Applique Techniques
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Add a Smidge and
Cut Your Background Fabric
One of the most common applique techniques is to cut your background square 1 to 3 inches larger than the unfinished applique block.
EXAMPLE:
The calculations the background square dimensions for a finished 15" applique block are:
15" square finished size + 1/2" for seam allowances + 1-3" extra
equals
16-1/2" to 18-1/2" background square
How much is enough?
For our small basket block example, a 6" background square is big enough for a 5" finished block. The blocks need little handling and are quick to stitch with little distortion.
For larger blocks, you'll want more insurance because:
- The more you handle the applique block, the more your edges fray.
- The more stitching, the more the background will distort.
- There's bigger chance you won't center it exactly on the background fabric. You'll need extra to square up the block.
- If you wash your applique blocks individually after stitching, the background can shrink more than you expect.
With this extra insurance, you'll be able to easily square up your applique blocks when they are stitched.
Find Center and Create Your Registration Lines
To find the center of your background block match the top edge to the bottom and lightly press a crease. Open the block.
Next fold the left edge to the right edge. Again, lightly press a crease
The intersection of these two lines is the block center. The lines, themselves, will be used as registration lines for placement.
Our basket block is small enough that finding center wasn't needed. However, for a larger block that may take a while to stitch, you may wish to run a line of basting (in a color close to the background) along both creases.
Create Units before Stitching
Our "Trick or Treat" basket has two pieces...a basket and a handle. Let's make them into a single unit.
Create the Placement Guide
It'd be easy to eyeball placement. But there's very little background fabric around the basket.
Since the pattern didn't provide one, I drew a placement guide on a 5" square of paper, the finished size of the block.
Next I drew a 6" square (the size background fabric is cut) and centered and glued the 5" square to it.
NOTE: If I was working on an asymmetrical design (one where the left and right sides didn't match) I would have traced a reverse image of the pattern.
Glue the Basket Unit
In this applique technique, we use both Elmer's Glue Stick and Elmer's School Glue. Both will be completely washed out in a later step.
Place the basket (Rinsaway template up) on the placement guide in its position.
Add a dab of Elmer's Glue Stick to the basket where the basket handles meet the top edge.
Now place the basket handle (Rinsaway template up) in its place. Smooth the handles to bond both pieces.
Press with an iron to dry. Remember to protect both your iron and ironing surface with fabric scraps or an applique press sheet of some sort.
This is our completed basket unit.
Applique Techniques and the Light Box
Several applique techniques have you mark the design on the background with a blue washout marker or a pencil. But applique projects can take a long time to stitch.
The longer a marking is left on your fabric, the more opportunities you have to accidentally set the mark making it hard to remove.
So I use a light box. It's easy to use.
Now stores like Joann's, Michael's and Hancock's, all carry light boxes. For their $80-90 price tag, they're much too expensive and cheaply constructed for my taste.
Cheap Light box Alternatives
My solution is to use the same kind of box I use to store fabric stash. The Sterilite boxes (unlike Rubbermaid) do not have bumps on the bottom. Any small bump in the center can be sanded if it is a problem.
Place an inexpensive fluorescent light stick under the box, and...
Voila!
Instant, large, light box for under $20.
Other alternatives options are:
- Tape your pattern to a sliding glass door window.
- Put a light under a glass top table.
- Put a light under an old window.
Glue the Basket Unit to the Background Square
Tape the placement guide to the light box so it doesn't move.
Place the background square on the guide. If you are working on a bigger block with more pieces, try taping the background to the light box for more control.
Turn on the light to see your pattern through the background.
Draw a fine line of Elmer's White School Glue around the outside stitching edge and the cutout square. It doesn't take much but it should be a continuous line.
Stores like Joann's and Michael's sell metal tips that can be screwed onto the glue bottle to create an even finer line of glue.
Place the basket/handle unit onto the background and smooth into place.
Press with an iron to dry the glue.
Remember to protect both iron and ironing surface. Parchment paper is used in the picture.
Once it is dry, this fine glue line is strong enough to hold the piece in place while you stitch AND it stabilizes your stitching line.
And now the basket applique block is ready...
When you're finished with these applique techniques, you're ready to set up your sewing machine for stitching invisible machine applique.
Get them answered at our... Machine Applique Questions...Answered... |
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