Beginner's Guide to Quilting - UK (2020-02)

(^1) Prepare the fabric
Cut a piece of the fabric that
you’d like to appliqué (if you’re
using a patterned fabric, consider
which part of the pattern you want
to show). Fuse some iron-on interfacing
to the wrong side of your fabric,
making sure you iron onto the smooth
paper side of the interfacing.
(^2) Create the shape
If you’re using a template, trace
around it on the reverse of the
interfaced fabric. Try to keep the
template square to the fabric,
following the grain. Now cut out the
shape. You should find that the
interfacing stabilises the woven fabric
and makes it easier to cut.
3 Stitch in place
Finally, place the fabric shape onto
your quilt and stitch in place. Why not
use a contrasting thread to make the
stitches become an extra decorative
feature? We’ve used a series of simple
straight stitches around the edges, but
you can experiment with different
styles and sizes of stitches.
STEP ONE STEP TWO STEP THREE
How to add appliqué
with interfacing
Interfacing helps to strengthen fabric shapes as well
as reducing fraying on your finished piece. If you’re
adding appliqué to your quilts, it’s a good idea to
also use an interfacing layer. This acts as a stabiliser
for the appliquéd fabric, as well as helping to
prevent the edges from fraying – so it’s especially
good if you’re using the raw-edge method, as it will
give a neater finish. Before you start, make sure you
choose your interfacing carefully. It comes in a range
of weights, so pick one to match the weight of your
fabric. It also comes in both light and dark shades –
again, choose the one that suits the fabrics you’re
using. Do a test iron first on a scrap piece of fabric.
Follow these simple steps to add some easy
appliqué to your quilts.