Your tips for applique NOT needle turn
 

Bought templates. Have background fabric. Have fusible interfacing. What are your tips for a newbie.

First question I have...do I need to put more fab under background fab to prevent puckering?

Not going to do any hand sewing. Plan to use slanted blanket stitch.

I think the best looking non hand sewn applique has a backing of interfacing sewn to the shape, turned and then machine sewn to the background. I use a glue stick to hold the applique in place and then sew it to the background. You could sew fusible interfacing to the shape and turn then press to hold in place while sewing. Be sure the glue side is next to the fabric before sewing to shape.

I suggest shrinking all fabrics before cutting them.

Fabrics do not shrink evenly. Some shrink more lengthwise. Some shrink more widthwise. very seldom does a fabric shrink
equally in both directions.

I now follow vicki welsh s method for preparing fabrics for cutting.

will someone please post the link? I do not know how to from my phone.

Generally. FusibleS cstick better to washed fabric which HAS NOT had a y fabric softeners used.

Fabric softeners impede the adhesion of the fusibles.

@bearisgray Your wish is my command! 😉

Here's the link to the Vicki Welsh site .... https://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com

Thanks. One has to wade through quite a bit of writing to get to her method of soaking new fabric in hot water for seversl hours to make sure that most of the excess dye is released from the fabric.

I know that these preliminary steps are "a bother" - but a bleed or serious shrinkage is a bigger bother.

I used a non-woven foundation such as Pattern Ease foundation.

Getting sharp points can be a problem with machine applique if I use the method where you sew interfacing to the shape and turned before machine sewing. So I just use something like Steam a Seam 2, cut out the shape, and iron it down. I often put tear away stabilizer on the back of the block before machine stitching so that the background doesn't pucker.

Same as Mkotch -- but I use the Steam a Seam 2 lite. And I found Schmetz needles that are nonstick, which makes it easier to applique by machine. Fusible doesn't stick to needle.