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Apr
9
Clipping
Filed Under Freezer paper on the back, Freezer paper on top, Hand appliqué, Needleturn, Turned edge | Leave a Comment
To clip or not to clip, that is today’s question.
Quilting professionals have differing opinions on how to handle clipping. Here’s my personal best advice on the subject.
NOTCHES
V’s, valleys, inside points, crannies… they go by a lot of names. Whatever you call ‘em, some teachers advocate clipping all the way to the bottom. I clip almost to the bottom. The way I stitch notches, by taking a slightly bigger bite with the needle, then snugging the stitch down, it works out better to have a couple threads to grab.
CURVES
Inside curves: Again the divide… to the line, or almost to the line. I’m a fan of a series of shallow clips on inside curves. If you’re using a small 3/16″ turn-under margin, you shouldn’t have to clip deeply to get the fabric to turn under nicely.
Outside curves: No, I say, no clip! Again, the scant margin allows the fabric to go under without wrinkling up on itself, causing “the pokies.” If you clip this outer curve, the fabric has a tendency to go loosey-goosey.
In either case, notches or curves, a full 1/4″ turn-under margin may cause you to have to clip where you don’t really need to. Go for the scanter margin. This small margin makes some quilter nervous, but fine work is achieved through this closer trim.
This information applies to hand appliqué. The machine appliqué method that uses freezer paper and glue is not among my skill set, so I’m not sure about best clipping protocols there. And of course, for raw-edge machine appliqué, there’s no clipping ever!
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Mar
18
Machine Appliqué: A Sampler of Techniques review
Filed Under Books, Designers, Machine appliqué, Raw edge, Turned edge | Leave a Comment
One of the best books that I have on my shelf, which pretty much taught me how to machine appliqué, is Sue Nickels’ Machine Appliqué: A Sampler of Techniques.
I was lucky enough to meet Sue a few years ago when she came to my guild to speak and to teach a class in machine quilting. I took that class, and I credit Sue with giving me what I needed to actually become an adequate machine quilter. She said that the women she knew who were finally successful were those who were determined to make it work. I said that to myself over and over as I practiced, and it helped me.
But back to machine appliqué! It wasn’t Sue’s topic that visit, but I did buy her machine appliqué book, and when I became determined to learn how to do it in order to make samples a little more quickly, I turned to Sue’s book. Let me tell you, it’s fabulous. I gravitated toward raw-edge fusible appliqué with a small blanket stitch. There’s also detailed information on two other methods — turned-edge “invisible appliqué” and “template and starch” appliqué.
Sue’s book, published by the AQS, is lovely to look at throughout and gives step-by-baby-step details on everything you need to know. There are close-up illustrations of where each stitch should go in each scenario. I’m pretty comfortable with machine appliqué now, but when I was still learning, I hauled out this book a bunch of times to refresh my memory. Thank you Sue!!
Sue has another book on machine appliqué, written with her sister Pat Holly: Stitched Raw-Edge Appliqué. I don’t have this one yet but I imagine it focuses even more on the method I like. Hmm… I’ll have to put this one on my wish list!
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Feb
11
Heart seeds
Filed Under Embellishment, Freezer paper on top, Hand appliqué, Holiday, Needleturn, Turned edge, Words | Leave a Comment
Here’s another block from Growing Hearts to Appliqué. A fun one, yes?
When brainstorming on a theme,”growing hearts” or whatever, it’s so wonderful to let your imagination roam free and think up all sorts of notions about how to portray your ideas.
For this crazy design, I used freezer-paper templates on top, and I hand-embroidered the letters. The little black heart seeds are inked on with a permanent fabric marker.
And don’t faint, but maybe you can see that this quilt is hand-quilted. It still happens now and again.
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Jan
4
Stems and skinny stems
Filed Under Glue stick, Hand appliqué, Photo tutorial, Prepared edge, Stems/vines, Turned edge | Leave a Comment
When it comes to stems or vines, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. (Just an expression, I’ve had three cats for seventeen years and haven’t skinned any of them yet 
.)
Here’s a photo tutorial on stems and skinny stems, two ways each. That’s four stems! In all cases this is hand appliqué, however, they can be adapted to be sewn on the machine.
Here’s how I was first taught to do stems.
Cut a bias strip 1″ wide or wider and press it in half, wrong sides together, lengthwise. Mark the stem or vine on the front of the background fabric.
Sorry if you can’t see the pencil mark too well… there’s a big storm in California today and there’s no good natural light.
Place the folded bias strip over the marked line, kind of averaging its position. Fold over the raw edges to where they fall short of the other side and crease to give yourself an idea of the stitching line.
Stitch the vine to the background fabric using a small running stitch (left side of picture). Then roll the folded edge over the stitching, covering the raw edges of the other side. Appliqué the fold down (right side of picture). Disregard the position of the needle in this picture; I laid it down in haste.
To make a skinny stem the same way, just stitch much closer to the fold.
Trim away the excess, very close to the stitches. Roll and sew the same as before.
A pretty good skinny stem.
Now, on to the method I use most of the time now, with my trusty green gadget, the Clover® ¼” bias tape maker. Cut a bias strip that is 5/8″ wide. Yes, just 5/8″! Cut the top so that it angles upwards to the left — it seems to feed through better this way.
Poke the strip right-side-up into the wider end of the gadget until you can see the fabric in the slot at the top. Use the tip of a pin to pull the strip through the slot until it sticks out the narrow end. Pin the strip to the ironing board. Use a glass-head pin, so you don’t have to worry about melting a plastic pin.
Using a hot iron and plenty of steam, pull the gadget along the strip in one smooth, fairly rapid motion, following it closely with the iron. Don’t stop part-way through, or try to back up. Smoothness is key.
