Starch method of applique

My all-time favourite method of applique is using starch with freezer paper templates. Now I like the other methods as well and I find that each has their place. MOST of the applique I do can be easily done with the starch and I am going to share that with you today.

Let's start with the necessary tools. I have collected these over the years as I learn more about applique, however all are readily available.

Applique tools - spray starch in a film canister which sits inside an old starch can lid, a stencil brush, Roxanne's Glue/Baste It, small orange handled Fiskar scissors with curved blade, yellow handled SHARP to the point scissors by Omnigrid, freezer paper and a wooden skewer. Underneath all those items is my scorch resistant ironing pad (from Pearl P. Pereira - an amazing lady who does starch applique)

How to make a freezer paper template - you can use ONE layer of freezer paper. Trace the shape onto the mat side of the freezer paper. If you want a STRONGER more sturdy template - I will take a SECOND piece of freezer paper and adhere that on top of the one that I have just traced. See the left piece - if you look close - you can see the design is between the two UNTRIMMED pieces of freezer paper. You now have a double layer - the top side is MAT and the bottom side is shiny. 

Using the small curved blade scissors, carefully cut out the template. It is not so much to be accurate, but make those edges SMOOTH. They will dictate the smoothness of your applique piece

Put your iron on the HOTTEST setting to adhere the freezer (shiny side down) to the WRONG side of your applique fabric. Sometimes it works on regular, but better adhesion with MORE heat. No steam necessary. 

Using the sharp to the point scissors (I LOVE these scissors - they are NOT cheap, but they are the best). Cut out your applique piece leaving less than 1/4" seam allowance, but more than 1/8". There is no need to trim or clip seams on a shape like this. 

Take the stencil brush and the starch. You can use regular spray starch  or fabric finisher or liquid starch - just spray it into a container and it will be liquid. The film canister has a tight leak proof cap, but there are MANY other small containers you can use as well. I like the stencil brush because the starch does not soak into the bristles and it is easy to clean. 

Paint the starch onto the upper most seam allowance

With the seam allowance that you have just painted with starch away from you, I start to pull the seam allowance down over the freezer paper template with my left hand. I have the iron in my right hand so I can apply heat to set that seam

Move along the entire length of that edge

You will now have a nicely starched and pressed seam 

Rotate the applique piece and paint the remaining seam allowance

Repeat the process turning the seam allowance down against the freezer paper (see how important it is to have a smooth  edge)  DO NOT worry about the points - just let them be.

This is the right side of the applique piece - you can see the  points are  not finished yet - but let them be!!!

Remove the freezer paper template and use the iron to press the seam flat. One of the advantages of this method - that freezer paper can be used MANY MANY times before you would need to make a new one. 

In this picture - you can see that excess on the point (do NOT worry about it yet), BUT the critical thing - you MUST have a well defined point at the end. If this is not pressed well - you CANNOT stitch a sharp point. 

Sometimes we get these little "points" where they are not supposed to be

They are caused by a "fold or a crease" in the seam allowance in the back

To eliminate - I use the wooden skewer to "pull" the crease out and then apply the tip of the iron while the skewer is there to get rid of that crease. 

Here are my four shapes that I made from the one template and the template will be good for MANY more pieces

A couple of notes about the size of the applique shapes. This block is A7 from Dear Jane

When I sew the background together - I sew the first set of patches together and without clipping the thread - I sew the second set (we are making a FOUR patch). Then lay it out on the ironing board LIKE THIS

Flip back the two coloured pieces and press them away from the light. You will see that the seam allowance is under the dark. You have to do this to see how it works, but I ALWAYS press my blocks this way. NOTE - if you are going to twirl your seams on the back - you will have to clip that thread that joined the two sections together in addition to releasing the threads from the upper part of the seam allowance)

Here is the applique shape ready to be applied to the background. OH CRAP - I forgot to make my templates smaller. I told the class and then forgot myself. While the template from the book looks perfect, it does NOT account for the thickness of the fabric around the template. 

There is JUST NOT enough room for the seam allowance. 

Here is my original template and the new one at 96%

Much more room with the new REDUCED template size

I pressed a seam on the diagonal so it would be easier to position the end of the applique piece

Using your Roxanne's Glue/Baste It - apply a few dots (DO NOT put glue at the points) on the seam allowance

Position the points of the applique in the center of the block and the other end goes on the fold. I am going to stitch down these two BEFORE I position the other two pieces that go on the dark fabric. Remember we are NOT worrying about that excess on the points - yet!!!!

Get an envelope and LABEL it and put it with your book for your templates because you will use some of them often. 

No time to stitch it down yet - but I will show you that, deal with those points and also how to make the circles. Hopefully tomorrow I can show you that.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!