Has anyone ever put a sheet of paper behind your fabric when machine appliqueing?? Ive seen a couple of tutorials using this method.

My question is (tutorial wasnt clear) would you HAVE to use stailizer then?

Im getting ready to do some appliqueing letters on a quilt and I dont want the letters to end up stiff (from fusible). Thoughts, ideas suggestions???

I've done this before. It works okay, but it leaves quite the mess of needle-punched paper. It works as a stabilizer of sorts.
However, I would suggest using Lite Steam-A-Seam 2 as a fusible, and then stabilize it with some tear-away stabilizer. Lite SAS2 still allows some flexibility so your appliques don't end up 'stiff.'

paper IS the stabilizer then

This is also what I do. I find paper to thick and messy. I have at one time pulled loose stitching trying to tare away paper.

I just purchased some Sulky Heat-Away which is a stabalizer you use then you hit it with a hot iron and it brushes off leaving no residue. I haven't tried it myself but my sister has and she loves it. THe heat from the iron disintegrates it.

Reminds me of Mission Impossible when once they listened to the tape it disintegrated it.

:D

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: So funny.

paper towels work very well and are easy to remove.

I think I will try this. :) Thanks

I only use stabilizer when doing some solid stitch like satin stitch. If I am doing blanket stitch around applique, I do not use a stabilizer. The fusible itself acts as a stabilizer, so I feel no further stabilizer is necessary. Doing Satin stitch, for a stabilizer, you can use paper, something that can be torn away after the stitching is done.

The paper is the stabilizer.

Have seen a lot of freezer paper used. In fact I quilted a baby quilt for a friend who used freezer paper and didn't get it all out. I checked with her and she said it would wash soft and be OK ... so I quilted it.

Personally, I'll try a paper towel or go back to stabilizer. Though freezer paper is OK for a class project where I am just learning a technique and not making a work of art.

ali

Good info.

I use white tissue paper like you use when wrapping gifts. Often one side is slightly glossed and if so I try to put this on the machine bed. I sometimes use a dab or two of glue stick to hold it in place. I use a satin stitch and it tears off easily. This was the way I was taught to do applique 25 years ago, I've never switched and bought expensive stabilizer.