I actually really LOVE the art of appliqué! Even though I don't use it that much (practically never) but I do love seeing others' works on the Internet and appreciate the artistry so much :) My October project that I've mentioned earlier in this post is also appliqué-friendly and, personally, I'm going to experiment a little in this field! So I thought if anyone wants to try the same I should tell a bit more about the methods of applique in advance. Method 1 So, the first thing you should remember is that the majority of fabrics tend to fray on the edge. And because of this, if you just simply baste a cutout to the ground fabric, eventually it will fray quite a lot even if at first it doesn't look like it. However, sometimes this kind of ragged and frazzled edge might be the desired effect! Especially, for enthusiasts of rustic style. In such cases, this method is what you need. And, basically, all you need to do is just work back stitch along the whole shape, stepping a little away from the edge. Make your stitches rather small so that all of the fibers are secured. I'm using quilting cotton in this example and it doesn't really fray that much – I frayed it myself for this picture as well as I could. However, if you use linen, for example, it is likely to fray a lot easier and the fibers might pull apart right in front of the stitches. In this case, your back stitching should be even smaller. Method 2 If you don't want the edges to fray, you can work buttonhole (blanket) stitch around the shape. You can work it more densely, of course, like I did in one of the examples in this post. By the way, I'm using a thread of contrasting color for all of the appliqué methods in this article to make it more clear. Naturally, you can use thread of a color similar to the appliqué cutout if you don't want it to stand out too much. Ah, and this method is commonly used in felt applique! Method 3 Now, if you don't want any fraying to take place but also don't want to work a border of buttonhole stitch around it, you can use a fusible interfacing! :) Instructions are easy: 1) cut a piece of interfacing material equal to the piece of fabric you want to apply it too, 2) interfacing material has two sides, one of which is adhesive. Put the interfacing piece with the adhesive side up, and lay the fabric piece on top of it, with its backside down and face up. In conclusion, the adhesive side should be next to the backside of the fabric. 3) iron it thoroughly (settings of heat are according to the type of fabric) staying for several seconds in one place. When you have applied interfacing with the fabric, cut the shape out of it. The thing is, the fibers are now glued from underneath so they are going to hold together and are very unlikely to fray. It is almost like paper. Well, unless you expose it some rough tugging like in a washing machine or if you use it on everyday clothes So, what you will do now will depend on your artistic choice. If you want it to look raw like it is, you can baste it down with tiny running stitches of similar color. Or you can use any decorative stitch, you can find many on the Stitch Library. I used french knots here :) Method 4 This one is likely to look a bit more dimensional, but there is like 0 chances for any fraying to happen. And again, we need interfacing material (it will give a certain advantage but actually you can use another fabric, I will mention it below). BUT we need to put fabric and interfacing material in a different manner now! So, what we do is we put fabric face up, and then we lay interfacing material with adhesive side down. So, the face of the fabric and the adhesive side are supposed to be looking at each other. Then you can draw the shape down and backs titch along the edge. Cut the shape out with a seam allowance and cut a slit in the interfacing material. The turn it out. Now you have a shape like this – face of the fabric up and adhesive side down. You can now place it where you need on the ground fabric and iron it down. If you want to secure it even better, you can stitch a border of buttonhole stitch again, or baste it down in any other way. Or you can work invisible stitch like I did in this example. Like I mentioned, this method can be used with a different fabric instead of interfacing material. Just skip the ironing part and baste the piece down in the way you prefer the most :) So, here are 4 methods for your fabric appliqué! As for me, methods 2 and 3 are what I'm more likely to use but in the end, it all depends on the situation. Hope you find the method you of your liking too and try some appliqué in your next project! :)
100 Days of Organic Applique - The Book!
Appliqué is a fun way to express yourself with fabric. Learn How to Applique Like a Pro by following these easy steps. It's easier than you think.
