Comments on: Tools Matter: The Applique Needle

By: Sandra

Sandra — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:09:20 +0000

E-x-a-c-t-l-y! )

By: Judy B

Judy B — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:32:19 +0000

I have never used a straw needle, and if they had been the only choice I wouldn’t do applique! They bend, are hard to thread, and sometimes the thread will not pull through properly because the hole is too small for the thread to pull through.
In a class I was teaching I was stressing the smaller needle/smaller stitch theory. My Mum came to a class one week and sat next to one lady who had lost a couple of fingers and had arthritis in what was left, and she admitted to Mum that she struggled with the small needles in class but used a darning needle at home. Moral of the story, try what the teacher tells you, but be prepared to try other things to find what suits you.
Judy B

By: Sandra

Sandra — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:29:11 +0000

Pharaoh had small pieces layered and no larger pieces with the exception of the goddess’ dresses (large is relative to the other pieces). Because they were thin vertically, they did not “bubble” out. None of the applique elements had any quilting within the applique other than outlining the applique. If I have an area that seems large to me in my design, I try to break it up in the design stage into more applique pieces, rather than leaving it an overly large area in comparison to the rest. Does that make sense? )

By: Joan

Joan — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:16:46 +0000

Yes, I am finding a dilema lately …and is it just as you are saying . Large peices require quilting on the surface in order to allow the quilt to lay properly. I then see distortion of the beautiful softness of an appliqued piece of fabric.
On Pharaoh, were there any large appliqued pieces ?

By: Sandra

Sandra — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:01:34 +0000

I don’t applique large pieces anymore. I like being able to use the embroidery for detail and it gets lost on the large stuff and I personally do not like quilting on the surface of applique. On larger pieces quilting those details almost becomes essential to break up the surface so the quilt lays properly and doesn’t have those big bubble pockets behind the applique.