Removing Freezer Paper
 

To date I've not done a lot of hand applique, but my daughter picked Kim Mclean's "Flower Garden" (in 1800's fabrics) for a wedding quilt. The techniques that give me the best results mean that I've got to cut the back of the applique on many of the blocks to remove the freezer paper.

Anyone mend the slits with a fast whip stitch or fusible web, Just In Case? Or am I being overly concerned?

Thanks

I think you may be overly concerned. On the appliques that I have done, I cut away most of the fabric from the back of the applique. However, I quilt over the applique itself, so that secures everything. If you are concerned, and your quilting will not go over the applique I would use single sided fusible featherweight interfacing. Do a test on scrap fabric to make sure it's not stiff.

I agree with Paper Princess. It sounds like you are doing what a lot of people usually do with appliques anyway.

Once I applique the shape on, I turn the block or quilt top over and cut away the background that the applique covers, leaving about a quarter-inch seam allowance around the stitching. That way your quilt isn't too heavy or hard to quilt through.

Edited to add: perhaps trying a different method of prepping your applique might give you satisfactory results without having to deal with pulling freezer paper out?

I used to prepare my appliques with freezer paper. Someone gave me some heat-resistant template plastic (brand name is Templar) and it was so awesome, I never looked back. I can reuse the same piece multiple times, vs. freezer paper which seemed to get soggy with spray starch. The template plastic is see-through, which is awesome for fussy cutting.

If you have Kim McLean' s pattern, I would check to see her applique method. There are many ways to do applique. I use the freezer paper on top to trace around my applique piece with a white chalk pencil. Then take the freezer paper off. I don't cut behind my applique. I think it makes the background fabric unstable.

Thank you for your responses. sewingitall - Kim's instructions are 'terse' with most devoted to efficient placement of rectangles when cutting them out; I had tried the outline method, but was unhappy with the way my curves came out, too many noticeable (to me) angles showing up.

I never whippstitch the fabric that I cut behind the applique piece. I actually cut it away within 1/4" of the stitched on edge.

I needle turn applique and never cut out the fabric behind the applique. I also feel that it makes the block unstable.

When I do applique with freezer paper I DO NOT cut out the back, I stitch all around the applique leaving a small portion unstitched, reach into that open portion with a hemostat(surgical forcep) or treezers, loosen the freezer paper from the fabric and pull it out, then finish by stitching the opening.