misseva

I mostly do applique using embroidery floss and the buttonhole stitch. I just love to have something to do while watching TV or sitting talking with someone (i know!!! my dtr & i do this). I love to embroidery too.

Taino Jan

IMO Fewer people are doing needle turned but it is not dying out. We just don't have enough time. (But then pioneer women didn't have much time either!) Applique will always be admired and someone will always want to do it. Again, jusy my opinion.

mojo11

I needleturn applique. Love it so much that I quite piecing quilts. Everybody seems to be in such a hurry to get things done that many have turned to machine work, which is fine for them, but not me. I enjoy the quiet work of sewing by hand and can take it anywhere to work on. I learned by watching Simply Quilts (when it was on HGTV) and watching DVD's. Each appliquer has a little bit different way to so theirs. I have tried other methods of applique, but I always come back to the needleturn method. Seems like quilting will be lost if we don't keep teaching others. People spend big $$$$$$ and yet it seems the quilt magazine are even getting smaller with no new ideas in them anymore.

judys

I've done a little of and enjoy having something to do with my hands as my husband and I watch our favorite TV shows. I don't remember where I first saw it done with freezer paper ironed onto the RIGHT side of the applique. You just cut out your pieces a little larger than the pattern and then turn under the part outside the pattern and stitch it down with tiny stitches. It isn't quick but it is so satisfying.

Mad Mimm

My MIL does beautiful needle turn applique. I am eager to learn it, as I love Hawaiian and want to give it a whirl. I think it is one of those time issues - most people don't have as much time to sew as they would like and it is a slower technique, but I do not believe it will die out - I don't think that would be allowed by the quilters of the world.

missgigglewings

I am currently working on a AOTH quilt...I love needleturn and I love embroidry. I have done both in quilts since 1990. I know there are a lot of people who embroider beautiful pictures by machine, but I cannot bring myself to buy a pattern push a button and watch as a machine produces the beauty! No offense to my sister in Vermont and all the marvelous quilters on this board with those machines...they're just not for missgigglewings!

Jakaby

Mojo11, have you ever done on a whole cloth background of a king size quilt. I have always been a machine thread play quilter, (paint with fabric dyes and then add detail with thread play.) But a very good friend of mine had ask her mom to make her a king size Hawaiian quilt. Her mother had the blue Hawaiian pattern (all in one big piece) basted to the whole cloth white background. Then her mom got Alzheimer. When they were cleaning out her moms house they found the quilt, and my friend, knowing that I did quilting, ask me to finish it. I didn't know at the time what type of quilt it was, so I told her I would. I am getting the hang of the needle turn applique, (although the indents really give me fits,) but now I am getting farther into the middle and trying to get my had around the wad of fabric so my finger is underneath and my thumb nail on top to hold as I turn under the edge of the applique is getting almost impossible. And I am only about half way to the center of the quilt. Do you, or anyone else, have any tips for me on how to handle such a huge piece? I can only do a little bit before my hand gets too tired from holding so much fabric. I have been trying to roll it tightly but I am getting to the point that that doesn't get the wad of fabric small enough. PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP!!!!!!

carolaug

I feel the same...maybe if I did not have a full time job I would give it another shot. I do not like to hand sew though...mine look messy. I hate to hand bind. I know do not mind binding a quilt thanks to the sewing machine. I love fusible and also turning the fabric inside out like a pillow so there are no raw edges.

happymrs

I love back basting, then needle turning it! It's very addicting, but I seem to go in spurts with it. Do it for awhile, then take a break, & pretty soon, I am back at it. Very relaxing, & no machine needed!...

Dragonlily

No it's not. Needleturn appliqueur's are a growing group. There is a main group called The Applique society that has many chapters across the United States, possibly Canada also. I now they have members from around the world, I just don't kow if they have chapters there. Look for the site on the web and have fun. It takes awhile to "get it" when doing needleturn applique, the advice I was given was to keep trying, have fun and take a class from an expert needleturner once in awhile in case you start sliding in the wrong direction. After working on this type of applique for 7 years, I took an expert class and discovered what I didn't know I was doing oddly. My stitches were too big and I learned to do them smaller. You can also have your work critiqued at a quilt show or ask your local quilt shop if they do needle turn or if they know someone who does who could offer you some advice.