Important: Hold your iron so that the steam vents are not directed at your fingers.
You can make bias strips fusible by applying thin strips of paper-backed fusible web. I do this as a second step. I actually cut the strip of fusible in half lengthwise to make a very thin strip, which I find is enough. The product comes on a roll and is found alongside the bias tape makers.
Using a dry iron, press the fusible strip to the back of the bias strip. Remove the paper backing and steam-press the stem over the marked line. Then it’ll be ready to stitch.
To make a skinny stem this way, make another bias strip with the gadget, and press one side out flat again. Trim along the crease.
Get out your glue stick and run it along the wrong side of the strip. Pick up the strip and pinch the raw edge back over to the center. It should stick with cheerful obedience. It if doesn’t, use a little more glue or make sure the glue stick is fresh.
If you prefer to skip the gluing, you can use a hybrid method! Appliqué the folded edge first, then tuck under the raw edge on the other side as you stitch.
All four, placed improvisationally on the background and, for some strange reason, from bottom to top!
I hope this has helped you if you were looking for information on how to make stems or skinny stems. There are other methods too… remember those cats I mentioned?
Over at the Quilter’s Newsletter website, I did a quick search and came up with several tutorials on how to make skinny stems. Check them out as well!
Until next time,
Kay
Oct
18
Ladder stitch appliqué
Filed Under Freezer paper on the back, Hand appliqué, Ladder stitch, Photo tutorial, Turned edge | Leave a Comment
I found a nice photo tutorial on Liesl Gibson’s Disdressed blog, showing the ladder stitch for hand appliqué. I’ve never used this stitching method, and I learned something. I’ll be trying it out. Thank you, Liesl!
Sep
24
Super circles
Filed Under Circles, Photo tutorial, Prepared edge, Turned edge | Leave a Comment
Designer Anna Maria Horner posted a great photo tutorial showing an ingenious way to make prepared-edge circles using aluminum foil! Visit her blog.
Sep
22
An early heart
Filed Under Freezer paper on the back, Hand appliqué, Photo tutorial, Prepared edge, Turned edge | 1 Comment
Upon graduation from my beginning quilting class (think 1992), I took off like a rocket on my own. I made a big sampler quilt, hand-pieced and hand-quilted, and loved every minute of it.
Here’s one of the blocks I made using a freezer paper template on the back. This is a good method for a beginner, and lots of appliquérs prefer to appliqué this way.
For this method, trace the shape on the paper side of the freezer paper.
If the design is asymmetrical, you’ll need to reverse the pattern first.
Cut out the template on the drawn line and iron it to the wrong side of the appliqué fabric.
Tip: Ironing on top of a piece of cardboard creates a better bond. 
Cut out the fabric, leaving about ¼” beyond the template. 
Turn the fabric over the template, basting the margin to the freezer paper as you go. Clip any notches almost to the template, and sparingly clip any inside curves. (This heart doesn’t have any inside curves.)
Here it is, partially basted.
All basted-ed.
This is a method of prepared-edge appliqué, as the edge is turned before you start to stitch. However, it’s only roughly turned, and there will be bumps (aka “pokies”) along the edge that you will need to work out as you go.
Back view.
Baste the motif in place on the background fabric.
Now there are two rows of basting.
Appliqué the motif, using the needle to smooth and refine the turned edge as you go.
Here it is, all stitched.
There are three ways of removing the freezer paper. As seen here, you can completely stitch the motif, remove all basting stitches, slit the background fabric, and pull out the template. Here the template has already been pulled out.
Instead of just slitting the background fabric, you can cut it away, leaving about ¼” inside the stitching.
Or, to preserve the back, you can remove the basting and pull out the template before you have quite finished stitching the block, finishing up the stitching with no template inside.
All done!
BENEFITS
- Edge is turned for you
- Easier to place motif accurately, since edge is turned
- Freezer paper template provides a crisp, well-defined sewing line
- Accurate results
TRADEOFFS
- More prep time (double basting)
- Freezer paper feels stiff and crackles while working
- Sometimes you sew through the paper
- Extraordinary measures must be used to remove template
Every quilter weighs the benefits and tradeoffs of any particular method, and it is up to you to decide which way the balance swings. The “right” method is the one that’s right for you.
Making this heart was a nice trip down memory lane for me. Since I made the sampler quilt I’ve learned a few other appliqué methods. And, let’s just say I’ve also learned the benefits of more quilting in a quilt!
Let’s hear from you appliqué fans about this method. Is this your favorite? Any tips? Did I leave something out? Chime in!
Until next time,
Kay
Sep
21
My first appliqué
Filed Under Hand appliqué, Turned edge | Leave a Comment
A blast from the past! When you see these “classic” fabrics you’ll probably recognize the year as being circa 1992. I enrolled in a beginning quilting class at Jordan’s Quilt Shop in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Little did I know how that class would affect my life. I know you know what I’m talkin’ about.
We made a four-block sampler. I told my instructor, Ann Jordan, that I liked the Dresden Plate block the best. She said some fateful words to me that day… “Well, you just might be an appliqué person.”
Did she shape my fate as a quilter with those prophetic words? It turned out to be the absolute truth.
When I quilted my sampler, I went back and showed Ann how the appliqué stitches in the center circle pulled out a little. She said. “That’s why the stitches need to be really little, and tight.” It was an epiphany. Gone forever from that day forward were the big honking stitches perpetrated on my projects in 8th grade home-ec.
Thank you Ann! I hope you are enjoying your retirement. I’ve since moved away from Ohio, and I heard that Jordan’s now belongs to someone else, though they kept the name.