machine finished hand applique workshop
Those of you who are following along with the construction of Twilight Gardens may have been wondering about the applique coming up in block 5. We are not quite there yet, but I thought I would give you a little primer on one way to do applique. It seems there are dozens of ways to applique one fabric to another, and ultimately, you need to try a few methods and find the one you like the best and gives you the best results. I tend to be a hand applique person, and many of you are not, and prefer to do everything by machine. The applique in the Twilight Gardens quilt can be done by hand or machine, and this method of prepping your applique pieces can be used for either method. If you have another method you would like to use on this quilt, please feel free to do that. The main thing is that you are enjoying the technique and it is achieving the results you like. Preparing your applique pieces Normally when I do applique, I like to do simple needle-turn. This eliminates the need to pre-turn the edges of your pieces. But I thought I would try a new method. I have seen this demonstrated, and it seemed like a pretty easy method and one that could be used for either hand or machine. Start by tracing your pattern pieces onto the paper (non slick) side of a piece of freezer paper. If you need it, use a light box or a well lit window to help you see the pattern clearly. Make sure you trace an outline for each piece you will be appliqueing, as the freezer paper templates can not be reused. Label them if there is any confusion about where they go in the block design. Cut out the templates right on the line, and separate them into piles based on the fabric that will be used for each applique piece. In this case I have flower petals in either medium or light blue, and leaves that will all be cut out of a single green fabric. I like to use a separate pair of scissors to cut paper from the good ones I use to cut fabric with. This keeps my fabric shears sharper longer. Now, using a water soluble glue stick, apply a little glue on the center of the paper (non slick) side of each template and glue them down to the wrong side of your fabric. Leave 1/2" space between all templates. Once you have your templates glued down, using your fabric shears, cut the fabric pieces out leaving a scant 1/4" seam allowance (about 3/16" is about right) on all sides. Now we will start turning the raw edges of the fabric. If there are any sharp points on your applique shapes, begin by folding over the point first. Using a mini iron and a stiletto that will not melt, gently iron the seam allowance over the template, with the crease right on the edge of the freezer paper. The seam allowance should lightly adhere to the slick side of the freezer paper which is now facing up. Follow around the edge of your template turning the edge with the stiletto and gently ironing with the mini iron to hold in place. The example shown in the photos has all convex sides, but if your piece has a tighter concave curve or an inside point, you will need to clip into the seam allowance almost all the way to the freezer paper to have it conform to the shape easily. Clip only once for an inside point, make a few clips for a curve. Once you make it all the way around your piece it should look like the photos below. The next piece you need to prep is the stems. These also can be made a variety of different ways. The method I will show you here is one of the oldest. It was the first method I learned and one I still prefer for doing small bias stems. Fold over the corner of your stem fabric forming a 45 degree angle. Cut how ever many strips you need off the corner so your strips are cut on the bias. Fold these strips in half down the length of the strip and mark a sew line using a contrasting marking tool at a width slightly wider than your finished stem should be. Here I am marking at a little over 1/8" for a 1/8" finished width. Use a set of press bars for making bias strips. They come in metal, and heat resistant plastic. They both work well, but the metal ones can get hot to the touch. Stitch on your marked line and trim the seam allowance down to less than the width of your finished stem. Here I am trimming seam allowance to less than 1/8". Insert the appropriate size press bar and roll the tube so the seam can be pressed the back side of the stem and not show. Once the seam allowance is pressed to the back, remove the bar and turn over your stem. Pin the stems in place first. Use a fine thread with matching color to applique them down. They can be either machine sewn using a close matching thread color and a blind hem stitch, or they can be hand appliqued. I like to use Kimono brand 100 wt. silk thread by Superior Threads. It is very fine and nearly invisible. It comes in 80 colors and is strong for it's weight. When appliqueing by hand take small stitches. Drop the needle into the background fabric right adjacent to the applique piece, then bring the needle back up slightly under the edge of the applique, and out right at the edge fold. Repeat this stitch along all edges. Once the pieces are stitched in place, turn over the piece and locate the individual pieces with freezer paper still attached inside. CAREFULLY with a pair of applique scissors that are sharp right to the point, cut a small slit in the background directly underneath your applique piece. Be very careful to stay far from the sew edges. You just need a small hole large enough to pull the freezer paper through. Using a stiletto or pair of tweezers, grab the paper and give a slight tug to release the glue. Remove the paper from the back. Here is trick to make your hand sewing much easier. If you use silk thread, you may have the problem of the needle coming un-threaded occasionally due to the fine thread. When you thread your needle, pull a loop of thread through the eye of the needle and loop over the point of the needle, then pull snug into a small knot at the eye. This will keep the thread put while you are sewing. When you reach the end of the thread, tie off and cut the knot off the needle by gently running the blade of your scissors along the eye of the needle. This method of preparing my applique pieces worked very well for this project. At first I was a little concerned about cutting the back of my project to remove paper templates, but I found this was really simple and left a very small hole that does not compromise the strength of the background. As always, I suggest trying this, as well as other methods, and choosing your favorite. Steven
Appliqué is a fun way to express yourself with fabric. Learn How to Applique Like a Pro by following these easy steps. It's easier than you think.
