Applique Techniques

If you trace your design to the SHINY (not dull) side of the freezer paper and iron to the wrong side of the fabric, your design will NOT come out in reverse. It will come out exactly like the pattern!

I don't like the stiff appearance of fused applique.  So after I trace the shape to my fusible web, I cut 1/4" around the INSIDE of the web before fusing it to my fabric.  This way just the edges of the applique are fused and the center is soft!

one of the best and cheapest way i have found to stablize any applique or embroidery is to use newspaper. you do have to worry about the print rubbing off on light fabrice but you can buy it in blank sheets and it is cheap like I said.

An easy way to create a template for you applique is to use the Press n Seal wrap made by Glad.  The wrap will stick to the pattern for your applique and you trace the design directly onto the wrap.  Then pull the wrap off of the pattern and press it to your fabric.  Simply cut along the lines that you traced and then remove the wrap from the fabric.  The template made from the Press n Seal won't shift as you trace the pattern or cut your fabric.

The first Applique I made was the sunbonnet kids. I did not leave extra material to fold under so the dolls would not ravel when washed. I found an easy way to leave extra material so you can fold under. I am also a scrapbooker and I have a "Magic Matter" that is metal circles in 4 differed diminsions. I used the 1/4 circle and traced around my template and then traced my template. Then I cut out the designe and folded the 1/4 over lay in and ironed.

If you fussy cut a lot of shapes to enhance a landscape or applique design, I have found that using even smaller, incredibly sharp scissors sometimes tedious.  I discovered that using an exacto knife and an Olfa Rotary Point cutter much faster and often more prescise.  It helps to back your fabric with Heat and Bond, or spray with heavy duty starch.  Many of my designs are intricate, and this technique combined with a light box yields terrific results. 

I tend to use a lot of Emboidery thread to applicae and embelish my work as it stands out much nicer than sewing thread. 

Since most does not come on spools, if I don't have extra spools to wrap it on, I use emptied toilet tissue holders.  Just tape one end to the roll, wind the thread around, then cut a small slit to hold the loose end. 

This can then be stood on a large spool holder for use with a machine, or used easily for hand use, without the tangled mess you would normally have.

If you don't have a sandpaper board to hold your fabric steady in order to trace around a template, try putting a sheet of fine sandpaper on a regular clipboard and using it instead. Works great and it's easy to replace. You can also use the clip to hold your templates and keep them together.

When layering applique pieces with fusible web I use parchment paper as a pressing sheet. The fusible doesn't stick to the parchment paper and I can then press and lift off the applique pieces.

I found that if I take small pieces of stablizer (the sticky on both sides kind) and cut squares and place them in the middle . I like

because if I make a mistake on the edge of my sewing, I can easily take out the stitches and the edges are free from stablizer. and I don't have to cut the whole project I m working on.

                                  sewldy1