Sew Inspirational

Turned Edge Appliqué – With Floriani Stitch N Wash

Materials required:

• 1 Fat Quarter of cream fabric
• Mixed fabric scraps for appliqué
• Floriani Stitch N Wash Fusible
• Spray starch
• 2 manicure cuticle sticks
• Blue water soluble marking pen
• Water soluble glue stick
• Appliqué thread
• Iron

Here’s how:
Stitch N Wash Fusible is a lovely soft Appliqué Foundation paper that is fusible on one side. When washed the water soluble side washes away leaving only tiny fibres trapped behind, you never have to try and remove it.

Pre wash the scrap fabric for the appliqué (Note: washing the appliqué fabric preshrinks it slightly), When you have finished the appliqué, you then wash the whole piece. The folded edges of your appliqué pieces will roll under ever so slightly, hiding your machine stitching.

Remember do not wash the backing fabric.

1. Using the blue water soluble pen trace your design onto you backing fabric.
2. Now Trace another copy of your appliqué pieces on the fusible side of the Stitch N Wash (the fusible side is the one that looks shiny). Cut the appliqué pieces out with nice sharp smooth edges.
3. Using the diagram, at the end of this article, as a guide, start with appliqué piece number 1. Iron this to the wrong side of the fabric, trim around the appliqué fabric leaving around 1/8”  turn under allowance around the appliqué foundation paper.
4.  Using the water soluble glue stick, apply a generous amount of glue to the fabric allowance and the edges of the appliqué paper, you will only need to clip the inside curves.

TIP - Always clip after the glue has been applied, this stops the fabric from fraying.

When your applique has curves you will only ever clip the inward curves. Use the manicure stick to help you turn your edges under, and roll around your outer edges. Do this on a firm surface for better results.

Using a pinching action with your thumb and finger, turn the fabric over the edge of the Stitch N Wash applique fabric. Now use your iron to heat set the fold. This step can make all the difference to how your applique appears when finished – Continue this method for all the other pieces of applique.

Putting the Applique Pieces onto the Background. Take your backing fabric which you traced your design onto with the blue water soluble pen (this helps with placement of your applique pieces). Starting with piece number 1 (see pattern following) apply the water soluble glue to the wrong side of the applique piece, and place in position pressing firmly with your hands. Continue until all pieces are applied.

Now you are ready to start sewing.

I like to set my machine on zigzag stitch (I use stitch length 1.0 and the stitch width is .9 or 1.1). Try these settings as a guide and adjust to suit you or your machine, you will soon know which works best for you.

I only use silk thread for the applique as it is very fine and harder to see when finished. It is important to lock your stitches at the beginning and the end, leave a small tail of thread so when you have finished the entire block you can pull these through to the wrong side and tie off.

When you have finished sewing you are ready to wash your applique block (I usually just let it gently soak for 2 hours, rinse and let drip dry). When dry use some spray starch and iron your block.

It is now ready for making into whatever you desire.

Stitch N Wash also comes in a Non Fusible (on the roll or pre cut sheets). This is wonderful for foundation piecing as it simply washes away.

To download the flower pattern click here.

Quilted One Block Marvels

By Carolyn Sullivan

Waves uses both rotation and reflection in its vibrant design that has both movement and energy. Here the basic block has undergone three changes, a 90ºclockwise rotation, a vertical reflection and a 270º rotation of the reflected block.

Straight Corner Binding

By Narelle Grieve

A very important aspect of any quilt is the binding. Some liken them to a picture frame and a binding can make or break a quilt. It is well worth taking the time to make sure it lies flat, the corners are square and the bindings are full of batting.

Over the next few issues of Sew Inspirational we will cover some of the binding options you have.

This issue we will focus on one of the simplest bindings – Straight Corner Binding.

It is important with any quilt to measure the two centres of the piece: i.e. horizontal and vertical. The reason for this is that the quilt may vary in measurement from the outside measurement and the centre. They vary because the quilt may have too large or too small seam allowances, or the quilting may be uneven over the piece. This last reason can make a huge difference in measurement, particularly if you are working on a large quilt. So, when you are making your quilt, keep these factors in mind as you sew the pieces and also sew the quilting. If there is a large difference between the measurements, you could try sewing a running stitch along the outside of the quilt, and pulling it in to the measurement required. This is not magic, but can help with small amounts of fullness. Of course, it also depends on whether you are making a wall hanging or a queen size quilt!

There are a few rules for bindings –

1. They should always be full of batting, because the binding will wear less.
2. The binding should be double fabric. This reduces wear on the quilt, but also makes it easier to sew the folded edge to the back of the quilt after the binding is applied.
3. The binding width should be the same on the front and the back of the quilt.
4. The corners should be straight and square. Even if you chose to have a mitred corner, these corners should still sit well, be straight and flat.

To determine the width to cut the binding fabric, work out the finished width of the binding: i.e. Decide on the width on the front and the back of the quilt. Add them together, then add 6mm (l/4in) for seam allowance, and double that measurement.

I usually add 3mm (l/8in), to that measurement, to allow for the fabric to go around the batting. This measurement will vary in relation to the density of the batting.

To join the cut lengths of binding use a bias seam. This spreads the bulk of the seam allowance.

TIP: Always play with a test piece first.
See pic 1 above.

• Press the binding strip in half, lengthways.
• Pin mark, into quarters, the length of the quilt and the length of the binding.
• Sew the binding to the right side of the quilt, raw edges together, matching these quarter points, and using a 6mm (l/4in) seam allowance.
• Begin with the binding at a corner edge of the quilt and sew to the other end of the quilt.
• Remove the quilt from the machine and cut the binding level with the quilt edge.
  See pic 2.
• Press the folded edge of the binding back towards the edge of the quilt.
  See pic 3.
• Sew and press the parallel side of the quilt in the same manner.
• Sew and press the bindings, to the other two sides of the quilt, in a similar manner.
  See pic 4.
• Fold the binding to the back of the quilt, with the folded edge of the binding just covering the machine stitching. Begin by folding over the first side sewn. Then fold over the second side in a similar manner. The cut edge will be covered by the second fold of the binding.
  See pic 5.
• Slipstitch the bindings to the back of the quilt, taking small stitches in the gap which forms at the corners.