Can i quilt over applique

I'm working on a quilt right now that has flowers and vines appliqued over a pieced trellis diamonds pattern. I've been debating just how I'd quilt it. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Welcome to the Free Motion Quilting Project!

My name is Leah Day and in I began this blog as a challenge to learn free motion quilting on my home machine. Click Here to read more…. LeeAnn Terry says:. June 30, at pm.

Ethne says:. Leah Day says:. Teresa says:. Mel says:. July 1, at pm. I see a few issues that you might run into. Depending on how you want to sew the applique down. Obviously you are doing it by machine…. If I am sewing it with raw edge applique- i am using black thread on the bottom so i don't get little white dots on the top because of the bobbin thread being white. Also— are you doing a satin stitch around the outside edge? This looks a little heavy on the back with the thread and again— what color is your bobbin thread?

The other option would be to machine applique the pieces, and then make your quilt sandwich and quilt it. This also allows you to do a button hole stitch. So really the choice is up to you. What kind of look are you going for with the stitching? What is it's purpose?

Using this technique you can sew complicated designs in record time and with ease. It is great for beginners the success of your first quilt is guaranteed! If you want to learn more about these techniques, check out the tutorials below. Reverse applique tutorial Raw edge applique essential guide. How do you quilt applique quilts? Raw edges intimidate some quilters. This method offers two advantages:.

For big quilts and especially when using the walking foot, it may be difficult to move the bulky sandwich under the needle and then it would be easier to secure the applique by stitching only on the top of the quilt. When it comes to raw edges in quilt designs, many quilters are concerned about fraying. The most secure way to finish the raw edges of a design is by using a satin stitch — a very dense zig zag stitching, that covers entirely the edge it is stitched on.

I rarely use the satin stitch; I use it only when I need it to be part of my quilt design and not as an utilitarian stitching, that prevents fraying. See below what I am talking about:. You see below pieces of the same color laying next to each other and I chose to use the satin stitch to define the design. If you choose to use the satin stitch, you have to think about these two things, too: — how wide to make this stitching — what color and what type of thread you use.

On narrow pieces, use a narrow stitch, do not make it wider than necessary. I will show you some examples of how I did not ruin my quilts with satin stitching. The next quilting options do not cover entirely the edges of the applique pieces, still they are great options: they keep the applique pieces in place, while the fusible web minimizes the fraying.

Some fraying will occur in time, but to me, it is something that adds charm to my quilted pieces. Sometimes, the design limits what can be used to secure the pieces to the background and then you have to be creative. This is a wall hanging. It was quick and easy…. On the lattice design of the mini quilt below, instead of a straight stitch I stitched a wavy stitching. This is free motion quilting but it is easy to do it with the walking foot and a simple, decorative stitching you have on your machine.

Echo the center shape and continue quilting following the previous stitching and you will end up with a concentric design it could be a spiral, too that will cover the entire design. This is an easy quilting for beginners and a great way to keep the applique safely in place, with minimal fraying.

A zig zag stitching covering all those edges is just not viable. Look at the beautiful texture! I gladly accept all the possible fraying! The grid below is a little bigger but as I said, the smaller the better. Quilt heavily over the applique pieces, as close to the edges as possible.

The quilt below was also washed after quilting. Do the same dense quilting, but on the background, as close to the edges of the design as possible. The reverse applique design remains unquilted and the heavy quilting outside it will make it pop. Rather utilitarian than decorative, stippling works great in this example. Stitch as close to the edge of the hearts as you can. I think it is a nice way to create texture and emphasize a design- see below.

This is one of my favorite ways to quilt the reverse applique quilts. The reason?