Quilty Pleasures Blog

Before I begin stitching I like to baste all my appliqu shapes into place. This eliminates the problem of your thread getting tangled up on pins. Some people like to sew their shapes down but I find its much easier to use Roxannes Glue Baste. To do this, find the center of your background fabric and pin the pattern onto the backside of your background fabric making sure the centers are aligned. If your background fabric is light you should be able to see the pattern through the fabric. If not, use a light box. Baste the appliqu pieces in place by placing a small amount of glue onto the background fabric and pressing the shapes in place. I can baste the entire block this way!

One of the ways I add dimension to my quilts is by adding stuffed circles. I like use Karen Kay Buckleys Perfect Circle templates. To add the stuffing I use a fusible web to trace my circles. I then fuse this web onto some lightweight batting and cut out the circles. These circles can then be fused onto the wrong side of your fabric circles.

To finish these circles I stitch around the edge of the fabric as shown below.

Place the circle template on top of the batting and pull the stitching thread to pull the seam allowance in.

Once the circle is formed use your stencil brush to apply some starch and press until the circle is dry (I just set the iron down right on top and wait a few seconds). After you remove the template you will have a nice stuffed circle for you appliqu. You can also omit the batting for a flatter circle appliqu shape.

Thread your needles because next time Im going to show you how I stitch!