learn how to applique? I was gifted applique patterns but need more instructions than was provided.

Have some fusible interfacing but not paper backed. When do you need that stuff?

Thanks for the help.

Applique is not one of my strong skills -- but there are some things I will do from time to time, so I know there are different ways to do things.

So might get more pertinent help with what sort of patterns or designs you want to work with.

For me, I usually have large shapes and do the technique where I draw on one-sided light weight fusing, and then sew in tiny machine stitches around the boundary. You cut a slit in the interfacing and turn the fabric right side out, the seams folded in and then the whole thing gets fused in place.

But I have friends who are absolute masters with the turning the edges, or the finish stitching the raw edges, or other styles.

There are books available - and probably many videos.

Ellie sienkiewicz has a book that shows several hand applique techniques.

be careful with that fusible stuff. It sticks really really well to the iron. And it is hard to remove from fabric if misplaced.

I love the Karen Kay Buckley method and have been doing it that way for years. It is also called prepared applique. You trace the shape on heat resistant mylar plastic, cut out the shape. Cut your fabric using the cut template adding a 1/4" seam allowance. use starch on the seam allowance and iron the seam allowance over the edge of the shape. Place your shape on the background fabric and hold using small dots of glue. I then hand sew it or you can machine sew it. I love doing applique. My favorite patterns are part pieced and part applique.
I hope you enjoy whatever method you choose.

It all depends on whether you want to do your applique by hand or machine, or whether you want to turn the edges under or just fuse and stitch down the shapes. There are so many techniques you might use, and all are worth knowing. The book Applique Applique Applique is a good starter, but I would advise taking a class, either in person or online. I advise starting with large pieces. Some commercial patterns are really complicated and tiny - they can frustrate you on what is really a very fun technique to use. Have fun!

I love applique! I was taught to draw picture on backside of fabric. On front, cover area with fabric for that area. Starched and ironed. Sew from backside, straight stitch along drawn line around the piece. Turn to front and carefully cut away excess close to straight stitched line. Satin stitch around pieces.

Youtube has a lot of great tutorials, but I will say applique pins are a game changer, they are short, sharp and fine.

Pat, I.use the same method with starch but find the template plastic to be slippery, especially with wet starch on it.

The solution I’ve found is to use bakery cardboard. It has a waxy side that resists the wet starch for a little while.

I just made 18 perfectly round circles that way. The big pain was lining them, so the background didn’t show through. Ugh.

I machine- sewed around them with the Juki, using the new short compensating foot. You can barely see the stitching.

Because it was for a baby, though,I did other rows of stitching, too. :)

charlotte

It is good to learn other ways of doing things. The template plastic is expensive !! And I do have the problem with the template moving on me. I also don't like lining my shapes. But is needed sometime.
Thanks for the idea!
Pat