applique-msg - 1/26/08
Ideas and suggestions for applying applique. Use in period.
NOTE: See also the files: Herald-Embro-art, banners-msg, sewing-msg, tapestries-msg, glues-msg, fabric-paint-msg.
************************************************************************
NOTICE -
This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.
This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org
I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.
The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.
Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).
Thank you,
Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous
Stefan at florilegium.org
************************************************************************
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 15:41:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: lifitz at wco.com (Conny Fitzsimmons)
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Applique for Circles
>Once again my optimism has outpaced my abilities! I recently bought some
>lovely fabric which has a circular pattern with a cross woven into it. I
>don't know the fabric content, but I believe it is synthetic. It could pass
>for a silk however.
>
>My original plan was to embroider over the circles and crosses first, then
>cut them apart and applique them in rows onto the hem of a cyclas. However,
>everyone I've talked to locally is discouraging me from trying this. They
>say it can be nearly impossible to have the circles look right after they
>have been stitched on. Having seen one person's attempt at something
>similar, I can believe this.
>
>I've washed the fabric in hot water, and it came through with flying
>colors, except that it ravelled badly on the raw edges. Now I'm afraid that
>even if I decide to try this project, I'll run into problems with the
>circles disolving beneath my fingertips as I work. Maybe Fraychek would
>help?
>
>-Margritte
Do not be discouraged it is possible to do what you are attempting. I
would suggest that you go to a really good quild shop in your area and have
then teach you how to applique. You will need to put your fabric in a
hoop. I would suggest you cut your circles out, then back with light
weight fabric, bast the two together, then mount in your embroidery hoop.
Do your embroidery cut your circle out about 1/4 inch larger than the
finished you want. very carefully clip the fabric around the edge of the
circle turn under the quarter inch pin and baste onto your dress, then
applique into place using a blind applique stitch. Have the quild shop
show you how. This is done all the time on quilts Then remove very
carefully all of the basting stitches.
I embroider using silk floss on very light weight silk and this works for me.
I also baste around the silk near the cut edge as the silk wil simply
unravel at an alarming rate. Even while it is in the hoop.
Hope this helps.
Lady Catherine Lorraine
Arts Officer Principality of the Mists
Date: 28 Jul 1997 12:03:13 -0700
From: "Marisa Herzog" <marisa_herzog at macmail.ucsc.edu>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Applique for Circles
[on fastening some embroidered circles onto a piece of cloth]
>>even if I decide to try this project, I'll run into problems with the
circles disolving beneath my fingertips as I work. Maybe Fraychek would help?
>>Any suggestions are welcome. My thanks to all.
"stitchwitch" comes in sheets and strips of varying sizes. It is an iron on
applique glue thingy. It has a backing so that you can stick it to the
applique material- cut it out, work with it- then peel the backing off and
iron your applique to the base. It is not sturdy enough to last on its own,
more like a stay/basting stitch to tack things down so you donŐt have to worry
about them moving.
If you use this it will help with unravelling & help keep the integrity of you
circles while you bead and embroider them, and work better than pins to hold
yor pieces in place while you sew them to the final project.
Other than that just try not to have too much tension in your embroidery, that
way your fabric won't pucker and bunch. you can always do touch up work
through both the applique and the base material.
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 16:20:01 -0400
From: Donna Kenton <donna at dabbler.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Applique for Circles
One other trick: cut out the circles, leaving a good margin. Sew this
to iron-on interfacing, with the fusible side facing the right side.
Sew it completely around. Trim the seam allowance close to the
stitching.
Next, make a small slit in the interfacing, and turn the circle right
side out. Use your fingers to make it as flat as possible where you've
got the seam.
You should have the right side of the fabric facing out, all the raw
edges on the inside, and the fusible side of the interfacing should be
available to press it to the fabric.
If you use the fusible web (Wonder Under and Trans-Web are brand names
of it), it comes on a paper backing. Iron the fusible web to the ironed
fabric. Then you can cut out the designs, peel off the paper backing,
position to the fabric, and iron in place.
Regardless of which method you use, iron-on isn't recommended as a
permanent means of fastening the circles. You'll want to stitch them on
as well. The cording sounds like an excellent idea.
One thing to be particularly careful about -- the circles can easily
distort as you iron them. If you're not careful, you may end up with
ellipses instead of true circles.
Good luck!
Rosalinde
--
Donna Kenton * Rosalinde De Witte * donna at dabbler.com *
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 16:21:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: DianaFiona at aol.com
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Applique for Circles
In a message dated 97-07-28 14:42:08 EDT, you write:
<<
I've washed the fabric in hot water, and it came through with flying
colors, except that it ravelled badly on the raw edges. Now I'm afraid that
even if I decide to try this project, I'll run into problems with the
circles disolving beneath my fingertips as I work. Maybe Fraychek would
help?
