Applique problem

**sewfun74** · June 12th, 2009

I am back. I don't want to sound like a whiner, but I would like this to be constructive
critisism. I stiched the applique water can on a shirt for my mother-in-law for her 90th
birthday. I was not very proud of it. The applique for the can is placed at the beginning,
however it is not stitched around until toward the end. WELL, by then, it did not catch
the edge of the fabric.... First of all I ironed an interfacing on the back of the shirt. I hooped a cutaway stabilizer and sprayed it to adhere the shirt to the hoop. I hope someone can tell me what I should have done different. Or has anyone stitched this
same design and also had a problem. I loved the design and so did my mother-in-law
as she has already worn it several times. I put a lot of fray-check on it, hoping it will hold.

**ScreenBags** · June 12th, 2009

Originally Posted by sewfun74

I am back. I don't want to sound like a whiner, but I would like this to be constructive critisism. I stiched the applique water can on a shirt for my mother-in-law for her 90th birthday. I was not very proud of it. The applique for the can is placed at the beginning, however it is not stitched around until toward the end. WELL, by then, it did not catch the edge of the fabric.... First of all I ironed an interfacing on the back of the shirt. I hooped a cutaway stabilizer and sprayed it to adhere the shirt to the hoop. I hope someone can tell me what I should have done different. Or has anyone stitched this
same design and also had a problem. I loved the design and so did my mother-in-law
as she has already worn it several times. I put a lot of fray-check on it, hoping it will hold.

I'm sorry to hear about your problems. It sounds as if your Mother-in-law is happy, but you are not. We are all probably our own best and worst critic. This is a great way to learn. I think this Forum can help you (and the rest of us can learn, too).
Can you help us help you by providing some additional information?
1 - which water can design did you use?
2 - what type of fabric is the shirt? (woven vs. knit, and fiber content: all cotton, cotton/poly, etc.)
3 - can you post some photos?

I'm sure other Forum members will have some questions and some answers for you. We can all learn together.

Susan

**teddy_rn** · June 12th, 2009

I had a problem like this just this morning. when I noticed that the design would not 'catch' the left side of the design I stopped the machine, arrowed the design to the left a couple of stiches and continued and things turned out perfect. It was an applique fairy design that I am doing on a quilt for a customer.

**MaryEHenry** · June 12th, 2009

Would a spray adhesive to the applique fabric help??

**sewfun74** · June 13th, 2009

Thanks Susan. I almost forgot to check back. I used the applique water can 7. The
knit shirt is 100% cotton. I usually take a pic of my designs, but guess I didn't of this.
But, no problem, she lives across the field. Will try & do it tomorrow.

**sewfun74** · June 13th, 2009

How bright is this.... Guess I really never gave it a thought that it would not catch.
Just trusted the design would be aok. Now I know better.

**la_cole** · June 13th, 2009

Originally Posted by sewfun74

Thanks Susan. I almost forgot to check back. I used the applique water can 7. The
knit shirt is 100% cotton. I usually take a pic of my designs, but guess I didn't of this.
But, no problem, she lives across the field. Will try & do it tomorrow.

Sounds like the knit must have stretched a bit when hooped or during embroidery. Darn, I hate it when things like that happen.

**brownabel** · June 13th, 2009

Susan - You did exactly what I would have done. Why not try to stitch the same design on a piece of woven fabric? That should be more stable than a knit and would be less likely to stretch. If it (the woven) turns out perfectly, then the knit top must have stretched during the embroidery, as la cole said. Keep us posted just in case it's the design itself.
teddy rn - Great idea to watch the applique as it starts to stitch and adjust as needed.

**clkeck** · June 13th, 2009

I don't have any advice to offer. I am reading this thread to learn how others deal with this situation. Thanks to all who offered advice. I will keep this in my tips folder.
Connie

**ginny1960** · June 13th, 2009

Sounds like you recieved some great advice from la cole, Screenbags, and teddy rn.

**debi** · June 13th, 2009

thanks to all who had a suggestion. as a "newbie" it's great to get all this feedback to a problem. i learn so much here.

debi

Luna · June 13th, 2009

ok. I tried this and failed because I did not write it down originally.
It did help take away my "fear" of applique. It made me 'braver"
Eleanor from quilt in a day.....
you can go to the site and watch the video...(on quiltinaday.com..or youtube even has it)...
She does the applique w/ the iron-on interfacing, then sews around it w/ a reg stitch....then does the machine applique.
I know this is an applique design for ME, not quilting.(yours-the watering can).
She makes it so easy though for those like myself "crawling" through applique.

