Mazo

I’m hoping someone can straighten me out. I’m trying to make a leaf appliqué with about 6 leaves, 5 inches tall. I’ve made a few practice pieces and can’t seem to make one of these without some type of puckering usually along the stem where leaf meets. I’m using a thin web on the back and turning inside out. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.[img]blob:https://www.quiltingboard.com/1abe3327-51f4-46e5-89aa-8fe7b45c3e7c[/img]

I tried to attach a pic and am having a hard time with it on my mobile device.

Hopefully it made sense what I’m trying to do.
Thanks again.

Tartan

If I understand that you are sewing around the shape with light weight interfacing and then turning right side out.....any sharp angles will have a tendency to wrinkle or pucker if you don’t clip into the angle. It is tricky because if you clip to far, you run the danger of the appliqué fraying when you turn it right side out.

Mazo

That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. I don’t think I clipped the edges... will try that. Thank you!!

Pic below- maybe

Gay

Before turning, clip all the corners and curves all around, almost to the stitching line, like where I have marked in red. Should make for a much neater fold.

Mazo

Thank you- it looks much better. I’m planning to stitch around the inside with a straight stitch.

For the footprints, I made the with freezer paper and pressed the edges down. I used the fray stop on those where the indents are —- I’m guessing this is a preference question; how would you stitch around the footprints? I’m planning to use the machine for it.
Thanks, as always, appreciate the help.

Barb in Louisiana

Since this looks like it is for a child and will probably get a lot of use and washing, I would suggest, fusing down in the inner part with Steam-A-Seam Lite. Or any fusible that is machine washable and can be sewn with a sewing machine needle. You don't need anything heavy. Or you can do some actual stitching in the interior as accents.

Then, you have several choices... a straight stitch inside the edges, a small zig zag on the edge or a combination of both. A heavy blanket stitch around the edges could make the applique too stiff. My friend uses 90 or 100 wt thread and a very small zig zag and just catches the edges. You can not tell it wasn't hand done.

I think the spines on the dinosaur should be left loose, so I think sewing just inside the outside edge with a zig zag stitch would look cute.