Satin Stitching around an applique
 

I did some satin stitching (really close zig-zag???) around some applique pieces and it's wavy and bumpy. Is there anything I can do to smooth it down? Will washing the quilt (when it's done) smooth it down? I have a Bernina Artista 185 - is there a certain stitch I'm supposed to use instead of making a zig-zag really "short"? Sorry I don't know the correct terminology . . . I'm super new at this stuff! :o)

Did you use any type of stabilizer? When I do a satin stitch around an applique, I use a tear-away stabilizer underneath the fabric and it makes it come out really smooth.

I used heat-n-bond. Was I supposed to use a stabilizer in addition to or instead of heat-n-bond???

This usually happens because the thread is filling in really close. Sometimes washing it will flatten it out. You could dampen it and see if that would help. Hope it works out for you.

Even using heat and bond you should have some sort of stabilizer on the bottom of you block. Also loosen up the zig zag stich a little. It may have been too tight. I always have a piece of scrap fabric to try out my stitches before I do it on my block

Welcome CoolJulUtah...what part of utah, I am in Cedar City and currently watching the snow fall. SewBeadIt gave the one piece of advise I am awful at following...test out your stitch first,,,,,gosh if I would just learn that I would save myself alot of heartache. You can try ironing your piece w/ steam & a pressing cloth sometimes that works for me, but I also agree use a stabilizer and loosen up your stitches.

If you are not uptting batting on the back for trapunto, then you must us stabilizer, you were appqulieing so the fuzable was on the topof you backgroung fabric, so you have to put something underneath the background fabric under the applique, I saw a lady even use computer paper and then tear it away afterwards. Check out patsy thompons videos on Utube. youll see why.

You really need to use a stabiliser under the material to stop the puckering and waving of the material when you are doing dense sewing and embroidery as it helps to support the amount of stitching you are doing. If you are stitching really heavily, you should put a couple of sheets underneath, or a thick enough stabiliser to take the weight.

Hi, I have the same machine. In my experience some kind of stabilizer would help. Something as cheap and thin as some tissue paper. I have recently been sewing little appliques on the "pillowcase" dresses I have been making. I find that using the thinnest fusiable and just heating it enough to have it stick down works the best. Many of the fabrics I am using for the dresses are cotton blends and rather thin. They are going to the tropics so heavier fabrics are not welcome. It also helps if you very gently guide the item being appliqued and don't push. It might be a good idea to practice on some scrap stuff until you get the right touch. That also gives you the opportunity to play around with the stitch width etc.

I not only use a two sided stabilizer to bond my design to my base fabric but also something like Totally Stable (a tearaway) on the bottom of the entire block or whatever you are appliquing. You also need to be sure you are using the correct foot for satin stitching as the wrong foot can cause it to not feed correctly. Also you might check the density of your stitching and loosen (widen the length of the stitch) a little til it looks correct.
Hope you can get the puckers out with moistening and pressing. Good Luck!