Sunday, October 23, 2011

My First Appliqué Attempt

Here it is. I finally made my first appliqué attempt. Don't look too close but a pretty good beginning. For anyone not aware yet, my SAL group is doing an appliqué quilt, and I've decided this year I would finally learn the "A" word! I love piecing and embroidery but have successfully avoided appliqué all these years :) I figure by making a block a month I can really improve within the next year.

On this block I tried the "freezer paper on top" technique; already made notes of changes when I attempt my actual block for the quilt.

1. Need to be more patient and take smaller stitches
2. Need smaller seam allowances along the side - little more at the ends.
3. Making small "placement" pencil marks didn't work for me. Need to think that out.
4. Need to pin a little closer to each end - my pieces flopped around too much.

I'm hoping to make several butterfly blocks trying different techniques. Now, my question to you. When I sewed on the body, do I sew the body to the wings or sew all the way down to the background?

Hugs, Elisa

3 comments:

  1. Elisa, I think you did a wonderful job on your first attempt. I've never tried this method. I usually use three layers of FP on the underside and iron the edges over with starch. I use basting glue to hold those end pieces down. Keep up the good work.

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  2. Well, I seem to have done things backwards! I've done a fair bit of applique, but no quilting! My mom used to combine quilting and applique quite a bit.

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  3. Great job hon!! I've tried needleturn and been really frustrated, good for you on sticking with it. I'm not sure if you're supposed to go all the way to the background or not, that's a good question. A good person to ask would be Carrie from A Passion For Applique, she's the QUEEN.

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