Appliqué Lesson 5: The Stitch, Starting and Stopping

Starting the Stitch

Here are some notes on what I’m using for Florabunda. Right now we only really need background fabric. I always cut my blocks bigger to allow for any shrinkage from the appliqué. It does happen. My blocks are all cut 14” square. I’m very partial to sateen for backgrounds. It has a little extra sheen and is lovely to stitch on. I especially like Spelcher Vogel sateen which is a bit pricey ($12/yard) but worth the price. As a rough rule I always plan on 1 yard to cut 4 background blocks. You can probably do with less than that. I do this because I don’t usually know exactly what size my blocks are going to be until after I buy the fabric. That being said, if you cut your blocks 13” you could probably get all 12 blocks cut from 1 ½ yards. If you are going to do the center medallion than plan on using another yard for that. I hope that helps.

The Appliqué Stitch

To stitch the appliqué in place you will need to make a small slipstitch along the folded edge of the appliqué shape. I like to start my stitching by knotting my thread and slipping into the fold of the appliqué shape. Place the needle into the background fabric next to where it came up through the appliqué. Catch a small amount of background fabric as you guide the needle into the edge of the appliqué. Try to only catch a few threads of the appliqué when you bring your needle up through the shape as shown. Keep your stitches close together so that the edge of the appliqué remains smooth. A good stitch spacing to aim for is 10 to 12 stitches per inch. To finish I bring the needle to the back of the block, take a small stitch into the background fabric behind the appliqué and use this stitch to make a knot as shown. I then tuck this thread behind the appliqué by threading my needle in between the background fabric and the appliqué and pulling it up through the background fabric a small distance from the knot. I cut the thread at the background fabric to prevent any fabric tails.

THE STITCH

I start my stitching from the front by slipping the thread into the applique f 

Place needle in background next to where it came up from the applique

Catch a small amount of background fabric as you guide the needle into the edge of the appliqué

Try to only catch a few threads of the appliqué when you bring your needle up through the shape as shown

Pull thread up and keep going

STOPPING

When you are done stitching around a shape bring thread up on the back and catch a few threads of the background fabric

Insert your needle through the loop this stitch makes to form a knot

Pull moderately tight

Thread needle between the background fabric and applique and come up slightly away from the knot

Cut the thread where it comes up. This will prevent the threads on the back from showing through.

Comments

[JoJo]

Great pictures and the design looks beautiful.

[Erin Russek]

Thanks

[Gari]

I am so happy that I have found your blog: I love the BOM you are starting. I machine applique but have been wanting to do the turn and press method rather than raw edge. Your BOM will give me the tools and practice I need. I am really looking forward to working on this and plan to start next week (I will catch up).

[Damaris Estrada]

This is the same method of applique I use and LOVE it!! Thank you for posting!!

[Lynn in NC]

Can you talk more about the Spelcher Vogel sateen? I've never heard of it and I'm not seeing anything much on the web about it?

[free online flash games]

This is the same method of applique I use and LOVE it!! Thank you for posting!!
+1

[andrea]

Thank you for your tutorial helps me a lot to begin applying.

[Mary Anne Davis]

Beautiful design. I am just beginning to applique. What are you using that looks like a thimble? It just looks like a metal disk.