Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Applique disaster


The applique block I started the other day ended it's life in the garbage just now !
I was done with the papercut wreath, and I thought I would pick the freezer paper out before adding the hearts - pink by the way.

I have been using a basting glue stick that I have heard is sooo good.
Well - my experience is it is not, and I will never use it for hand applique again, ever.
Even when being very careful, with a needle lifting the fabric off the freezer paper threads from the fabric was stuck and the seam allowance that is very scant at the inner curves raveled to much.
A seam allowance of 1-2 threads is not enough to hold the applique in the long run !!

Oh well - there are other methods to use - basting the fabric to the freezer paper, starch and iron with freezer paper, needle turn, back basting.

This particular block is a papercut with 4 hearts - on the lower row, for you who own the book Applique Designs - my mother taught me to sew.

My next block will be one with an easier design and another method.
If one never makes mistakes one will never learn, right ? ;-)

Midnight is coming closer here and tomorrow is another day.

13 comments:

  1. ohhhh so very frustrating, but you're right, without a mistake or two in one's past there'd be no experimenting and learning having happened...

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  2. Sometimes the best thing to do is to start over - you are right - you need a bit more than 2-3 threads for a seam!

    Cheers!

    Evelyn

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  3. Oh Hanne, I'm so sorry! When I was taught that method I was told to spray the back of the block with water to loosen the glue. Some people even dip the entire block in water. Your directions must not have told you that. This method works well if you dissolve the glue with water before you try to remove the freezer paper. For me it's just too much preparation and post stitching fuss - give me needle turn every time. I have used this with success for invisible machine appliqué.

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  4. Better to find out on the first block that you don't like the new method. It can be frustrating to get a lot done and then not be happy with the result.

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  5. Win a few-- lose a few. Don't let it ruin your day..Give it another shot tomorrow.
    Melanie

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  6. Oh, Hanne, it's good that you can see it as a learning experience! Onward to tomorrow, and another try!
    Jeanne :)

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  7. What works for one does not necessarily work for another. Sorry it had to hit the garbage can, Hanne.

    I've done both freezer paper with glue stick and spray starch. Sometimes I must have over done it since the fabric was so stiff and could not stitch it.

    I hate the way the applique looks on my Santa but hey, I hope that I learned something along the way since it was started so long ago.

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  8. How aggrivating! At least you found out before using it on more than one block. Its good you count it as a learning experience- I'd still be annoyed.

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  9. I am so sorry Hanne. It was me who teased you to start again with this application I have learned that sometimes the freezer paper get stucked on the fabric, it is impossible to rip off. Especially Thimbleberry fabric (do not know why). I always try to iron on a bit of freezerpaper on the fabric I am going to use to see what is happening. Sometimes i glue the seam allowance on and sometimes I sew it on the freezerpaper. Either way works fine. The seam allowance in the turns??? are very scant sometimes, you just have to sew more stitches there. I hope you will try once more. And perhaps a more easy block, because the one you pick was not the easiest one. I have not done that yet. Perhaps I will try this weekend and see what happends.

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  10. Noen ganger må en jaggu lære den vanskelige veien, - og prosjektet ender i søpla.
    Vel, nå er du en erfaring rikere og din neste blokk vil unngå slike feilskjær :-)
    Lykke til videre!
    - - -
    Sorry to hear about the disaster, good luck with the next block!

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  11. Hi Hanne, good for you for trying those new methods, but darn..you're right a couple of threads won't hold up to use.
    I know you'll find a better way! Hugs, Finn who doesn't applique!!

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  12. The block should recieve a commendation. It gave its life in the cause of education.
    You deserve a star also for knowing when to cut your losses and move on......
    As Scarlet O'Hara said, "Tomorrow is another day."

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  13. I am so sorry that you had problems with your applique block. I don't like using glue, but Beth Ferrier really recommends it. I think she puts a hot wet towel over the applique to melt the glue down before trying to take out the freezer paper.

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