Applique Document: Freezer Paper and Fusible Web Instructions

Appliqué

*For our class you will need to cut a 13” square of your background fabric for each appliqué block. When you do this in the future leave yourself an extra inch from what you want your finished size of block to be, allowing for any shrinkage as you add appliqué pieces.
*However you obtain your pattern find out if the pattern is REVERSED or NOT. Some patterns are not Reversed because they were made to be traced right-side up. We want our pattern reversed for Fusible web or Freezer Paper methods.
*If your appliqué has smaller pieces I recommend using the fusible web. If your appliqué has larger pieces and you don’t want extra weight or bulk on the block then use the freezer paper. The fusible web prevents you from cutting away the background fabric after the appliqué is sewn on since they are fused together. You can mix and match methods within the same block.

Fusible Web Method
1. Trace the REVERSED pattern onto the paper side of fusible web. Cut out each piece leaving the paper on the fusible web still.
2. Press the fusible web to the wrong side of the fabric for each piece following the directions for your web product. Leave a ¼” seam allowance for each piece when you press these patterns in place on the back of your fabric. Unlike the freezer paper the web cannot be moved once it is pressed on. Cut out the fabric allowing a ¼ inch (6mm) seam allowance for turning. Clip any inward curves; don’t clip all the way to the web paper or you will have fraying on the top.
3. Press the seams over to the wrong side of the fabric while the paper is still on.
4. Remove the paper from the fusible web. Baste down the raw edges to the web side of the fabric. You have two options for basting:
1. Baste down with a needle and thread. The knot should be on the right side of the piece for easy removal later.
2. Baste down with an iron. Carefully press the seams down and do not touch the iron to the fusible web in the center of the piece.
**Note, when two appliqué pieces will meet each other you don’t want bulk… the piece on bottom doesn’t need turned under, it will lay flat. The piece on top will be basted under for a finished edge.
5. When all the pieces are prepared as above lay them on the background fabric. Make sure you stay within an 11 ½ inch square in the center of the 13” background fabric. When you are happy with where all pieces are placed then press the pieces down with the iron according to the directions on your fusible web product. Make sure not to slide any pieces out of place in the process. Now all your pieces will stay in place until you get them sewn on.
6. Use a thread color that matches the piece being stitched down. Single thickness dual purpose thread is fine. Use the back whipstitch method I’ve demonstrated in class. Careful stitching on focus points can help keep the appliquéd piece looking sharp.
7. When all the pieces are appliquéd on remove any basting thread. Measure your block and cut to the appropriate size. For our class that is 12 ½ inches square.


Freezer Paper Method
1. Trace the REVERSED pattern onto the dull side of freezer paper. Cut out each piece.
2. Press the freezer paper to the wrong side of the fabric Leave a ¼” seam allowance for each piece when you press these patterns on the back of your fabric. Cut the fabric with a ¼ inch (6mm) seam allowance for turning. Clip any inward curves; don’t clip all the way to the freezer paper or you will have fraying on the top.
3. Press the seams over to the wrong side of the fabric with the paper still in place.
4. On any small pieces it may be easier to remove the freezer paper now. Baste down the raw edges with a needle and thread.
**Note, when two appliqué pieces will meet each other you don’t want bulk… the piece on bottom doesn’t need turned under, it will lay flat. The piece on top will be basted under for a finished edge.
5. When all the pieces are prepared as above lay them on the background fabric. Make sure you stay within an 11 ½ inch square in the center of the 13” background fabric. When you are happy with where all pieces are pin them in place. Try to avoid creating a large bump where the pins are.
6. Use a thread color that matches the piece being stitched down. Single thickness dual purpose thread is fine. Use the back whipstitch method I demonstrated in class. Remove the pin directly at the spot you are sewing down to make sure the appliqué lays flat and then sew down.
7. When all the pieces have been stitched to the background fabric you can reduce the thickness of the layers of fabric by cutting away the background fabric beneath the appliqué. Leave a ¼ inch seam under these. Be careful not to cut to the sewing line or cut through the appliqué pieces on top.
8. Remove all freezer paper, and the basting thread. Measure your block and cut to the appropriate size. For our class that is 12 ½ inches square.

If you choose to machine appliqué use the fusible web method and make sure to use a stabilizer behind the background fabric or your background fabric will pucker. There are some ‘tear-away’ stabilizers that are nice because you tear away the excess after sewing. Follow any directions given on the stabilizer. Step 6 would change to using your machine to sew the pieces down. You will see the machine stitches. The following website gives a good explanation for machine appliqué.

http://www.islandnet.com/~agreig/applique.htm

Applique circles

OK...you would think I would get the hang of this and get the photos in their proper order, but NOT yet...look at the bottom picture first and work your way up.

I basted all of my circles until this one. I will try it without basting as the edges seem to be holding down fine.

When you are all the way round the circle then press from the back and from the front.

The fabric is just being gathered in evenly all around the edges.

With a needle and thread start sewing around the circle with a straight stitch about 1/8 or more away from the edge. Pull the thread tight and it will gather the fabric around the paper edges as you go.

Once you have your freezer paper or fusible web pressed onto your circle then clip the entire way round about every 1/4 inch. Don't clip all the way to the edge of the paper.

Applique Points both Inward and Outward

Look at the bottom picture first.

The bottom point, the outward point, on the heart looks fine.

The inward point will be pulled in tighter as I applique this heart down to the background fabric. A couple extra stitches at all points are needed to keep things in place nicely.

This flower has 8 inward points and all rounded edges. The entire flower was clipped, paying closer attention the the clipping in the points. You can see from the flower pressed on the right side that the points are not very sharp. As I applique these down I will use my needle and thread to pull them in to have more defined flower pedals.

