Sew Simple Shapes - Tutorial using Pellon for Easy Hand or Machine Applique!

Good morning cute people!

Today is day 3 of my appliqué tutorials on how to use my new

Sew Simple Shapes.

CLICK HERE

for my iron on appliqué method

CLICK HERE

for my traditional hand appliqué method

Today I'll be talking about

 my super easy and fun 

 most favorite way to

 prepare my pieces 

for applique!

I'm so excited that my 

BLOOM 

Sew Simple Shapes

 are finally here and

 available to play with!

I love appliqué and I have found 

over the years that 

some think it can be hard

and so they are afraid to try it.

Because of this...

 I decided to design a line of shapes

to use for appliqué so that 

I can show you how 

easy and fun it really is!

Appliqué can add so much 

to your sewing skills. 

Not only can it 

add personality 

to your projects...

I especially love appliqué 

mixed with pieced quilt blocks!

This week...

 I posted to show you

 how to use my 

Sew Simple Shapes

 in several 

different appliqué methods...

so you could learn and

 then choose your favorite!

This is what they look like

 in their cute little package:)

I named my first set 

"BLOOM"

because the shapes are flowers,

 leaves and petals:)

The set has 24 fun shapes 

to mix and match 

for super cute and

 easy applique designs!

I'll be using shape A-12 to make a 

"SEED" block.

This is a traditional 

appliqué block with many names,

 but my grandma and great aunts 

always called this shape

 a seed...so I will too!

I designed a line a fabric called 

Calico Days

 to go along with my BLOOM set.

It will be here in December...

Just in time to start my 

BLOOM Sew Along in January!

We will be making the above quilt...

one block at a time ...

every Monday 

right here on my blog!

But for this weeks

 tutorials...

I used this

 super cute fabric collection

called Fancy and Fabulous!

To cut fabric for the SEED blocks

for each tutorial and method this week... 

I cut 5" squares from the prints and

I cut 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" 

squares for the background.

(I'll later square them up to 6 1/2" square)

I always cut my appliqué background 

1" larger than needed

 because the appliqué process

 can shrink your blocks a little ...

so I like to appliqué first 

and then

 square up the block afterwards.

So this is my 

very favorite method to 

prepare my appliqué pieces...

for both machine appliqué

 and hand appliqué.

I LOVE the results for either way!

I use Bee in my Bonnet 

Sew-In interfacing

  (that means sew in NOT iron on) 

It comes in a 3 yard package. 

You can purchase by 

CLICKING HERE 

or find it at your local 

or online quilt shop.

Simply trace the SEED shape

 directly onto a piece

 of the interfacing

using a mechanical pencil

 for a nice thin line.

I traced 4 for my seed block:)

Then pin it to the 

right side 

of chosen fabric....

with your marked line

 on Pellon side up.

Now take it to your machine 

and sew DIRECTLY 

onto your traced line...

backstitching when you

 start and stop to secure...

Like this.

(that stitching line that goes off the edge is because I chain piece my shapes)

Cut out the shape leaving

 an approximate

 1/4" seam allowance 

past your stitching line.

Pull the interfacing apart from 

the fabric and make a small clip

 with a small sharp pair

 of embroidery scissors.

Once clipped...

you can get in there 

to cut a criss cross

 for turning.

Turn right side out.

I love to use this awesome

 turning tool by CLOVER 

to push out the 

curves and points...

it works nicely for that!

After you get the 

shape how you want it...

press it flat like this.

 Press on the fabric side.

PRESS...do not iron.

This is what the 

back looks like after pressing.

See how nicely the 

seam allowances lie flat 

inside after pressing?

*FYI - You DO NOT need to clip 

outside curve seam allowances 

so that they will lie flat...

you only clip INSIDE curves and 

there are no BLOOM shapes 

that have inside curves.

See how the shape that you

 end up with is the same 

as the template that you 

started out with?

YaY!

Here are all four seeds

 turned and pressed.

Prepare your backing fabric

 by pressing in half 

both ways and both diagonal

 ways as well.

Place your seeds on like this...

lining up the points 

of the seed ends

 with the diagonal lines 

that you have pressed.

Pin each seed shape into place.

Now your block is prepared

 for either machine appliqué 

or hand appliqué...

your choice!

I like to do both...

depending on the project.

For machine applique...

I use an open toe foot 

so that I can see

 where each stitch goes.

I like to use matching thread 

for EACH appliqué piece by 

switching the top spool...

but I keep a neautral color

 in my bobbin.

I use a small zig-zag stitch.

 I set my stitch width at 1.5 

 and the length at 2.0.

 I backstitch where I 

stop and start to secure.

This is how it looks after

 I have machine appliquéd it...

it took literally 5 minutes.

The back...

small zig-zag stitch

 with neutral thread.

Press your block from the BACK 

and then square up with a 

6 1/2" square up ruler:)

I quickly prepared another block 

with Pellon to hand appliqué

 so that I could show you 

what that looks like. 

Here it is completed ...

prepared with my interfacing method 

and then hand appliquéd.

This took me about 

15 minutes to stitch down

 and of course I just used the 

traditional hand appliqué 

stitch that I teach

 on my blog post

HERE

The only difference

 is that the edges are 

already turned under

 when I use the interfacing.

YaY!

Easy Peasy:)

And because

 "SEEDS"

 turn into flowers...

I decided to use my

 A-1 Sew Simple Shape 

to make a circle for the center 

of each block from 

this weeks tutorials.

Of course I prepared them

 in the same way 

that I just showed you...

my interfacing method:)

I hand stitched the 

circles in the center...

easy peasy!

This will probably become a pillow...

my daughter Kassidy 

has already 

claimed it for her room:)

So now I've shown you 

several ways to use my 

Sew Simple Shapes.

I am so excited about them 

and I hope that you will 

love playing with them too!

CLICK HERE

to get a set of your very own.

I will be showing you 

many different things

 to do with them...

remember that there are

 24 in the set and 

I've only used 2 

for this project...

oh the possibilities!!!

I'll be back next friday 

with a brand new 

Farm Girl Fridays post...

"LIVE" from my 

Farm Girl Vintage 

Workshop/Retreat!

See you then!

xx

Lori