See how to applique with sewing machine, how to make appliques from fabric scraps, and learn applique techniques that are easy to use.
We are always so excited when the Academy of Appliqué class catalog comes out, and this year is no exception. What is the Academy of Appliqué, you might ask? Well, it is one wonderful week in March, where many come not just to learn new skills, but they come from around the world to spend time with others who love this art form. It is a place where life-long friendships are formed, though one might only see that friend once a year at this special event. I (Kara) have even seen one of these friends while walking on the streets of Beaune, France! It is a small world, but the Academy brings that world together. The conception of this year's projects has been in the making for quite a while, and the two blocks we will be teaching are only two of the thirteen in our Woodland Reverie quilt. This quilt will be a wander through the forest with a little bit of whimsy and fantasy thrown in. Our class will focus on techniques, along with an emphasis on using new fibers creatively. Our students will be able to choose one or both of the two blocks to work on in class, on their way to ultimately finishing the whole quilt! Each block can be done in either a light or dark background and many of the skills for both blocks will overlap. Without further ado, here are the blocks we will be teaching in detail. The Spring Block A sweet robin tends to its eggs while surrounded by springtime, flowery, dogwood swags—there are even velvet pussy willows to evoke that essence of spring. Light colorway Dark colorway A combination of six different fibers were used to create this realistic nest. A slightly different look with the light background Embroidery helps bring the robin to life. Springtime flowers are the focus of the corner swags. We will learn to make all these flowers with various types of ribbon. You can learn to make perfect little pussy willows! Autumn Block A walk through the forest in autumn might give you a glimpse of the woodland treasures that garnish this woven wreath. The Fly Agaric takes center stage in this block! Velvet mushrooms rest upon a felted, wool patch of moss. Bias strips and tea-dyed sari silk yarn are woven together to create the wreath. Some of the techniques learned will be stumpwork acorns, wired ribbon flowers, and split leaves. A little sparkle with beads adds to the fantasy element in this block. Embroidery gives dimension to this butterfly! No matter which block you choose to make (maybe both!), you will learn a multitude of skills to put in your appliqué toolbox. So, how can you attend the Academy of Appliqué? Simply click on this link: Academy of Appliqué. This will take you directly to the website where you can find out all the information you will need to sign up. The catalog of classes is available now, and sign up for the classes opens on September 2nd. The classes fill up fast, so it is a good idea to make sure you are ready with your first choices as soon as registration opens. We hope you will choose to join us this year as we make these woodland blocks. Our class is usually full of laughter, fun, and chocolate—and not necessarily in that order! Stay tuned throughout the year as we will gradually reveal more blocks from Woodland Reverie!
Discover the beauty and versatility of raw edge appliqué with this comprehensive guide. Learn about the tools and materials you'll need and essential techniques for creating intricate designs.
A detailed step by step guide with illustrations and infographics for turned edge applique using paper backed fussible web.
Susan Brubaker Knapp is fiber artist, author, teacher, host of Quilting Arts TV and a Bernina Ambassador. And, also makes amazing art quilts!
Happy March! There's a lot going on in the world with the covid19 virus. I believe the best thing we can do is stay home, wash our hands and stay as positive as possible. I hope you are staying healthy. Sewing and crafts are good for our mental health so I am hoping you are finding time to make something. March's block is a dog block. I designed it because of my pup Ruby - She keeps me company during work. She goes with me everywhere. She is trouble and barks at everything but I love her anyway. If you received my newsletter recently then you heard about the Whimsy Blocks and Little Stitcheries programs I am running this year. I wanted to do something different in 2020 for you. If you missed the newsletter and want to get in on the fun, you can sign up here. You can see the video here on my YouTube channel. So let's get started on the Dog Block. Get the pattern here. All 12 of the Whimsy Blocks are 8.5
purple denim applique, crushed rose stranded cotton embroidery. Straight stitch, coral stitch, chain stitch, buttonhole stitch, satin stitch
Follow these easy instructions to learn how to do needle turn applique, a traditional form of hand applique.
A great how to for beginning sewers who want to learn how to applique using their sewing machine! Check out the step by step instructions. Pictures included!
A detailed step by step guide with illustrations and infographics for turned edge applique using paper backed fussible web.
Create crochet Halloween bats with these easy patterns! Perfect for beginners, make bat appliques, plushies, and amigurumi for festive fun.
