I have watched every video I could find on hand applique. It looks easy on line. I have practiced and practiced but it always looks terrible.
What is the best way to applique small pieces ??
I dont like the look of raw edge with light weight fusible.
And turn under doesnt seem to turn out right either. I have tried putting the paper on top and turning on the seem.. I have tried to outline the pattern on the material and turn under, I have tried to pin it on and turn under. Every technique I try looks bad.
So I am coming to all my helpful friends on the board again.
Any Advice ?

To have nice and even hand aplique it takes practice. Lots and lots of practice.

We might could be a bit more specific with help if you posted a few pictures.

If you know someone who does applique' well and ask them to show you the way they do it, it may help. I have had several different friends show me their method and have taken what works for me from them. Other than that I agree that it takes pactice, pactice, pactice.

You might want to check out some of the advice on the Affairs of the Heart Cyber Sew main thread. Go to the bottom of this page and click on Topic list. It is at the top of that list. There is a kind of tutorial for alot of the blocks.

Personally, I learned by cutting out the pattern on freezer paper, ironing it to my fabric, painting startch on the seam allowance and turning the edges under and pressing. I then stitched the applique to the background. I am currently trying to force myself to give up the freezer paper and learn to "truly" needle turn. I have found a couple of things that help me out-

1. Most important- match your thread to your applique piece, not the background.

2. Cut your seam allowance more narrow. I tend to want to leave them too big, which makes it harder to turn under and lumpy to boot.

3. Take smaller, closer together stitches. Long stitches allow lumpy points on the edge.

4. Take your time...I cannot do it quickly although I hope with more practice I'll move quicker.

Good luck!

I do needle-turn applique mostly. I draw around my pattern on the top and then turn it in with my needle along my drawn line. The trick is not to try to turn more that a few threads at a time and make small stitches. While trying to perfect the needle turn technique I often used a toothpick with a washable glue stick and glued the edges in before I stitched them. That worked too.

someone posted this today - 'cheater's applique'. did you see it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ni__...eature=related

Yes, thats what I came back to add.... use a toothpick almost as much as I use the needle! LOL!

That is so weird.. I was just watching that... I wonder if that would help until I got better.

Have you tried Reverse Applique?
Look at my applique photo here, it's all done using Reverse Applique.
Draw your shapes on the fabric first, then do a fat cut out inside your drawn shapes and cut little slits all the way to the drawn line of your fabric, then add your fabric from the bottom, not the top, (that's why it's called Reverse Applique)....., use a small dab of glue to hold the fabric applique in place, get your thread, good comfortable needle, and little scissors ( I use hand quilting needles for myself because the stitches come out smaller, just my preference there).

Here are the blocks I was working on, and then the finished quilt.

I just watched this and decided that I must try it. Thanks for sharing.