Any suggestions are welcome. My thanks to all.
-Margritte
>>
Fraychek is certainly a possiblity, but I think my first choice would be
to try iron-on stabilizer. It may make the fabric harder to applique--or it
make it easier. One thing to try is to cut out circles of sturdy paper or
cadboard the exact size of the fabric circles. Cut out the fabric circles
with about a half inch seam allowance, place the paper on top (Wrong side
up), and iron the fabric's hem down over this template. It may also help to
run a basting stitch around the fabric in the seam allowance and pull this to
gather it a bit, then slip the template inside and press.
All in all it can be a lot of bother--and I'd certainly try it on a
sample or two *before* I did all the embroidery.............. But then, I
tend to think embroidery is a lot of bother anyway, no matter how much I love
the looks of it! ;-)
Ldy Diana, who will sit fiddling with clay or jewelry for hours, but gets
bored with hand sewing before she starts!
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 16:35:50 -0400
From: Donna Kenton <donna at dabbler.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Applique for Circles
DianaFiona at aol.com wrote:
> One thing to try is to cut out circles of sturdy paper or
> cadboard the exact size of the fabric circles. Cut out the fabric
> circles
> with about a half inch seam allowance, place the paper on top (Wrong
> side
> up), and iron the fabric's hem down over this template. It may also
> help to
> run a basting stitch around the fabric in the seam allowance and pull
> this to
> gather it a bit, then slip the template inside and press.
The paper template trick is an English pieced applique technique. The
paper is cut to the exact size and the fabric is basted to that to make
sure it stays precise. For quilts, the paper was often left inside, but
I wouldn't recommend that for a garment.
If you want to try the paper-piecing, you could try using freezer
paper. That can be ironed onto the fabric to give it some stability,
rather than basting it on. Unlike the fusible webs, this will be
removed, and you won't have the remaining stiffness. There's a version
of this kind of paper in the quilting section of most fabric stores, and
it's gridded to make it easier to keep the size correct.
Rosalinde
--
Donna Kenton * Rosalinde De Witte * donna at dabbler.com *
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 15:53:13 -0700
From: ladymari at GILA.NET (Mary Hysong)
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Applique for Circles
Margritte wrote:
[snipped]
> My original plan was to embroider over the circles and crosses first,
> then
> cut them apart and applique them in rows onto the hem of a cyclas.
> However,
> everyone I've talked to locally is discouraging me from trying this.
> They
> say it can be nearly impossible to have the circles look right after
> they
> have been stitched on. Having seen one person's attempt at something
> similar, I can believe this.
[snipped]
Margritte,
Is this a slick, satin weave fabric? Whatever you do it may get a bit
distorted. You might try embroidering in the whole peice by using a
frame to keep the tension even, and you might also add a thin smooth
cotton fabric behind it, basting the two layers together within the
future seam allowance of the circles. (I used to make a lot of dresses
and western shirts out of this stuff, creeps around everywhere, very
difficult to control under the presser foot of the sewing machine unless
you pin the daylights out of it} Or you might try cutting the circles
and adding the cotton behind, then embroidering them individually. Or
even stretch the cotton out in a frame and baste the individual circles
down to it, embroider through both layers, then trim the cotton backing
down to the size of the basting.(I would use 100% cotton well washed and
shrunk so no further shrinkage will occur and so that your needle will
slide through it easily).
When you get ready to applique, here's an easy way to get a nice even
seam allowance: cut the circle to size plus seam allowance. Baste,
using your sewing machine and the guideline on it for the proper seam
allowance. Clip little 'V's of material out of the seam allowance, the
points reaching almost to but not through the line of basting. Now
press the seam allownce back, just rolling the line of basting far
enough to be to the back of the peice. I used this method when peicing
a quilt with all curved seams, then stitched them together on that seam
line, every peice lay flat and precise, no puckers or wrinkles any
where. The extra step was certainly worth not having the aggravation
of trying to sew two curves together!
Hope this helps, if it's clear as mud, let me know what doesn't make
sense and I'll try again--so hard not to be able to talk with my hands,
you know!
Mairi
--
Mary Hysong <Lady Mairi Broder, Atenveldt Kingdom Scribe> and Curtis
Edenfield <The C-Man>
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 97 18:19:55 -0500
From: Irene leNoir <irene at ici.net>
To: "sca-arts" <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Re: Applique for Circles
Margritte,
>My original plan was to embroider over the circles and crosses first, then
>cut them apart and applique them in rows onto the hem of a cyclas.
However,
>everyone I've talked to locally is discouraging me from trying this. They
>say it can be nearly impossible to have the circles look right after they
>have been stitched on. Having seen one person's attempt at something
>similar, I can believe this.
