AboutConnie Hester Expertise Quilting and applique expert.Can advise on the following topics:quilting, art quilts, quilt design and construction, machine and hand quilting, paper foundation piecing, machine piecing, hand piecing, raw edge applique, turned-edge applique and fiber art.
Experience Winning awards in international fiber and art competitions since 1983; http://www.conniehester.com/
BS,MS
See my work and books at http://www.conniehester.com/
Question Ok, I have tried a McKenna Ryan pattern, have all my pieces fused to the background, so far, so good. Now I need to raw-edge applique, and I'm missing something here. Do I do this prior to layering/basting/quilting or as part of quilting? I intend to use invisible thread, started by appliquing prior to layering - but should I use straight stitch (too confining for the detail in these pieces), free-motion with a darning foot? Any suggestions, other than getting an open-toed darning foot - the clear one still does not have enough visiblity. Would love to finish this project - appreciate any insight! Thanks.
Answer Yes, raw-edge applique is usually done prior to layering the top with batting and backing. There are many techniques for raw-edge applique. You can do a multi-stitch free-motion zig-zaggy motion over the edges, satin-stitch, or a straight stitch 1/8-1/4" inside the raw edge to encourage frayed edges, to name a few. I usually use invisible thread in the needle and the bobbin and do a free-motion multi-stitched sort of buttonhole stitch. (Test your machine for cooperation in this. You may need to adjust your bobbin tension screw to get even stitches on the top and the back sides when using invisible thread, size .004 mm. Also, make sure the invisible thread doesn't stretch as it is wound onto the bobbin. Hand-winding is always a guaranteed method to prevent that stretching.) Sometimes I use coordinating threads instead of invisible thread for a different effect. I used to do a multi-stitch zig-zaggy motion over the edges, moving inside the applique piece and then moving out beyond the raw edge, maintaining an overall random length to the zigzags. I maintain a random buttonhole stitch length and distance-between-stitches as well. No matter how consistent we are, it only takes a few occasional stitches which are NOT consistent to stand out like a sore thumb! *I* actually prefer the random look to the stitches. They don't become the visual focus that way.
Now, you really are going to need a darning foot. I totally agree with you about the lack of visibility through that plastic. Buy the appropriate one for your machine, and cut out about 1/2" area from the plastic in front, creating your own open-toe darning foot. I use a bandsaw and then an emory board to smooth the cut edges. This way, you can see EXACTLY where the needle is going to penetrate with each stitch.
