To Quilt, or not?
 

I have this Creative Iron fusible laser cut applique kit. It included all the fabric, plus backing, and enough for binding. I'm going to finish it. I'm trying to decide if it needs to be quilted, or can it just be bind off, and that's all?

It's a wall hanging. Here's the link to what it is.


Would you quilt it, so it doesn't gap, and stays together? Which color thread would you use?

What a beautiful pattern. Does the pattern have any instructions for how to finish it? I would think you might have to put something sturdy around the top so that it won't sag.

I highly doubt that the project will maintain it's shape without batting and quilting stitches. Most Iron on appliques are recommended to be blanket or satin stitched around the edges of the applique. Most times it is done before layering the quilt, but with this being a smaller WH, the pattern directions might suggest you do it after layering, thereby letting the seam act as the quilting. The invisible monofilament thread is used by many or the Deco Bob 80 weight thread. Both will be almost invisible.

I look forward to seeing your finished project.

I'm adding batting and binding ofcourse, but the instructions say it requires very little quilting. After I figure out which thread color, I think I'm going to quilt around the longer areas. I like the idea of invisible thread.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]499414[/ATTACH]

Oh, I was right. That is really pretty. And it sounds quick too.

It is beautiful. If I were making it I would layer, then take black thread and do a machine blanket stitch around all the edges. That would completely secure the appliqué and quilt it at the same time.

I would just stitch the larger areas with the black thread just so it won't sag. Very pretty.

Not sure if this is a fair comparison or not, but I just recently LA'd a fusible applique wall hanging. Many of the tiny bits of fusible were unfusing. I believe this is because the maker did not prewash her fabrics and the factory sizing prevented the glue in the fusible from making a permanent bond. Did you prewash your background piece?

The top I just did was made a few years ago and had been unfolded and refolded several times. Many of the intricate tiny little bits were unfusing as well as some of the bigger pieces. I was able to hit them again with a hot iron to refuse but they were coming loose again while I was quilting. I had to lay down a LOT of thread in the quilting process to ensure this wallhanging would last for a very long time without the fusible coming up again. Because your gorgeous Nativity scene wallhanging will probably only be displayed during the holiday season it will be folded up and put away a lot. I would make sure you secure your fusing with stitching of some sort. Even a machine straight stitch around the entire perimeter of the laser cut applique would be better than nothing at all and it can double as your quilting.

I made it in 2007, but never quilted it. It's sat in a box. The instructions say not to prewash the fabric, and I've had no troubles at all with it coming unfused. I think I'll take a test scrap, and see what black looks like. I might do the binding in black as well. I'm not sure if I have enough for the binding.

And I think I'll go around the large area in black, but it will show the black threads on the back. That might not look very good. I'll do a swatch first.

How about the arch, and the roof of the inn? That should be enough to hold it together.

It says what fusible it is...What a great idea to use black backing!

I have the entire set of hangings all appliqued down. In my pattern, there are lines to be quilted to hold it together. Otherwise, it might sag if you try to hang it.

I made bunches of these (mine were not precut) I stitched around all the black figures with black thread. It didn't take that long. I figured I wanted it to last -- the quilting did add another dimension. But it is your quilt-- do what you want.

The pattern i have is vague...but I saw the other set. i might get it.

I made a wall hanging similar to yours a few years ago and stitched all the raw edges with a black metallic embroidery thread. Took awhile to get my tensions set for the metallic thread but I really liked the end look. And I did use a denim needle because it has a larger eye which the metallic thread seemed to like better that than the metallic needle.

I would use Edyta Sitar's applique method with a teeny tiny zigzag stitch. Make a sample for your machine. I did one of her quilts and loved doing this method. Mine went like this: Tension = between 0 & 1-- Width = 1.5 -- Length = 1.0 - The stitch should just show a little of the zig zag very very small stitches (not a satin stitch) and it is very fine. You have to experiment. You applique entirely inside the very edge of your figures that you are appliqueing and with the blanket stitch the middle section of the stitch would be outside the design. I think that around the family figures especially, you would need an invisible stitch. Edyta also uses invisible thread. (Just my opinion.) The main question answer--you definitely need to quilt it. I see some frays on the picture already just from handling it. This is a gorgeous piece and you did a super job so far. I even looked up where you got it--absolutely love it. Good Luck!

Next time I go to Joanne's, I'll get some invisible thread. Our machine uses Guterman's, according to the Viking people. I'll get some black backing. I'll have to get batting for my large quilt, which top should be done tonight, and backing. So excited. 2 projects will be done.

It's over 7 years old, and it's held up well for how long it's been in the box.

I have three of those but never got them together, however I thought you ironed on the design, layered it and then quilted by sewing down both sides of each of the black "lines" so nothing slips and it is quilted all at the same time.

I started it but ran out of thread. I swatched it, and orange thread looks good, so that's what I'm using. I'm sewing very close to the black, sometimes catching it. My machine does pretty good for this one, but anything bigger, I'm taking to the shop with the long arm machine.

That is how I handled it. It came out very well and I hang it every Christmas, roll it during the rest of the year. All is well.

I've not stitched that much that I can't go and do that. How do you machine blanket stitch around the little places?

Last year I did one from a kit for my DGD and quilted it twice and took it out before I made up my mind it looked better not quilted. I love yours, it is beautiful.