When shapes are drawn on the paper they are
then cut out on the line and by doing this the
glue is then right to the edge of the applique
piece which prevents any unwanted fraying.
I like to build the flowers right on the pressing
sheet so all the pieces become one big piece
and are easier to place on the background and
work with.
Circles arranged in flower shape
Flowers fused to quilt top
I arranged the circles on the pressing sheet to
create a flower with two centers. Originally I had
only planned on having one center but then I
liked the blue in the middle. In hindsight I should
have used the Feather Lite version as now my
shapes are a bit stiffer than I wanted with the 3
layers of the Lite version.
Placing a second pressing sheet over top of the
applique pieces I followed the instructions and
heated the shapes for 3-5 sec to bond them
together to create one shape.
After the pressing sheet had cooled I used a
plastic spatula to lift the shapes off the pressing
sheet. When using the Teflon pressing sheets
they get very hot, so be very careful handling
them before they cool.
This is a great way to build multi-piece shapes
and designs and by doing this it allows for easier
placement of the whole shape on the background fabric.
Sulky Blendable threads to match each fabric color
Once all the flowers were made I fused them to
the quilted runner.
Stitching down the edges
With the thread choices made for each color of
fabric I stitched all the edges down with a free
motion satin stitch. This is one of my favorite
stitches to use when stitching around applique
shapes. Other stitches that can be used are zigzag or blanket stitch.
The Sulky Blendables cotton variegated thread
looks great and makes each edge stand out.
Often times when stitching through multiple layers of fusible a gummy residue can build up on
the machine needle. I didn’t find this to happen
with the HeatnBond fusible.
If you do find that there is a gummy residue from
the fusible you’re using just wipe your needle off
with an alcohol wipe and continue on stitching.
The gummy residue can cause skipped stitches.
Wow, that’s a lot of info on what you should
know about fusible. I hope I haven’t overwhelmed you. It really is a very easy technique and lots of fun with so many ideas
and projects to create. Make sure to join me
tomorrow for some great tips on binding
and finishing the piece.
22