Sew With Me: Raw Edge Applique

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June 9, 2015 by tessaraewilliams

Disclaimer: I am a self-taught quilter. I pick up tips from books and videos along the way, but most of what I do is just how I figured out how to do things myself! I’m sure there’s better ways to do applique, but this is my way! :p

I am currently running a Muppet-themed craft swap on Instagram. Follow the hashtag #MuppetCraftSwap. I found this book, Quilting with the Muppets, at the library years ago, and now I finally have an excuse to check it out! Saturday I went fabric shopping and got ready to tackle some of these blocks! (Buy it here on Amazon).

These blocks call for raw-edge applique, which is so far the only applique I’ve tried! My first attempt at raw-edge applique were a Belle miniquilt and Stitch mugrug found here.

Block number one is Gonzo! Luckily, I had all the colors I needed in my stash!

On my other raw-edge applique, I created my own pattern, and the process is the same.

Step 1: Trace the pattern with tracing paper. I used my lightbox for this, which I made myself! (Here’s the youtube video I used to make my lightbox.) However, there are lightbox apps for phones and tablets if you don’t have a lightbox.

Step 2: Flip it over! You will be ironing the pieces to the back side of the fabric, so if you don’t flip your pattern over now, it will come out reversed!

3. Draw each piece onto paper-back fusible web. I use Wonder Under.

Make sure you are drawing on the paper side, not the fusible side. (So sorry I don’t have more pictures for this section!) You will have to do some thinking on this step. You want your pieces to overlap in certain places, and you want to make sure the piece you want in back has enough allowance to layer under the piece you want on top.

For example, the nose piece and the hair piece. The nose piece (top) is traced directly where the traced lines are. The hair piece (bottom left) was given allowance to layer under the nose piece. The jagged line running through the hair piece is where the nose piece will end up overlapping.

4. Cut out your pieces. DO NOT CUT ON YOUR LINES YET! You will roughly cut out each piece. Leave about 1/4 in. around the outside. For most pieces, I like to cut out the inside as well. I do this because the final piece will be less stiff without all the extra layers of fusible web. Again, I leave about 1/4 in. around the lines.

5. Fuse your web to the back side of your fabrics.

As you can see, I cut out the insides of some of the pieces, but not all. The eyelids, tongue, and other small pieces were left with the whole piece of fusible web to add stability to fragile pieces.

6. Cut out the pieces. Now is the time to cut on the traced line. Sorry, forgot to take a picture here! 😦

7. Set out your order for fusing. This pattern comes with an order for how to fuse it. I changed it in some places. Just use your best judgement. (If you are creating your own pattern, take time to figure out which pieces need to go in front and which need to go in back.)

As I would lay out pieces on my background, I would lay my tracing paper pattern on top, and use tweezers to tweak the placement until they lined up with the traced pattern. Then I would fuse.

8. My block now looks like this!

As you can see, I left his little head feathers off for now. Since they overlap the edge of the block, I’ll wait until I’ve sewn this block to the block above before I fuse the feathers. The pattern called for a bright print for Gonzo’s shirt, so I chose the dinosaur print from Lizzy House’s latest line Natural History.

I LOVE how this block came out! I will stitch each piece down once I finish the rest of the blocks and sew them together. I’ll post a picture of the finished project soon (maybe Finish Friday? :p)

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Onto the open swaps for the week!

• #downtonabbeycraftswap – hosted by @tabelite25 and @bee_flake. Sign-up here.
• #jingleallthewayswap2015 – Christmas Table Runner swap. Hosted by @tillalili and @fancy_nancy33. Closes tomorrow! Sign-up here.
• #verynerdyholidayswap – Not open, but announced to open this summer. Hosted by @mamabice_makes. Comment on her post to show interest!
• #tulasquaresswap – hosted by @jenipher1982. Sign-up here.
• #theanonswap2015 – hosted by @uninterestingcroxhet. Sign-up here.
• #summerlovin2015 – hosted by @thatonescrappinplace and @deenasbeanies. To sign-up, you must email them. The email address can be found on the swap post by either of the hosts. Sign-up closes Friday.
• #bttfswap2015 – Back to the Future swap. Hosted by @sierralima14 and @crafty_giraffe. Open Thursday-Sunday so watch their accounts!

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A few last thoughts. I currently have a giveaway going on! Last week I reached 600 followers (!!!) and now I’m just a few away from 700! :O Thank you all so much! The giveaway is for one handmade item specially made for the winner in their favorite new fabric line! Go to the giveaway post to enter! Hashtag is #TRW600.

Also, I am having a small fabric destash through Instagram, but you can also find the listings here.

As always, follow me on Instagram @tessaraewilliams.

Thanks for reading! See you next week!

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