I know, I am sorry...his probably was no help.You have already done yours. I am trying everything new myself.

Is cover a stitch...or a tulle....ironed on over the applique...a possibility? I know you don't want to mask/muffle the design at all. It could help "cement" it in place.Or a varigated straight stitch around the edge or just inside...to give it a deliberate diff look.(I have to fix alot of my mistakes.I can't leave them alone..OCD here.LOL).

again..if no help..sorry

Luna

**kt3234** · June 13th, 2009

Eleanor from quilt in a day.....
you can go to the site and watch the video...(on quiltinaday.com..or youtube even has it)...
She does the applique w/ the iron-on interfacing, then sews around it w/ a reg stitch....then does the machine applique.
I know this is an applique design for ME, not quilting.(yours-the watering can).
She makes it so easy though for those like myself "crawling" through applique.

I know, I am sorry...his probably was no help.You have already done yours. I am trying everything new myself.

Luna[/quote]

Luna, I thought this was very helpful. I have been watching Eleanor Burns and this is the method of applique that I am using in making a Sunbonnet Sue quilt. I like using the iron on interfacing, it has made my appliques look much better. Thank you for sharing this, kt3234 Karen

**sewfun74** · June 13th, 2009

Can you tell me what I should have done different. Iron-on interfacing was ironed on
the back of the shirt. The cut-away stabilizer only was hooped and I stuck it with
spray-on and straight pins. The shirt was not hooped. I appreciate any and all
comments. Always like other ideas better than mine. Thanks a bunch. Donna

**ginny1960** · June 13th, 2009

Originally Posted by Luna

ok. I tried this and failed because I did not write it down originally.
It did help take away my "fear" of applique. It made me 'braver"
Eleanor from quilt in a day.....
you can go to the site and watch the video...(on quiltinaday.com..or youtube even has it)...
She does the applique w/ the iron-on interfacing, then sews around it w/ a reg stitch....then does the machine applique.
I know this is an applique design for ME, not quilting.(yours-the watering can).
She makes it so easy though for those like myself "crawling" through applique.

I know, I am sorry...his probably was no help.You have already done yours. I am trying everything new myself.

Is cover a stitch...or a tulle....ironed on over the applique...a possibility? I know you don't want to mask/muffle the design at all. It could help "cement" it in place.Or a varigated straight stitch around the edge or just inside...to give it a deliberate diff look.(I have to fix alot of my mistakes.I can't leave them alone..OCD here.LOL).

again..if no help..sorry

Luna

Luna, Thanks for the info, I have never done applique. I hope it encourages me to try it.

jann7 · June 18th, 2009

Thanks for this post - but not the situation - us applique newbies learn from others mistakes and our own. Mine was to cut on the placement line... Now that is just stupid. I hope you come right in the future. I adore those water can appliques.

**rajanip** · November 19th, 2009

Even I have same kind of problem while doing the applique. And its good to discuss here.

**cgillen** · November 19th, 2009

Yes, I have had it where the applique does not get caught by the stitching for one reason or another. What I have done is gone to my sewing machine with the same thread and zigzagged down the edges.

I wish there were some standards on how designs were created.
The one that gets me the most is when you get to a design, always the last step is the outline stitching. For some unknown reason the designer always loves to stitch out the face last...however it is the outline stitch that always causes the most amount of problems in stitching out designs (at least for me). It seems to me that for the outline stitch the face should be done and then if you have to move around the design to align things to outline properly for a design that is fine in the center but shifted or puckered then you can work on that individually without having to worry about the face. There are times I would not even do the outline stitch if it were not for the fact that it would look creepy not to have the face. There I said my piece : )

Sorry the applique caused you grief. I sometimes I feel like I shave a good month off my life for some designs. If you really want to know if it is the design, your fabric or just a one shot deal you can applique it onto a scrap of fabric to test it. The only other thing I would say is if you used a fabric with any kind of stretch you need to add tear away stabilizer on top.

Cynthia