1st Machine Applique - IS IT AWFUL? NO CLUE!
 

This is my first - a12" raw-edge machine-sewn, from a pattern and kit. I did ok with the cutting and gluing. But my dear little Janome 3160QDC does not have a blanket stitch. The shop told me to use the embroidery stitch which is like a doubled blanket stitch. I watched a nice video about how to do it, then practiced and experimented, then took the plunge.

Should I rip it out? Is it horrible? What will save it? What should I do different on the rest of the petals and leaves? HELP!

It is impossible even with plastic foot to see where one red petal leaves off and the next one begins. I don't know whether to make the stitches closer together or farther apart and if the depth of each stitch is too much.

I think it looks great. I wished my applique looked as good. Put it on your design wall an step back an look. It is beautiful.

It looks fine to me!

Looks good to me!

I have been doing it for a long time and mine doesn't look that good, don't change a thing and finish it. Good luck and don't look back look forward.

I think you're looking for imperfection! Don't, it looks great!

It looks wonderful!!!

I agree with the other posters. I looks good. Relax and enjoy the process. You might want to do practice pieces and see what changes would make you happier. From my chair you have done very well!

It doesn't look bad. Did you try a stabilizer on the back? I usually use a tear away on mine. It helps reduce the puckering.

My only suggestion would be to loosen your tension just a very little bit and see if that looks more like you envision.

Looks good to me. I use heat'n Bond fusible interfacing & that really helps. Also if you have trouble seeing where the edges of the leaves are, use a Frixion pen to outline the leaves. The Frixion pen marks simply iron off when you are finished appliquéing.

You can always use a narrow, close ,zig-zag stitch also( satin stitch). If the tiny pokies bother you, carefully cut them off with some tiny scissors. Always stop with the needle in the background ( outside of applique) before turning.

I think it looks fine.

Just a hint. I trace around each petal with either chalk or water erasable pen. Then it is much easier to see. Yours look good.

maybe a little wider stitch so the outside stitch falls more onto the background? So far, good going!

looks o.k. stop fretting, you're supposed to have fun with this, it's not work. relax and enjoy it. it doesn't look bad.

It looks fine. If it is puckering too much, a stabilizer will help or even starch. I starch my background squares very stiff before I start.

If it is possible, I also like to cut my background square larger than I want it to be when it is finished. I square it to size after the applique. That helps you fudge things a little if one side pulls up a bit more than the other.

If I were doing it, the petals would be placed behind the center. I would then not do pink stitching at the base of the petal. The yellow stitching around the center would old both. That is a design decision -- not a mistake, so don't feel I'm saying you did it wrong. I'm just trying to answer your questions about what I would do.

I love machine applique. If I were you I would shorten the stitches in both ways and what I was told is that the stitch has to be 20 % on the background and 80% in the applique. I always try to have the outer stitch on top of the edge of the applique piece, it takes some practice but it can be done. The open toe applique does all the difference on your visibility. Also, I sue stabilizer in the back and each applique is fuse to the background. To tell you the truth, I don't find your work bad, I think we sometimes are harder on ourselves than we should be and don't forget other people won't notice the details unless you tell them to look.
good luck, don't get discouraged. Keep going.
andrea

I agree. I love to do machine applique and I use the buttonhole stitch most of the time. I would also shorten the length and the width. I don't use stabilizer behind my main fabric, but I do use Heat 'N Bond Lite to fuse each piece into place. I also use the open toe foot so I can see exactly where the needle is going to land, especially when making an inside or outside corner. Practice, practice, practice---but no beating up on yourself allowed. I've improved my applique work, but I CANNOT get the free-motion quilting thing figured out at all! :)

I think it looks good. Points are always going to be hard whether it be a blanket stitch or satin stitch. I think ince you have stitched the other petals, it will all come together for you. Good advice given on the Tear away stabilizer.

I say keep on going..looks good.

Oh you are so right - the yellow piece IS on top, but it didn't occur to me to start there, so I started stitching all round the petals until light dawned and I realized I did it backwards.

