Happy New Year Everyone! Hope everyone had a great holiday season.
Now that I am getting back to actually doing some applique work for a quilt for my family, I wanted to find an applique method that would be easier on my old hands.
I am currently making a mini bouquet basket using the Eleanor Burns method with the fusible interfacing on the back of the pieces. So far so good!
It seems easier for me to sew the interfacing on the pieces, turn the pieces inside out, then applique and then fuse with an iron.
I applique the pieces first before I fuse it to the background. That way, I can make sure that there is no white interfacing showing to the front of the piece.
Here is a picture of the block so far. Notice the interfacing on back of the basket and the slit on the interfacing that was used to turn it inside out.
I really like this method because all the edges are turned under evenly. I don't have to fumble with the turning under with my arthritic hands. I don't use the machine applique. I still like the look of hand applique. But after I applique the pieces down, I run the iron over the piece and fuse it to the background. That way, I have the added protection of it being fused to background.
Just have to be careful when first sewing the pieces to the interfacing.
First, it has to be "fusible interfacing" NOT the double sided glue stuff. Fusible interfacing only has glue on one side. I used the lightest weight of interfacing. That way, it doesn't add too much bulk.
Second, when sewing the pieces to the interfacing, make sure the right side of the fabric is next to the glue side of the interfacing. You can feel the little dots of glue. When you turn the pieces inside out; the right side of the fabric will be showing and the glue dots will be showing.
I will post more pictures when I have finished the block.
Have a great quilting year!
