by Sandra | May 20th, 2010
The background fabric is usually the one part of applique that is often not given the attention it deserves. We really do need to think as much about what we choose to put behind our applique just as much as what we choose for the applique itself.
I know how easy it is to just choose a plain background. It works OK, but just OK in most cases. We are pretty much guaranteed that our applique will show up and that the quilting will also show. However, a plain solid background is rather static and lifeless and tends to flatten the dimension of the applique. Massive quantities of unrelated quilting will not save the design from boredom, instead, it only introduces eye and brain confusion. (it also breaks every principle of design and drives me nuts if that matters to you).
Think of creating a drawing such as a beautifully colored rose and having just the white paper as the background behind the rose. Then take the same drawing of the rose and put it on a color washed background etc., Can you visualize the difference? One example takes away the dimension and life, the other breathes life into the image and makes it pop right off the background. This is exactly what the right background fabric can do for your applique.
Since I do intricate smaller scale applique, this print would really work well and it would help to marry the colors in my design. I would not do fancy quilting with this background.
Fabric shown: Hopscotch by Free Spirit Fabrics
Style: Lattice Vines (DW36Green)
Purchased from: Fabric Shack
In most cases the background fabric can make or break the overall success of the quilt. It really can take a ho-hum applique design and give it that wow factor. The background fabric is perfectly content to play the supporting role and remain out of the immediate spotlight. This is why we overlook its importance 99% of the time.
Before you ever applique a single piece ask yourself,
What color(s) will best play up and accentuate the applique?
If a print is chosen, is the scale in proportion to the applique? Or will it shout down all of my hard work?
What kind of quilting am I going to do. Do I want fancy quilting to be visible, or do I want the quilting to be more of a supporting technique?
What about a pieced background? If so, I will also need to consider the previous three questions again.
If you ask yourself these questions BEFORE you begin your applique project, then you will greatly reduce, or eliminate, your disapointment halfway through the project and avoid it turning into another UFO never to be seen again. Once you get to the quilting stage? you aren’t left dumbstruck as to what to do next and you have a much greater chance of finishing! All because you thought through the background fabric at the beginning and NOT at the end.
I really do put as much thought in the beginning as to what type of quilting I want to have as much as what the overall applique design will be. Designate in your head how much importance each technique’s role will be in the overall design.
This polka dot is great to add a little "movement" to the design of a basic large applique design. Plus it introduces just a peekaboo of another complimentary color.
Sometimes the choice may be a subtle fabric, such as a simple polka dot, but that is far better than a plain solid wallflower that wants to be a kill joy!
Take that little bit of extra time in the beginning to really work out a good background choice for what you envision and you will be a lot more successful in the end.
point taken , all I need now is your brain ! : )
Your absolutely right about the quilting and backround being a big part of the whole design. Your work has proven that to me over and over again. I never knew it could make such a difference .
I still have a hard time figuring out what quilting to do . Your designs are just breath taking , but I’ve not got the hang of designing so where do you sugget we start ,when deciding what quilting with what backround with what design? Any hints( I know tall order ) would be appreciated .
Does everyone know that Empty Spools registration is open? I just talked to Suzanne from Empty Spools and she said I got my first choice – And what might that be? Well, let me think a bit. Of course it’s you Sandra! I am so excited – I only learned because she had a question for me and they haven’t sent out notices to quilters yet.
Can’t wait for more time with Sandra!
Now that I’m in, I guess I need to start saving so I can pay for the workshop
Thank you for this important lesson.
Do you ever hand quilt ?
Why do you prefer to macine quilt without the BSR attachment ?
I love mixing and playing with background fabric as much as with the applique, but one day I made a small table runner with plain cream homespun as the background. It was wonderful, and there wasn’t a lot of applique on it to hide the plain either.
That night I went to a lecture by a visitor in town, and one of her main points that night was not ever to use vanilla pudding backgrounds!
I nearly died laughing, and I spoke to her during supper/coffee after the lecture and told her what I had done, and that I enjoyed vanilla pudding sometimes! Love vanilla icecream too, but also black forest cake, and my taste in background fabric for applique is just as varied. The most important thing for me is the right amount of contrast between the background and what I want to put on it.
Most of the time I use tone on tone or discreet prints, and not so discreet prints, but also use a lot of simple pieced backgrounds, and sometimes I still break out and use vanilla pudding!
Judy B
Thanks for the timely post. I was just about to start a project and I had a background that ‘worked’ but not much more than that. I thought the fabrics for the applique would carry the piece. But now I’m going to search out a background that ‘really works’. Thanks.
Judy,
I use Vanilla when I want my quilting to be a tour de force. And yes, when I want high contrast like in my Grandpa and the Treadle quilt. Nothing like Red on white for impact! Yum.
I would NEVER say never. Oops! I just did.
Sara,
I would like to get back to some hand quilting. I used to have a nice hand quilting stitch. I don’t hand quilt my applique anymore though. By the time I finish the applique, I have run out of patience.
Peggy,
We are going to have tooooooo much fun!
Boop,
My brain may work for drawing and designing, but other than that? It is on the decline. I forget everything within two minutes now!
Gini,
Glad to be of help!
Thank you for the helpful lesson on choosing backgrounds and thinking about the quilting before starting the applique!!! You have been reading my mind I think.
Denise,
I have that power you know! LOL. Actually we all get stuck on the same things and that is why it seems we can read each other’s minds.
What a lucky little dog, yes I did just see her peeking out. Any thoughts of making a pillow for my little Ragdoll, Rosie, who is 2 today? ? She did get a new mouse.
Thanks, I guess up until now (after reading the above) I have been a vanilla pudding background person, without knowing, might I add. My next project I’m going to spice it up a bit. Your examples have such life which mind lack.
Brenda,
I wish sweet Rosie a happy birthday, but this girl is so over pillows! LOL