Applique by Hand: Zen for Stitchers

For many quilters, hand is a four letter word. We grew up with machines, our time was limited, and you can do a lot more sewing if a machine is sewing with you.

Sue Makinen

So, why would you choose to applique by hand? For the very reason we really choose to do anything. Because its fun!

It has some other great qualities as well. 

• It's portable.
•  It's calming.
•  It can be done anywhere.
•  It doesn't take your full attention, so you can do it chatting, talking, or watching TV.

We're going to look at several different applique techniques over the next week. There may well be as many applique techinques as there are quilters, but there are some classic ways to  do this that make your life Feasier.

Does it have to be old fashioned? Don't be silly. We can take all kinds of designs and use the techniques that work best for us. There are no rules. Merely suggestions.

from Cottontail Quilters

The most classic applique technique is needle turned applique. It's old school but it's lovely. You use the needle to turn the applique edges over as you stitch.

From Hetties Patch

The starting point is where you mark and cut your applique pieces.The tradition is that you trace them. You can make a pattern of paper, cardboard, freezer paper, pattern plastic or sand paper and trace endless pieces on your fabric. You cut them out with a 1/4 inch edge around them.

You can also take a running stitch around the edge and pull it in to turn your applique edge.









But there are some cool alternatives. You can also iron freezer paper  on to your fabric, cut out with your edge allowance and iron it down, with the paper in it.

Inklingo Pattern

Or there's a new product called Inklingo, where you can either print your pattern on paper of some kind or print the fabric itself. This is a real time saver and it ups your accuracy considerably.

From Martingale Press

In the end, you whip stitch the turned over edges invisibly to your top fabric.










It's not fast. But it is especially lovely. And it's probably what your grandmother did. Unless your grandmother was a dyed in the wool machine girl. Yes, they've always been out there. 

Next time we'll explore  applique with embroidery stitches.

Exploring Piecing and Applique: Yes, You Can Do It All

Applique quilt from Quilt Sister

You've probably heard people declare, I'm a "piecer", or" I do applique". They really are very different techniques.And they offer such different possibilities. We're going to look at applique over the next week, but before we do that, let's unpack the differences.

From Fussy Cutter Quilter Kits

Piecing is the sewing of fabric together in seams. We've talked a great deal about piecing. It's usually where beginning quilters start.

Piecing is almost always in straight lines. Except when it's not. There are fabulous curved piecers and piecing, but it's a high skill trick. Much piecing that looks curved is actually an optical illusion. It's worthy, it's lovely and it's very exacting.

Sue Makinen's Applique 

Applique is applying fabric on top of another fabric. Applique is the land of the curve. There is straight line applique, but one is tempted to ask," why?" It's so much easier to piece straight lines and so beautiful to applique curves.

by Barbara Baatz Hillman

There's also nothing against both piecing and applique within the same quilt. It's an astonishing combination that gives you the best of everything.

From Thimble Lady

But that being said, there are a lot of techniques within that. The biggest decision is whether to work by hand or by machine. 
There are wonderful reasons for both.





Hand applique is

• Elegant and delicate
• Can be intricate
• Traditional
• Portable( you can easily carry it with you)

From Sew Momma Sew

Machine Applique is

• Faster
• Less Intricate
• More contemporary (usually)
• Needs to be done in your sewing room with your machine.

In a way, the differences are almost along personality lines. Do you need to finish up fast, or do you want to do a long term masterpiece?
Both are fabulous. Applique is a wide world and we'll explore a good chunk of it. 
Sue Makinen is teaching a class on  hand applique for us on Saturday May 3rd, at 10:30-3.You can find more about Sue on our Blog Post Applique Treasures: Sue Makinen.

Applique Treasures: Sue Makinen

We've always known our greatest treasure is our quilt community. We have a new person who personifies that!
Sue Makinen has joined us as a teacher and staff.

Sue does the most amazing hand applique. And she's going to teach us in her beginning applique class.
Sue does her applique by hand, but she has some great tricks with patterns and starch that make it all work so much better.

Sue has worked with Kim Diehl, making a quilt called Checkard Past that Kim included in her book, Simple Charm.

Here's the great applique project we'll do in her class on Saturday May 3rd, at 10:30-3.
You'll find Sue, and the Simple Charm book at Threadbenders, waiting for you.