Tacking down large applique
 

I am down to the final week (I hope!) of finishing up my Sunbonnet nightmare quilt & keep debating about what to do with my Sunbonnet Sues/Sams to best secure them. They are 9.5" x 4.5" needle turn applique that so far all I have done is stitch around the outline for quilting. I picked beautiful 1930's repro fabrics that I really don't want to detract from with lots of quilting. I've been thinking about just "ditch" quilting the pieces along the internal edges & maybe add some tiny crosshatching in the boys' hats to make them look like woven straw in a matching Aurifil 50wt. Normally I'd use 50wt for everything, but that would require a dozen thread changes so I'd rather go with a thinner thread that doesn't have to match.

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I'd love to keep it all cotton & am thinking about Mettler 60/2 cotton in cream & grey for the outline stitching. Or else I would go with a YLI 100wt silk. Has anyone used either of those on a bed quilt? How did it launder? I really don't want them to show, but it would be worse if the threads snapped because they were too thin to handle a trip through the washer (my sister is great about washing on cold & using low heat to dry). I definitely am not willing to consider poly or rayon thread, but am otherwise open to suggestions.

Also, if anyone has thoughts about something other than ditch quilting the applique that would still let the fabrics really shine through, please share. :)

Thank you!!!

I just ditched with matching thread where ever I could to secure them down: the hem, sleeve, bonnet.

I am not a fan of Sue or Sam but I have to say this is one of the better designs I've seen them used in a quilt. I think your quilt is beautiful.

Thanks. MQ, I may have to do that, I just counted and it would mean 13 thread changes. Not super keen on that if I can avoid it. Thanks for the compliment, 1by1.

Still hoping someone on Board has experience with YLI silk or Mettler 60/2 so I know if I can just use those.

Your quilt is awesome. I love it.

I switched from silk to Bottom Line and have been very happy with it's washability, performance, and ability to sink invisibly into the fabric. But you have specified you don't want poly, which is what Bottom Line is. :(

By the way - the reason I switched is because I could get one of those donuts full of pre-wound bobbins in a plethora of colors, instead of purchasing several different spools of silk. It was a much more economical option.

Peggi, did the quilts with silk thread wash okay?

I much prefer Aurifill to Mettler because it makes much less lint in the machine. And the silk, while it does a nice job it has shine to it that I'm not crazy about. It is also expensive. Silk is known to be strong but not when wet. If you use it I would pick it up gently when you wash it.

i hope your sister doesn't wash and dry this beauty too much. Machines are hard on any quilt.