Learning Needle Turn Applique
 

I've enjoyed making hexes so much I decided to continue learning hand methods. I will try to needle turn my hexes on square blocks. Any advice? I'm learning by watching Youtube videos.

Funny 20 years ago I pieced dozen of quilts by machine, hand quilted a few and never ever pieced one block. Now I find I like hand better.

Heard a good analogy: Difference between sewing by hand and machine is like walking-- taking a stroll, enjoying the view, or getting there quickly in the car.
Thanks

I have done some hex quilts such as GFG but I recently thought how neat it would be to applique on on a square of fabric. With my limited needle turn ability, I use interfacing, stitch it on with a larger stitch, slit the interfacing and turn block inside out carefully pressing. Then I remove the interfacing and it is ready for needle turn. Maybe I cheat since I don't have to turn the seam under with a needle. But it works for me !! :)

I am addicted to NTA. That is about allI do anymore. I suggest you look at all the videos you can find. I learned the freezer paper method then progressed to back basting. I use either a Sharpe needle or milliners needle and my choice of thread is YLI silk. You don't have to buy all the colors. The neutrals work just fine. The one I use most is YLI 235. Hope you enjoy applique as much as I do.

Mostly use youtube tutorials myself -for me I muchprefer learning visually.

Interesting you said progressed to back basting (assuming that is the same as needle turning). Would I miss anything by beginning with needle turn?

I found out about back basting. Thanks.

If you are doing your hexies by EPP, you could press well with a squirt of starch before you remove the papers, and it would be ready for applique. Remove the last row of papers as you go. This is what I did on the border of my avatar quit. I like to do applique, but prefer the "prepared" method. If you aren't doing EPP, I have no advise.

Check out Erin Russek's blog also: erinrussek.typepad.com/one-piece-at-a-time

She is an editor at McCalls (I THINK). She has tutorials on there for preparing pieces and often runs a BOM. I think there is an old one on there still : Mimi's Bloomers. Just saw a sneak peak of something on her design wall for an upcoming BOM.

I am planning on working on some prepared pieces for traveling. I DO love backbasting tho!~

This lady has some great tutorials on Youtube, but they're hard to find as they're on the expert village channel. You can find more of them by searching the expert village channel, but here are a couple:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkJ8xk8Fklo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCO5P3-IGk

Ok, I'm stumped. What is back basting? Is that like when I baste hexies before I sew them?