I want to do a few appliques on some bags i'm making and i have no idea how to do them. Do you get them from patterns or free hand or what? I'd like to do some trees and the sign of Ajna, perhaps some mushrooms also. Any advice will be great! <3 Alicia
You can do a pattern or a free hand applique. I really like to use a fusing agent under the piece of fabric I am appliqueing, like Wunder-Under (its pretty reasonable and you get it by the yard at a fabric store so you'll have a lot to play with). You just sut out your piece or pieces, iron on the fusing agent, then when you're ready to place your applique to the base fabric peel off the paper on the back, put it on, and iron over the top again. This will keep it from moving around when you satin stitch (or tightly zig zag set machine to about 0) around the piece of fabric you just laid down. It keeps everything smooth, no bunching --kira
are you doing them by hand or machine? either way, you'll probably want to purchase some 'wonder under' or something similar. it is usually sold by the yard & you can find it at any fabric store & even some other craft places. you iron it onto the back of the piece of fabric that you will cut your applique out of. sometimes i even draw my shape directly on the backing. then cut out your shape & peel off the paper backing. the backside of the fabric will now have a smooth, filmy texture. you don't have to use this stuff, but it makes it soooo much easier! it gives your fabric a stiff texture so it won't slip while you're stitchin. if you're using a machine, then set it to zigzag stitch & make your stitch length '0' try this on a scrap first. when you're ready, start at any point of your applique & maneuver around. you will end up with a 'satin stitch' all the way around.... hope this helps & isn't too confusing!!! hopefully some other stitchin sisters will lend some advice as well! good luck!
Josai, and others: On this subject, do you like wunder-under the best, or have you tried anything else? I bought a crap load of it the last time I was shopping for the stuff and haven't yet found it necessary to get more, but just wondering if there is another brand to try for next time??
I prefer stitch witchery. I think it holds up better and it doesn't leave a yucky sticky residue like other brands. It's also cheaper than most.
actually, i think i have heat n bond stuff as well, but all i could think of was the name 'wonder under' anyway, i've used each & they both seem to work well for me, can't REALLY tell a difference & i'm so cheap, i always buy the most affordable. i don't skimp when it matters (like on thread....Ugh! cheap thread is the WORST), i just haven't seen a difference in this stuff