For any Outward points do as I demonstrated in class. There were two options but the one that worked best was folding the fabric at the end of the point over first then bringing the two sides over making sure the point was sharp. Then press and baste in place.

On any inward points clip the fabric until approximately 1/8 of an inch away from the freezer paper or fusible web paper. If you clip all the way to the Point on the paper you risk fraying, too far away and you won't get a nice point. This is the same for flowers or anything else with inward points.

Clip all other rounded edges about every 1/4 of an inch.

Applique Stems with fabric cut on the bias Part 3

Look at the second picture first.

Press flat all along the bias strip. If you are doing a stem with any curve in it you can use your pattern as a guide to curve the stem now while you are pressing. Cut the bias strip to the length you need it. Stems typically end up under another applique piece so there is no need to finish off the edges. I tried using the scraps of fusible web on the back of my stems to hold them down on the background fabric ...I had mixed results. The fusible web held down part, but not all of the stem. I guess it was enough to hold it in place mostly but I still felt I had to adjust some parts that seemed to have moved over a bit.

Hold the sewn bias strip by the seam on your pressing board and push the seam downward. This should open up the fabric as I demonstrated in class. Press this so the seam is centered, or slightly off center so it remains hidden with the seam allowance on the back.

Applique Stems with fabric cut on the bias Part 2

Go to the bottom picture and work your way up.

When you are done sewing this is what you have.

Fold the bias strip in half with the right sides out...put the wrong sides together and sew. I could not get my machine and fabric to work well with the recommended 1/8 of an inch seam so mine was somewhere just wider than 1/8 but not as far over as 1/4. You don't need to do a back stitch as this will be cut to the length of stem you need, just make sure you are not using a stitching that is too wide.

Here is my 9/8 of an inch bias strip.

For a 1/4 inch stem the books said to cut 7/8 inch of fabric...I found I could not work with the fabric that narrow and my machine wouldn't move the needle over far enough to do this either.

I cut 9/8 of an inch!

I used the markings on the cutting matt to measure over 9/8 of an inch and cut.

Rotate the fabric to line up the first bias cut with a line on your cutting matt.

Applique Stems with fabric cut on a bias Part 1

Once again...go to the bottom picture in this post and work your way UP.

Because I want to keep my selvedge on my fabric still, I move the rulers to the end of the fabric and do this process here for the cutting. Once you have your cutting ruler lined up then rotary cut the bias.
Then place the metal cutting ruler under the plastic square trying to line it up with the diagonal. Hold the plastic square over the metal ruler...make sure it's square with the selvedge...and use it to adjust the metal cutting ruler to the diagonal line.

Use any of the square rulers that have a line drawn from corner to corner. That line is the bias line. I hold my cutting metal ruler over the diagonal line...

Find the selvedge on the fabric you want to use.

To find the bias of the fabric you can take a square of fabric...44x44 inches and fold in half diagonally. The bias is along the edge the ruler is sitting on. If you are making smaller stems there is no need to cut your fabric in half.

Links to Applique patterns

McCall'sQuilting.com has a lot of block patterns available for free download. This includes some applique patterns that are worth taking a look at. Their block sizes vary so make sure you know what size their patterns are for.

Flower of Spring. This is for a 9 inch block but you could enlarge it, or minimize it and do 4 of them.
http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_507/

Honey Bee is a combo pieced and applique.
http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_205/

Primitive tulip
http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_404/

Ring of Hearts. I will demo this block in a 12 inch size for class and I have a heart that will work for this.
http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_102/

These are all beginner level. They have others that are above that.

Another site that has loads of patterns to choose from...
http://www.freeapplique.com/index.html

These are probably mostly more advanced.
http://www.freequiltpatterns.info/QuiltCategories/FreeAppliquePatterns.htm

Great visuals for different methods of applique.
http://www.nmia.com/~mgdesign/qor/begin/applique.htm

Have fun ladies, I'll see you this week.

Dresden Plate, A good time to trim up the back...and a few other helpful hints I learned on my 3rd plate

A nice time to trim up the excess fabric is when you have all the plate pieces sewn together and before you add the center circle or press any edges to the back. Leave 1/4 inch seam allowance.
I like the 2" circle the best for the center...it just fits...so pin carefully.
After you have your 2 " freezer paper circle pressed onto the back of the fabric and the edges clipped around the circle start a running stitch in the fabric about 1/8 " away from the freezer paper. Make sure to use a knot at the start.
When the running stitch has gone the entire way round the circle pull on the thread...it will draw the fabric around the freezer paper to the back side.
Simply press down on the back side of the circle with the thread still in the fabric. Very easy process and the edges round themselves nicely! Press from the front and it's ready to pin and applique in place.

The Finishing Touches on Applique done with Freezer paper

After you have cut away the backing fabric ...

Take out the basting stitches that were used to hold the edges of the applique piece in place until they were appliqued down.

Remove the Freezer paper. Remember to hold onto the seams if the freezer paper is caught in them so you don't pull out your stitches.
Trim up any spots that have excess fabric that will make it hard to quilt through.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO CUT THROUGH STITCHES OR THE FRONT!

Press from the front again.

Removing background fabric from applique

This method works for appliqued pieces that are not done with fusible web.

When you are done appliqueing your item to the background fabric...
Turn the block over to the back side...
Pick up only the background fabric, making sure the appliqued part is not in your fingers...
Snip a small opening in the background fabric...
Then cut towards one edge. Stay 1/4 inch away from the edges and be VERY CAREFUL NOT TO CUT THROUGH the appliqued piece. Trim the entire way round the piece appliqued so the background fabric is no longer creating a second layer of fabric behind what you appliqued on.