Eye Fooling

 I love to applique, but

the "A" word can make

many quilters cringe.

The best time is when I can do it by hand, but

there are many projects where that's not practical.

That's when it nice to know how to do

machine applique.

Machine applique can be done so that it

will pass as hand applique.

 I've adapted different techniques from different people

to come up with a method that works best for me.

My favorite way is using spray starch and the mini iron.

The applique pattern  is cut out of freezer paper, 

pressed to the wrong side of the fabric  

and cut out with a  scant  1/4 seam allowance.

The seam allowances are painted

with the the spray starch that I've sprayed into the lid of the can.

Then the seam allowance is ironed up over the freezer paper template

 with the mini iron.

A regular iron would work but can be painful on the fingers.

The edges are crisp and sharp.

Of course, don't forget to remove the freezer paper!

The next product I love to use

 is Roxanne's Glue Baste.

It allows you to put a very narrow and precise

 amount of temporary glue on the seam allowances

so the piece can be placed on the design without the use of pins.

 The key to a fine machine applique is 

1. using a lightweight matching colored thread

2. a sharp needle,

3. good light

4. using the variable overlock stitch with the

mirror-image feature on

and

5. making the stitch very narrow and short.

 You can see the stitch more on the pink, 

stitch, stitch, bite.

 The straight stitches go into the background at the 

edge of the applique

 and the zig-zag just nicks the applique.

There are many great books and classes available for 

learning more details on machine appliqueing.

Like any skill though, it takes practice,

but can be easily mastered to be mistaken for hand applique

and done it a lot less time.

The good point is that 

More time = more projects!

Don't forget to check out my 400th post.

 Until Next Time-