Get inspired with these 6 delightful umbrella crochet patterns! Enhance your crafting skills with these unique designs. #DIYCrafts #Crochet
Want to wow everyone with your applique then check out how to create interesting fabric for applique pieces - tutorials
How to do reverse applique by hand sewing as well as with your sewing machine very easily
Looking for some cute kids' decor? Learn how to make this beautiful felt applique swan banner for a kid's room or nursery with our DIY pattern and tutorial.
Free applique patterns for you to print off including letters, numbers, stars, hearts, elephants, birds and more. Page includes instructions for how to applique baby clothes for an easy homemade baby gift idea.
Explore Laura Nathan’s 49 photos on Flickr!
As promised, here is another free crochet pattern. If you read my Rainbow post or tried out that pattern, you'll know I said I'd be back with some sunshine. So today I give you my lovely Sun Crochet Pattern. While it is very easy to make, it is a little fiddly so I'm classing it
I specialize in creating quilt patterns that feature unusual applique patterns. Often, I am asked what techniques I use to create these fun applique pieces. I would love to share with you a simple way to create beautiful applique, using of all things… a glue stick! This tutorial will be featuring two of my latest
Are you considering taking up applique embroidery up as an art form, either as a hobby or as a profession? We are aware of the fact that the art of embroidery
Looking for some cute kids' decor? Learn how to make this beautiful felt applique swan banner for a kid's room or nursery with our DIY pattern and tutorial.
Thank you for your interest in our Flora and Fauna blocks! They are no longer free but will be part of a future quilt pattern. February has flown by, and I can't believe that we are already on Block 6! This month's block is the common garden snail, or Schnecke, here in Germany. While I wouldn't want these critters in my garden, they are interesting to look at while hiking in the woods. I saw the two below while walking with the dogs this past summer. At a restaurant in France this past weekend, I was tempted to order the Escargot on the menu, but I wasn't brave enough. In the German bakeries, you can usually find a "Schnecke" pastry, which is definitely more my speed. Stitching a snail is less calories than eating one, so today we offer a calorie-free Schnecke just for you. Cotton Block This block goes together quickly, and you can do as much or as little embroidery as you want. I started by gathering my fabrics, which included a piece of gold shot cotton, and a brown hand-dyed cotton, along with a few threads I thought I might use. You might notice that the brown isn't pictured. Apparently, while I was in France last weekend, the gremlin that lives in my sewing room hid that piece of fabric. I'm sure I will find it someday, but after searching for 20 minutes, its presence eluded me. The body was back-basted and appliquéd first, followed by the shell. Before I finished appliquéing the shell, I left about an inch gap and carefully inserted a small circle of batting and a little stuffing. This gave the shell a little dimension. Once I was pleased with the stuffing, I appliquéd the shell closed. The next step was to stitch the shell swirl. I marked my embroidery lines and used a stem stitch, making sure I brought my needle through the background to help shape the shell swirls. For his antennae, I made two chain-stitched lines and added two French knots at the top. (Only two French knots this month!) I used my Sewline Trio to mark my embroidery line. All stitched, but I felt he needed something more. I thought he looked fine just with the stem stitch, but then I came across some brown straw silk that I thought would add a nice texture on the shell. The finished cotton block Stitches and Threads Used (Cotton Block) Weeks Dyeworks floss, Rust: stem stitch and French knots The Gentle Art floss, Chamomile: chain stitch Silk Road Fibers, straw silk, Whiskey: straight stitch Wool Block The wool block went together quickly as well, and I kept to the same color scheme with a brown and tan wool. With the hand-dyed brown, I tried to find a spot that had a good variety of brown shades. When I cut out my templates for wool appliqué, I print out my pattern, and with a glue stick, I glue the pattern to a piece of freezer paper. Then I cut out the pieces I need, and they are ready to be ironed on to the wool. If you have 8.5" x 11" freezer paper that you can run through the printer, that would save a step. (Make sure you use an ink jet printer if you choose to print the pattern directly onto the freezer paper.) Once my pieces are stitched on to the background, I traced the shell swirl onto a piece of Press and Seal with a white roller ball pen. I then put the Press and Seal onto the shell and used a #12 pearl cotton thread to blanket stitch the swirl. Ready to stitch The seed stitch is one of my favorite stitches to add texture to a flat piece, so I used it on the snail's body with two strands of floss. The antennae are done with a chain stitch, and then topped with two French knots. The finished wool block! Stitches and Threads Used (Wool Block) The Gentle Art floss, Chamomile: chain stitch and seed stitch Weeks Dyeworks #12 pearl cotton, Tiger's Eye: blanket stitch Weeks Dyeworks floss, Rust: stem stitch and French knots As this is posted, I will be in the air, on my way to the states to teach with Teri at the Academy of Appliqué in Williamsburg, Virginia. We wanted to make sure that you had this month's block, so Teri has posted it on my behalf. Hopefully, you will enjoy stitching this simple snail to add to your collection of blocks in this series. Better to stitch him than to find him in your garden!
