It’s Share-It Tuesday! What have you been working on?

Not much stitching going on here this week, but I did manage to finish six applique posy needle cases. One I will mail to my swap partner later today and a couple others to friends.

What about you?? What have you been working on?

This weekend, I finished the last stitches on the Floral Delight applique from the Lancaster class I took with Linda M. Poole.

Linda teaches a freezer paper and glue stick method of applique. Draw your shapes on freezer paper and cut them out. Then use a glue stick to fold over your applique edges. Stitch all the layered sections together before appliquing the sections to your background fabric. With the paper still in.

I found it very difficult to stitch the flower pieces on top of each other and not catch the paper underneath. They took forever to stitch.

I was really worried the entire time I was stitching about having to cut the background once it’s all done to get the freezer paper out. I didn’t need to be, it was super easy to get the paper out. Just a bit of soaking in water, trimming the background and all of the papers came out with ease.

Would I use this technique again.. probably. I do like it better than needle-turn so far. Next I want to try the spray starch method.

Please join me in welcoming guest blogger Jan Donley as she walks us through her method for machine appliqué. Thanks Jan for being a guest here at the Quilting Gallery.

I love appliqué quilts but I do not enjoy doing needle turn appliqué so I set out to learn how to appliqué by preparing the appliqué shapes before putting them onto my background fabric. I found using freezer paper and a glue stick a simple and fast way to accomplish my goal. I have used this method for both machine and hand appliqué with equally acceptable results, but this little explanation will be for machine appliqué.

Supplies needed to do this type of appliqué: Freezer paper, pencil, water soluble glue stick, paper scissors, fabric scissors, background fabric, fabric for the appliqué pieces, thread to match the appliqué, neutral thread for the bobbin and other basic sewing supplies.

Sewing machine requirements: Your sewing machine must have a zig zag stitch, and the stitch should have various widths. An open toe appliqué foot is also very helpful. Different models of machines have different capabilities, this explanation gives general guidelines, and you might need to consult your machine dealer or local quilt shop for more information.

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My blogless friend, Sandie taught me her version of needle-turn applique while I was with her during our trip to Spring Market (blog posts coming soon, I promise!).

Here’s my first attempt. A bright and cheerful sunflower. I plan to layer it and add some thread painting, especially in the centre wonky circle (that was the design, not my poor attempt at making a circle, honest!).

One of the great things about this technique is that once the registration lines have been washed out, no one can tell where I may (or may not) have messed up. I’m developing an applique fetish, I just need to find my preferred method.

I haven’t given up entirely on needle-turn yet, but I do want to complete Linda Poole’s class where she taught her glue-basting method and then try the starch method as outlined by the Lizzie B Girls.

What’s your preferred applique method?

Charlotte Warr Andersen has put together this fabulous tutorial on making one-layer applique with fusible thread. The finished product is light, with no build-up of layers, and can be folded and washed.

I’ve never seen applique done like this before, and must admit I’m very impressed with the technique. The instructions and photos used in the tutorial make it easy to understand.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends to the south. Hope you have a wonderful day spent with family and loved ones.

Please join me in welcoming a Guest Blogger to the Quilting Gallery. If you’re interested in being a Guest Blogger, please read the info on the submit page then drop me an email.

By: Margaret Bucklew

An epiphany happened to me about twenty years ago. There was a void in my life and I didn’t even know it was happening.

I think an inspiration is like a flash of light in your psyche just waiting for action, and I needed one.

On the wall in a fabric store hung a stunning Oregon Trail Jacket. I bought the pattern and soon realized, even though I had no quilting experience, it had to be very similar to making a quilt. There was piecing, thin batting, matching seams and so on. Whatever it was called, I was hooked.

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