These are my personal favorite notions I keep in my sewing basket.

Tulip Embroidery Needles Assorted thin #7,8,9,10

Chenille Needles# 24

Sewline Glue Pen

Roxanne Glue-Baste-It

Fray Check

Sewline Mechanical Fabric Pencil Black and White

Heat Erasable Fabric marking pens

100%Beeswax

Small Ruler

Small point scissor

Thimble

Valdani threads.

Now we will start using those tips and tools.

Most of my designs are wool appliqué on toweling,cotton fabric or linen that’s what you will see in my examples but also can be used for wool on wool appliqué as well. Make sure to carefully read your pattern instructions and materials list to pick your fabric and wool

1- Using a light box or using the method you chose transfer templates shapes onto fusible web. My personal favorite is Heat n’ Bond Light , but you can use your preferred brand. Use your template page to trace the number of shapes needed for your motif onto the paper side. The shiny side will be what fuses to the wool. I like to trace shapes leaving about 1/4” between tracing.

When you cut the shapes out make sure to cut out of the drawing line .

Here the pieces cut out:

Make sure to reverse templets if necessary. For example if you have a cup with a handle that is supposed to face left when you place the wool piece on your background fabric, you need to position the template for the cup on the fusible web with the handle facing right. Pay close attention, because some designers may have the templates in the pattern already reversed.

2- Now we will iron the fusible pieces onto the wool. Make sure to follow the manufacture’s directions of the fusible web you chose for the iron temperature. I like to fuse the shapes as close together as possible since wool is so expensive. Most patterns provide measurements for size of wool pieces you need for each color. You can see in the picture how I laid mine out

Now we will cut the pieces out. Here is when we use the draw line as a guide to cut each shape. This ensures that your wool pieces will look like they should.

Now, just peel off the paper backing and the shiny side in your wool piece it is ready to fuse to the background.

3- You can Fuse wool pieces to the background fabric by using a wet white towel (very damp) to prevent color bleed in to your project and your iron, the steaming helps to fuse the pieces to the background fabric. Just be careful laying the white towel over the design to not move any of the pieces out of place. Carefully lift the towel to check on the fusing. Repeat this into all pieces are secure. Some people use staples. Note: I do not use these techniques but wanted to let you know there are multiple ways to fuse.

I use the Sewline Glue pen or Roxanne Glue-Baste-It. I just find that is the easiest and cleanest way to fuse and it works very well for me. I also find using the fusible keeps the wool shapes from stretching during this step of the project.

Here I show you how I glue all pieces down first before stitching

Now we are ready to stitch.

I use Valdani Perle Cotton size #12 Threads, sometimes matching colors, sometimes contrasting colors. I use no more than 18” long strand of thread. I like to use Beeswax to conditioner my treads

The most common stitches used when I stitch down my appliqué pieces:

Blanket stitch, Stem stitch, Chevron stitch,Chain stitch, Lazy Daisy stitch, Feather stitch, Running stitch, French knot, Colonial Knot, and often I like to combine a couple stitches to create something different.

Here some pictures showing some stitches:

I want to show you how I like to do when I finished stitching a piece or come to an end of the thread so no need for a knot .

Just feed the tail of the thread through the last stitches on the back of the project. This way it will be safe and no need for a knot.

Now to start a new strand of thread I do something similar. I just feed through the last stitches the new strand of thread on the back of my project and bring needle to the front and keep stitching. This should secure it and again no need to tie a knot.

I hope this simple steps and pictures were helpful. Stitching takes some practice, but I am sure you can do it. For me this is very relaxing and the best part is I can take it anywhere.

Into next time,

Blessed stitches!

Patricia