I am just so proud of myself I could burst. I have been putting off doing machine applique for YEARS because I thought it was too difficult, and that I could never achieve good results. Avoiding machine applique even caused me to slave over a simple hand appliqued border for a quilt that took me three years to finish. I tried needle point applique as my preferred method, and the results were, shall we say, primitive looking. But I told myself it added to that quilt’s charm. Here is a picture of that needle turn applique effort below. Seriously, it took me FOREVER to finish.
My sister Andrea has recently been raving over using fusible interfacing material to attach applique shapes to quilt blocks and borders. I have to admit a bit of sisterly jealousy, thinking to myself "Well, for heaven’s sake, if SHE can do it…" I just didn’t want her to show me up. Please take a look at her recent project, and you will agree it is as cute as can be. In addition, Pamkittymorning has posted lately on a darling machine appliqued basket she has finished. Not to be outdone, I jumped at the chance to give machine applique a try. I bought some Steam a Seam Lite, a little craft iron, a pressing cloth and started tracing teensy little leaves and flower petals.
Oh my goodness. It was easy, it was fun, and it turned out great! I am so hooked now. If you look at the block I finished you can probably see that my stitches are slightly wonky, but I am so convinced that with a bit more practice, I will get the hang of this technique and will be incorporating it into lots of future quilts. The tricky parts are the curves and points where you have to master the art of pivoting. I did do a bit of practicing first to see what kind of look I liked. I could have done a tiny zig zag stitch and used invisible thread, but decided I liked the look of a blanket stitch using thread that matched the applique piece better. I feel such a sense of accomplishment, and am kicking myself that it took me this long to jump on the applique band wagon!
The block pictured above is from a book called Summer Haven by Linda Hohag. The fabrics are the remnants of a quilt my friend Lisa made using Moda’s Buttercream and Figs line, which she generously shared with me.
40 responses to “Applique”
Your machine applique is lovely. Well, so is your needleturn, for that matter. But don’t you just love the neat look of machine applique?
Your machine applique is lovely. Well, so is your needleturn, for that matter. But don’t you just love the neat look of machine applique?
Oh, Nicole it looks lovely! Aren’t you glad you finally took the plunge. I’m not a fan of machine because I’m not good at it – don’t have the patience! I love to hand applique however I prefer the freezer paper/spray starch method to needleturn. Someday I might try needleturn again.
Enjoy your new love – I see many new projects in your future!
Oh, Nicole it looks lovely! Aren’t you glad you finally took the plunge. I’m not a fan of machine because I’m not good at it – don’t have the patience! I love to hand applique however I prefer the freezer paper/spray starch method to needleturn. Someday I might try needleturn again.
Enjoy your new love – I see many new projects in your future!
Your applique is beautiful… I don’t know if I love the fabric choices or the pattern more… Great job.. It may have taken forever to complete that quilt, but it was definitely worth the wait.
Your applique is beautiful… I don’t know if I love the fabric choices or the pattern more… Great job.. It may have taken forever to complete that quilt, but it was definitely worth the wait.
Wow – you are so talented Nicole! If my applique looked half that good, I’d do it all the time! Alas, I need loads of practice. I’m glad you could use my leftover fabric pieces – they look so sweet with that pattern!
Wow – you are so talented Nicole! If my applique looked half that good, I’d do it all the time! Alas, I need loads of practice. I’m glad you could use my leftover fabric pieces – they look so sweet with that pattern!
Great job! Yeah, you can’t let your sister get ahead of you! LOL!
Great job! Yeah, you can’t let your sister get ahead of you! LOL!
Very pretty block! You did a lovely job.
Everybody talks about how much faster machine appliqué is (and it is…) but the thing I think people need to remember is that it is like anything: it might be fast, but that doesn’t mean it’s good. You still have to work hard to do it and make it look good.
I prefer WonderUnder or MistyFuse fusible web to the Steam-A-Seam product….I recommend trying them all to see what you like. These 2 seem to be much lighter and less-stiff than anything else.
Very pretty block! You did a lovely job.
Everybody talks about how much faster machine appliqué is (and it is…) but the thing I think people need to remember is that it is like anything: it might be fast, but that doesn’t mean it’s good. You still have to work hard to do it and make it look good.
I prefer WonderUnder or MistyFuse fusible web to the Steam-A-Seam product….I recommend trying them all to see what you like. These 2 seem to be much lighter and less-stiff than anything else.
It turned out so nice! Love the little leaves.
It turned out so nice! Love the little leaves.
I am SO impressed! I have put off machine applique-ing forever, as well, for the exact same reason as you did.
Did you have to turn the edges of the fabric under before you appliqued it on? Or did you just fuse the piece on and then stitch around it? Am I making any sense at all? LOL
It looks beautiful!!
God bless 🙂
I am SO impressed! I have put off machine applique-ing forever, as well, for the exact same reason as you did.
Did you have to turn the edges of the fabric under before you appliqued it on? Or did you just fuse the piece on and then stitch around it? Am I making any sense at all? LOL
It looks beautiful!!
