Yesterday, we told you about Apliquick – arguably the easiest method for turned-edge applique ever! Applique shapes are traced onto light-weight fusible interfacing, cut out, and ironed onto the wrong side of the fabric. The Apliquick rods and glue stick are used to easily and precisely turn under the seam allowance before hand or machine stitching. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to achieve outstanding results with these innovative new tools! It’s a great idea to exercise on the Apliquick practice quilt block.
This quilt block contains three patches with shapes common to many applique designs: outside and inside points, outside and inside curves, and circles. You can download the practice block here.
Onto light-weight fusible interfacing, trace the leaves as one shape, the flower, and the flower center. Cut out the interfacing on the marked line. For large shapes like these, you can conserve interfacing and soften the applique by cutting out the inside of the shape about a half-inch from the traced line.
Iron the interfacing shape onto the wrong side of the appliqué fabric and cut out the fabric leaving a quarter-inch seam allowance. Clip the seam allowance at inside points and along inside curves. Apply water-soluble glue to the seam allowance then turn under the seam allowance using the Apliquick rods.
The interfacing works as a template and a stabilizer, yet it is soft and light-weight so there’s no need to remove it.
The prepared patches can be stitched to the background by hand or by machine. Cut a 10 1/2″ square of background fabric and press it in half both ways to mark the centers. Position the turned-edge leaf shape on the background fabric, matching centers, and pin in place.
For hand stitching, thread an applique needle with fine cotton or silk thread that matches the applique fabric and knot the end. Bring the needle up through the applique patch, catching just a couple of threads in the folded edge, and tuck the thread tail under the patch. Avoid inside and outside points for this first stitch.
Insert the needle into the background fabric straight across from the thread in the applique patch, take a small stitch, and bring the needle back up into the appliqué fold. Continue stitching until the patch is completely secured to the background.
For machine stitching, set up your sewing machine with invisible monofilament thread in the needle and a neutral-color cotton thread in the bobbin. I prefer to use the blind hem stitch for machine applique, but you could also choose a small zigzag, blanket, satin, or even a straight stitch.
Adjust the stitch width and stitch length to make a small stitch; on my machine, the settings are 1.0 for the width and length. Position the blind hem stitch so the straight part of the stitch lands on the background fabric beside the applique and the zigzag part of the stitch just catches the fold of the applique. Stitch around the shape until it is completely secured to the background.
The leaves of your practice block are now appliqued onto the background fabric.
Position the turned-edge flower shape over the leaves and pin in place. Stitch by hand or by machine.
Center the turned-edge flower center in the middle of the flower and stitch in place. Your practice block is complete!
Make nine blocks and assemble them with 2″-wide sashing to create a 38″ x 38″ throw or wall quilt.
It’s worthwhile to exercise with the Apliquick practice quilt block. With the ease and speed of the Apliquick method, you can create beautiful turned-edge applique blocks in no time!