Crochet hearts are very popular motifs to crochet. They are easy to make and can be used in many different ways. In this post, you will learn how to crochet a heart in three sizes – small, medium and large. You can use crochet hearts as appliques for different embellishments. Hearts will look great on …
A round up of free applique patterns, to be used for hand and machine applique, for boys and girls.
By Janet Carrillo "damn it Janet, let's crochet!" Ideas on how to use these appliques... *These would be great to apply to any project. *You can add them to kitchen towels, *turn them into a keychain or fridge magnet. *You can also make several and make a garland. *Attach a ribbon to make them into bookmarks. SIZE/MEASUREMENTS approx. 2.25"height x 2.50"length ...but they can vary based on yarn and hook size. MATERIALS *Crochet hook size: 3.5mm (E) *Worsted weight yarn: White (5yds) *Stitch Markers to mark your rounds *Felt: Black *Tapestry Needle *Hot Glue PATTERN NOTES - must-read... Numbers in ( ) at the end of each round/row indicate the total number of stitches. Always use stitch markers to mark your rounds. There's no need to sl st and/or ch when going to the next round unless stated to do so. SPECIAL STITCHES Other side of the foundation chains - this VIDEO explains how to do this technique. Invisible join - this VIDEO explains how to do this technique. GHOST (left tail) with white Rnd 1: ch6, 2hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next 3 chs, 4hdc in next ch, other side of the foundation chains hdc in next 3 chs, 2hdc in next ch, sl st into 1st st (14) Rnd 2: ch1, 2hdc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, 2hdc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, 2hdc in next st, sl st into 1st st (20) Rnd 3: ch1, sk 1st st, sl st in 2nd st, sl st in next 4 sts, (ch4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 chs), sl st in next 3 sts, dc in next st, (ch4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 chs), 3dc in same st as previous dc, hdc on next st, sc in next st, sl st in next 5 sts, (ch4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 chs), sl st in next 3 sts, join to 1st st with the invisible join F/O, secure and weave in the ends. GHOST (right tail) with white Rnd 1: ch6, 2hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next 3 chs, 4hdc in next ch, other side of the foundation chains hdc in next 3 chs, 2hdc in next ch, sl st into 1st st (14) Rnd 2: ch1, 2hdc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, 2hdc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 4 sts, 2hdc in next st, sl st into 1st st (20) Rnd 3: ch1, sk 1st st, sl st in 2nd st, sl st in next 4 sts, (ch4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 chs), sl st in next 5 sts, sc in next st, hdc in next st, 3dc in next st, (ch4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 chs), dc in same st as previous dc's, sl st in next 3 sts, (ch4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 chs), sl st in next 3 sts, join to 1st st with the invisible join F/O, secure and weave in the ends. ASSEMBLE TIP...For anything that I’m going to be using felt, I like to first sketch it out on a white paper and make a stencil of what I need. Then cut it out. Then tape the stencil to the felt and cut it out. EYES...using black felt make the eyes. You can play around with it and make it however you like, the possibilities are endless. GLOSSARY: ch/s: chain/s || sc: single crochet || hdc: half double crochet || dc: double crochet sl st: slip stitch || st/s: stitch/es || sk: skip || rnd: round || f/o: finish off Don't forget to like this blog Facebook fan page. Or to follow our Instagram page. :) Have a nice crochet time! - Janet This pattern is an original pattern by Janet Carrillo "damn it Janet, let's crochet!" (October 2018). Please do not claim this pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but please do not reprint/repost it on your site. You may print and keep a copy for your own personal use. Please do not resell or distribute it.
ALL PRESALE WILL BE DELIVERED END OF AUGUST/EARLY SEP
Applique Patchwork Cats Table Runner makes a great quilt project for your home and also includes full size templates in two sizes.
This free crochet alphabet has unlimited uses! And now there are coordinating lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation and more - get them all on Moogly!
A comprehensive step by step tutorial for the simplest and the most widely used applique technique - raw edge machine applique with fusible web.