God bless 🙂
I love it! What a lovely block. I saw a segment on this on Simply Quilts with guest Sue Nichols and have been wanting to try it, but have been unsure about the stiffness factor for a bed quilt. Did you find a fusible that you like the feel of? If so, what did you use? I’m dying to know! ~A 🙂
I love it! What a lovely block. I saw a segment on this on Simply Quilts with guest Sue Nichols and have been wanting to try it, but have been unsure about the stiffness factor for a bed quilt. Did you find a fusible that you like the feel of? If so, what did you use? I’m dying to know! ~A 🙂
I can’t see a thing wrong with your stitching. You don’t want it to look like a machine did it. You want it to look handmade.
I can’t see a thing wrong with your stitching. You don’t want it to look like a machine did it. You want it to look handmade.
Nicole, your applique is beautiful! I love everything about it! And the quilt is fabulous too. Like Darlene, I’m a freezer paper applique’r. I’d love to do machine applique, but I’m just too leery of those raw edges for the long haul, after a laundering here or there. If I could find a fusible-edge-turned-under machine method that I liked, I’d do machine applique all the time!
Nicole, your applique is beautiful! I love everything about it! And the quilt is fabulous too. Like Darlene, I’m a freezer paper applique’r. I’d love to do machine applique, but I’m just too leery of those raw edges for the long haul, after a laundering here or there. If I could find a fusible-edge-turned-under machine method that I liked, I’d do machine applique all the time!
I think that both of your projects are beautifully done and I also love the fabric choices on your little flower block. I dabble in a little machine applique, but really love handwork and needle turn, relaxes me. But it sure does slow down getting things in the crossed off section of the to do list, lol. Your work is always beautiful and inspiring, thanks for sharing – I’m off to find that book, lol.
Karen
I think that both of your projects are beautifully done and I also love the fabric choices on your little flower block. I dabble in a little machine applique, but really love handwork and needle turn, relaxes me. But it sure does slow down getting things in the crossed off section of the to do list, lol. Your work is always beautiful and inspiring, thanks for sharing – I’m off to find that book, lol.
Karen
No sooner started than mastered by the look of it! Great job and I love the colors you’ve chosen. =)
No sooner started than mastered by the look of it! Great job and I love the colors you’ve chosen. =)
Love the block and the colors are just delicious. I love machine applique too. I took a class on machine quilting today trying to master my BSR but it’s going to take a while I think.
Love the block and the colors are just delicious. I love machine applique too. I took a class on machine quilting today trying to master my BSR but it’s going to take a while I think.
Nicolel, that little block is adorable. Great job!!! Your quilt is beautiful too. I keep saying that your work is always so pretty. LOVE IT!!
Nicolel, that little block is adorable. Great job!!! Your quilt is beautiful too. I keep saying that your work is always so pretty. LOVE IT!!
That doesn’t look bad at all! I think you did a great job. I would always tell people to practice on a 5 pointed star – you get all the ins and outs in both directions and figure it out pretty fast! Circles are tricky, too, but I think of them the same was as hand applique of small circles – just a series of straight stitches with a turn in between.
If you have a machine where you can lessen the pressure on the presser foot, then you can kind of keep the round ones going around as you stitch, just stopping a few times to move the fabric.
That doesn’t look bad at all! I think you did a great job. I would always tell people to practice on a 5 pointed star – you get all the ins and outs in both directions and figure it out pretty fast! Circles are tricky, too, but I think of them the same was as hand applique of small circles – just a series of straight stitches with a turn in between.
If you have a machine where you can lessen the pressure on the presser foot, then you can kind of keep the round ones going around as you stitch, just stopping a few times to move the fabric.
Beautiful applique! I’ve long done hand applique too–but I enjoy it, even if it does take forever–LOL! Great work, and the quilt is marvelous! Happy Day! :o)
Beautiful applique! I’ve long done hand applique too–but I enjoy it, even if it does take forever–LOL! Great work, and the quilt is marvelous! Happy Day! :o)
I love your appplique you are very clever I enjoy looking at your work it is so nice.
I love your appplique you are very clever I enjoy looking at your work it is so nice.
Your machine appliqué looks great. I love how quick it is. Love the 9 patch quilt.
Your machine appliqué looks great. I love how quick it is. Love the 9 patch quilt.
Nicole – you are MOST definitely not a beginner at this – I don’t care what you say! Your blanket stitches are so neat and tidy looking. Love your fabric choices – very pretty!
At least you do the needleturn applique (which is gorgeous, by the way)! I am too lazy (or maybe scared) to try it. I have always preferred the fusible applique method. Welcome to my world! lol!
Nicole – you are MOST definitely not a beginner at this – I don’t care what you say! Your blanket stitches are so neat and tidy looking. Love your fabric choices – very pretty!
At least you do the needleturn applique (which is gorgeous, by the way)! I am too lazy (or maybe scared) to try it. I have always preferred the fusible applique method. Welcome to my world! lol!