Love that hint about over-sizing the background square. I am using wonder under or something similar and it is fused and stiff, but I bet it is shrinking more where there is more applique.

Thank you for your help. :)

Lisa_ and leakus thanks for your advice. One u-tube video doesn't make someone into a machine applique-er.

I finished the red petals and the berries and discovered on the tiny round berries that shortening the stitch in both directions looked better. I think I am going to give up on the 'embroidery' stitch the Janome uses which is a double-thick blanket stitch, and go for a small neat button hole on the green leaves. I don't think I have a satin stitch but I can see if my zigzag can shrink up and if I can get it to line up.

You're doing fine.

Thanks all, for the encouragement and suggestions. It is true that when I got it more than a foot from my face, it started to look a little better.

NativeTexan, (and other helpful posters!) I think I was erring on the side of not putting the needle into the background and it made the fabric edge poke up instead and look gross along the outside of the curve..

But I am worried that I shouldn't have the red stitches showing over the edge of the fabric and onto the green background. Are there applique police?

Of course if I do a buttonhole stitch it will cover up the whole edge so it won't show, right? Can't wait to go home and try it out!!! :)

For the glue-up - I traced the template shapes onto fusible web paper, cut them oversized, pressed them to the fabric, cut them out on the template lines, peeled the paper off, pressed the fabric pieces together against a piece of translucent baking paper, under which was the black-and-white drawing of the whole project, peeled it up, and ironed the completed flower-thing and the other loose pieces to the background. It stuck well, rather stiff, and I did not use a tear-away behind the background.

I've also found out that I should change the stitch length and width to accommodate the pointy bits and the tight curves. And whoever said be sure to put down needle and move fabric when needle is outside the fabric - hohoho easier said than done. Going as slow as machine will go, using foot pedal, still miss it. Had to do one up-needle down-needle button at a time.

Well, hurry 5PM! :) :) :)

If you don't like it you probably take it out. Have you tried an open-toed foot? (I think that will allow you to see the edge of each petal and where one starts and stops. I would like the stitch not a wide, have you tried that?

I usually use a zigzag stitch but yours looks great.

That's what my machine gives me to use and using it I am.....My first piece didn't look the greatest but the more I did the better it looks....I shortened my stitch length and it looks even better!! The alternative is buying another machine and that would take money away from FABRIC!!

How did you know I was trolling for a used Brother embroidery machine cheap? LOL Turns out my Janome won't do a buttonhole stitch unless you put in the buttonhole foot! So I dug out the total-open-toe which is great - tried zigzag and it seemed to create a big stiff 3-dimensional snakey line, more like you'd find around a girl scout patch, so I went back to the double-blanket thing and shortened length and width and I think it looks better. I appreciate your help!

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Can't seem to delete the duplicate picture. This is what the whole 12" finished piece will look like - all I have left to applique is the ribbon!
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Looks awfully good to me!

Looks good to me....

[ATTACH=CONFIG]445444[/ATTACH] this is it. Last time it didn't post.

It looks great to me! Step away from it for a few days.

You did just fine with the machine applique, mine doesn't always come out that good. Nice work.

Looks great to me.

I think it looks fine. Use your judgement on the size of your stitch. There is no rule to follow but what looks good to your eye.

When I do this stitch I look at the smallest pieces being sewn and adjust my stitch to look good on those. That stitch will also look good on bigger pieces. This does not work the other way around. A larger stitch may not look good on a small piece.

Also decide if you want to use the stitching as texture on the pattern or do you want it to be less noticeable or disappear into the pattern. You make this choice.

I think a standard guesstimate would be to catch at least four or five threads deep in the fabric piece for it to have a good hold, but I'm not sure about that.

I like what you are doing so far. You have a nice curve and neat stitching around the petals.

I am anxious to see the finished project. Oh! There it is, Lovely, very lovely.
peace

This is a great tip I will make use of! thanks
peace