I love the look of applique. Like many of us, I don’t have as much time as I’d like to work on projects. My solution for doing applique is using fusible webbing. Not just any fusible webbing, double-sided fusible webbing. My webbing of choice sheets of Lite Steam-A-Seam II.
Using painter’s tape, affix the pattern to a light box or an obliging window.
With another piece, tape a sheet of double-sided fusible webbing over the pattern. Trace the first pattern piece. Move the sheet and trace another. If the pattern shows one piece overlapping another, trace each in full.
I like to number my pieces left to right (ex: Leaves 1-3, flowers 1-2, stems 1-2).
Using the traced lines, cut each piece out.Once all pieces have been cut out, I turn them over and write the number on the wrong-side as well.
Peel off “front” paper, being careful to leave the “sticky” product attached to the back paper. Place the pattern piece, sticky side down, onto the wrong-side of the fabric, and iron it down. Using a pencil, trace an allowance around the pattern piece.
Cut out on the lines.
Fold the allowance back over the paper pattern piece, and gently iron.
Peel off the back paper. Carefully finger-press the fabric allowance to the exposed sticky webbing. At this point you should have a piece of fabric in the pattern shape with all raw edges folded under with a sticky middle part.
Place the fabric pattern-piece in place. The sticky webbing should hold it in place
Iron from the right-side (I also like to turn the whole piece over and iron from the wrong-side as well), making sure that no part of the sticky webbing touches the iron’s plate. The applique pieces are now ready to be stitched in place.
In this example, I placed all my pieces before ironing them down. Then I stitched all of them at the same time.
I am a mom and a grandma, daughter, sister, state worker, seamstress, knitter, some time crocheter, gardener, history bounder, motorcycle safety instructor and girlfriend. Like many of us I have WAY TOO MANY hobbies.
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