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Freezer paper applique method

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:48:42 +0000

This is the method I use when creating my applique blocks and quilts. I love it because it gives consistent shapes to sew to the block. Also because the preparation work is done first and all you have to do is position the piece on your block and sew! Using this method is also good when you are designing a block. Your shapes are the finished size and you can see exactly how they fit around each other and within the block size.

Materials needed:
· Freezer paper
· Pencil
· Paper scissors
· Fabric scissors
· Applique or sequin pins (extra short pins with small heads)
· Background fabric block
· Applique fabric and matching thread
· Size 10 applique needle called sharps (not the needle called betweens which is a hand quilting needle)
· Iron and pad

1. Draw a reversed template of the shape on the paper side of the freezer paper.

2. Cut out the template on the line and press the plastic side of the paper to the back of the fabric you will use with an iron.

3. Cut out the shape from the fabric leaving a 3/8” seam allowance around the template.

4. Clip the seam allowance around the template almost to but not touching the template. Clipping around curves are essential to getting
smooth curves. The inside corners should be all the way to the paper template as shown in the heart below:

I usually clip every 1/8” to get smooth curves. Clipping too close to the template can cause fraying when you turn back the seam allowance. I’ll
tell you how to handle that problem later in the troubleshooting section.

5. Load your needle with white thread and knot it with a single knot.

6. Let’s assume you are holding the heart shape in your hand with the paper side of the template facing you.

7. Fold over one of clipped sections to the back of the shape. I like to start on the side of the heart. Push your needle from the right side of the shape through to the back facing you and pull through to the knot through the clipped section you just folded over.

8. Fold down the next section and stitch through it to the other side. Continue to baste all around the heart shape.

9. The point of the heart is handled a different way. Fold over the end of the seam allowance to the back at the tip. Make a mitered fold on both sides of the point and baste down.

10. Press the shape front and back to get a good edge crease all around the shape.

11. Position the applique shape where you want it to be and pin down with a short pin.

12. Start sewing it down with an applique stitch on one long side of the heart. Continue sewing until half way around the heart. Stop and remove the basting stitches. Pull out the basting thread and freezer paper template. Continue sewing down the rest of the heart.

Basting your quilt for machine quilting

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:35:50 +0000

Supplies

· Quilting Safety Pins
· Masking Tape

1. Iron your quilt top making sure the intersection points are pressed open and that the seam allowances are flat.

2. Mark your quilt with quilting designs after all the ironing is done. The lines from wash out markers will become permanent in the fabric if ironed.

3. Piece your backing and press open the seams.

4. Lay the backing with the seam allowances facing you on the floor or a large table. The batting will cover the seam allowances.

5. Tape the corners and several places along the sides with masking tape. Stretch the backing taunt as you tape the edges. Stroke your hand across the backing. If it doesn’t move then you have made it taunt enough. This will prevent wrinkles from forming on the back while you machine quilt.

6. Lay out and center the batting on the backing. Smooth out the wrinkles.

7. Lay out and center the quilt top on the batt. Smooth out the top but not enough to distort the shape of the quilt. That can be easy to do
with cotton batts.

8. Pin the layers together every 2” to 3”. Placing the pins close together keeps the quilt layers from moving while you are machine quilting.

9. Remove the masking tape from around the backing edges. Your quilt is now ready for machine quilting.

Basting with thread

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:29:01 +0000

1. Prepare your needles with a long length of threadabout 18” to 24” long.

2. I have found using curved needles made for tieing quilts are very useful as the tip of the needle dips into the layers and curves back out again. It saves your fingers underneath the quilt from getting pricked so often as you stitch the length and width of your quilt.

3. You will be stitching a grid across the quilt with stitching lines 8” to 12” apart. The lines don’t need to be closer because you will be using a quilting frame to hand quilt. Start at the center edge of one side and baste with long stitches to the other side.

Add the second line the length of the quilt. Then fill in the grid across the width and length every 8” to 12” according to the size of your quilt.

4. Remove the safety pins from the quilt. You are ready now to handquilt your quilt.

Basting a quilt for hand quilting

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:19:44 +0000

Supplies Needed

· White or a contrasting thread color to the quilt
· Masking tape
· Quilting safety pins
· Long basting needles or curved needles
· Scissors

1. Press your quilt top front and back making sure that intersection seam allowances are pressed open and that seam allowances are flat.

2. Mark your quilt top with quilting designs if desired. Don’t press the top after marking because the heat from the iron can set the marks permanently into the fabric if you are using wash out markers.

3. Piece your backing and press open the seams.

4. Lay the backing with the seam allowance on the top facing you on the floor or a large table. It will be covered with the batting.

5. With masking tape, tape the corners and along the sides in several places. Stretch the backing tight enough as you tape it so that when you stroke the backing with your hand it doesn’t move. Making the backing taunt will prevent wrinkles from forming on the back as you baste the layers.

6. Lay out your batting on the backing centering it and smoothing out all wrinkles.

7. Lay your quilt top on top of the batting centering it with equal widths of batting and backing beyond the quilt’s edges. Ease out the wrinkles but make sure you are not distorting the shape. That can be easy to do with cotton batts.

8. Pin the layers with quilting safety pins every six inches.

9. Remove the tape around the edges of the backing. If the quilt is on the floor you can move it to a table surface now for basting.