This is the third part of a series on the making of this quilt: We’re All in this Together. If you’d like to catch up see the previous posts here and here.
I promised I would talk about applique next. There are probably a million resources online for hand turned applique and you might want to look for some if this is all new to you. I just thought I’d mention the particulars of how I do it. First up is thread. I prefer a finer thread for applique and my favorite is Aurifil 50 wt with the orange spool. This is also nice because I have lots of it around for piecing and machine quilting. A thread that does double or triple duty is worth its weight in gold.
One thing I did several years ago which makes applique a nice traveling project, is this little color box of thread. I actually have several boxes, all labelled with the type of thread (others have wool thread for wool applique, 12 wt threads for hand quilting, 28 wt threads for hand finished bindings, etc). I fill inexpensive plastic bobbins on my machine’s bobbin winder and I’m ready to go.
It is true that you can make do with what you have as far as needle, thimble, etc, but here are a few notions that I really like for applique. My favorite applique needle is long and thin with a sharp point and an eye that’s big enough to thread without too much trouble. I like Richard Hemmings Large Eye Milliners needles, size 10. You’ll also notice that the needle below is a little bit curved. Mine always develop a curve after use, but they last a very long time. I also like Thimble Pads for applique and hand finished bindings. I use it on the tip of my middle finger of my needle hand. They can be placed and removed many times before the adhesive gives up. Lastly, a thread conditioner is nice. It will keep your thread from tangling too much, makes it glide a little easier, and prevents it from shredding which is especially nice when using a thin thread like 50 wt. Sew Fine Thread Gloss is a nice addition to the world of beeswax conditioners simply because it’s available in lots of scents. It may be hard to find in the US, as it’s made in Canada, but it’s something to look for. It’s like a little treat every time you open the tin.
To use the thread conditioner, thread your needle, lay it on top of the conditioner and pull the thread over. Just once is all you need per thread, but sometimes I’ll do it once more while in the middle of stitching if the thread is tangling.
Basting: When it’s a letter I just baste down the middle of the piece, which means that there’s more than 1/4 inch of fabric to either side. When I baste a larger shape, such as a bird or leaf, I’ll baste 1/4 inch away from the cut edges.
Either way, you can use the tip of your needle and/or your fingers to turn the edge under about 1/8 inch as you go. It’s actually easier to do when the basting stitch is right at 1/4 inch away from the edge, but on the letter, I found it helpful to use my white fabric pencil to mark when I wanted to turn. You can do that after basting if you want to go that route.
So, now to actually doing the applique! The stitch is nearly invisible, showing just a tiny blip on the edge of the applique shape. The length of the stitch is only seen on the back side once finished. This is also the stitch I use for hand finishing bindings, though, in that case, the length of the stitch is buried in the fabric and not seen at all. To do the stitch, use a quilter’s knot on the end of the thread, then bring your needle up from the back just a few threads in from the edge of the shape with the edge turned under. Pull the thread all the way through so the knot is right up to the back. Put the needle down into the background fabric right next to where you came up, creating that tiny little stitch. Pull the thread all the way through. Shift the needle about 1 mm to the left and come up once again in the applique shape, just a couple of threads away from the turned under edge. That’s it! Believe me it goes fast when you get going. At the end of your thread, go down in the background fabric, pull the thread all the way through, anchor by making a tiny stitch in the fabric and create your ending knot.
I also use a few pins judiciously as I stitch around. They are helpful when you are stitching a long straight edge which means you can really zoom down the straight part. On a curve they can be helpful if you pin every 1/2 inch or so. Then, between the pins I use my needle to turn the edge right before stitching.
When you come to an inside corner you’ll need to clip it about 1/8 inch to make the corner. Put a couple of extra stitches in the corner. These will be just a smidgen longer than a usual stitch. Concave curves will also need to be clipped 1/8 inch. I usually space the clips every 1/4 inch or so.
One other tip. When you to a V shape such as the indent in the top of a heart, it can be helpful to turn the far edge under and pin it in place. Then you can use your needle to “sweep under” the edge you are working on right up to the V.
I have finished stitching down the vines, words, and birds and am preparing the leaves for stitching. I’ll be back to post about that soon. Happy Stitching!