There is no reason why your idea should not work. Never let someone
else discourage you from attempting a technique. At the very least,
give it a try. You may find that it comes much more naturally to you
than it does to them. And even if it doesn't, at least you tried.
The way that I would do it would be as follows:
1. Mount the whole piece of fabric in an embroidery hoop. Do not cut
it up into the circles first. When you mount it, you should make
sure that the circles are true, and not distorted. However, do not
make the common mistake of mounting the fabric stretched very tight.
The embroidery hoop is to keep the fabric square and flat, but not
taut. If you pull the fabric too taut, you will not be able to tell
if your tension is too tight, and the fabric might pucker when you
release it from the hoop. This could be why the example that you saw
did not work. The fabric should have just enough play so that when
you look at it in the hoop without touching it, it looks flat, but if
you poke the center of the fabric, it gives just slightly.
2. Embroider over the circle and cross motifs. With the fabric
mounted properly in the hoop, you should be able to tell if you are
using the right tension. Your stitches should lay flat across the
surface of the fabric, but not pull at it.
3. Outline the circles with fray-check. The fray-check should come
right up to the embroidery, but not quite touch it, and extend out
about 3/8". When you apply the fray-check, remember that it tends to
spread across the fabric from the point at which it is applied, so
start further away, and slowly work your way towards the embroidery.
Let the fray-check dry completely - about 1/2 hour.
4. Cut the circles out, cutting through the fray-checked area,
leaving about a 1/4" allowance around the circles.
5. Turn the extra fabric under and finger-press the edge of the fold.
It might help to sew a running stitch around the allowance first and
use this to help gather the excess to the back. If you do use the
running stitch, pull the thread ends until you have sufficient gather
and then tie a knot. There is no need to remove the gathering
thread, as it will be hidden once you applique the circles into
place. Place the embroidered motif face up on your ironing board
and, with a press cloth (to protect the embroidery), lightly
press/steam the motif to get the allowances to stay flat against the
back.
6. Place your motifs where you want them on your cyclas hem, and
baste them in place. Do not pin them in place, as the pins can cause
them to pucker. This also might be a reason that the attempt that
you saw failed. Stitch the motifs down and outline (with cord) if
desired.
A couple of notes:
>I've washed the fabric in hot water, and it came through with flying
>colors, except that it ravelled badly on the raw edges. Now I'm afraid
that
>even if I decide to try this project, I'll run into problems with the
>circles disolving beneath my fingertips as I work. Maybe Fraychek would
>help?
You might want to fray-check the raw edges of the fabric before you
mount it in the embroidery hoop.
Also, how closely the circles are spaced on the fabric may affect how
well the above technique will work. You do not want to mount your
fabric in the embroidery hoop so that areas that you have already
embroidered are caught in the hoop. However, depending on the
relative sizes of the circles and your hoop, this may mean that you
will have to leave certain circles un-embroidered, as a sort of
hoop-allowance.
If your piece of fabric is too narrow to fit in the hoop, you might
be able to sew some waste fabric to the edges/sides to give the hoop
enough fabric to grip. If you do this, be sure to sew the extensions
on straight. If you do it crooked, you may wind up with a non-flat
piece of fabric, which can affect how well it rests in the hoop.
A technique that I find works very well is to outline your embroidery
with a stem stitch done with a larger number of strands than the rest
of your stitches. (For example: if you stitch the motif with 3
strands, try using 6 for the stem stitch.) When you fold the edges
under, the stem stitch kind-of rotates to become the edge. Then, you
can stitch between the stem-stitches to sew the motif down. If you
use a matching thread to do the stitching down, the sitiches
disappear or blend in. When completed, the edging looks surprisingly
like you have couched cording around the motif, and this way, you
dont have to figure out what to do with the cord-ends.
Good luck with your project. I would love to hear how it turns out.
P.S. Where do you live? Are you heading to Pennsic? If you would
like, (and If we can meet up), I would be happy to show you examples
of appliqued embroidered circles that I have done.
________________________________
Jessica I. Clark
SCA: Baroness Ir=E8ne leNoir
jessica at ici.net or irene at ici.net
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 09:58:00 -0500
From: Heather Watkins <hwatkins at kansaspipeline.com>
To: sca-arts at UKANS.EDU
Subject: Applique Circles
I use "wonder under" for all my appliquing. I did an entire sideless
surcoat with my device and my lords on it. Lots of curves, circles,
small lines. No problem. You iron the wonder under to your fabric,
cut out the design with the paper backing still attached, iron your
applique pattern to the fabric to be stitched and away you go.
I have never had any trouble with puckering or slipping. I think
this sounds like a beautiful idea and would give it a try. Try it on a
piece of scrap first and then go. The "wonder under" will also
help with your raveling problem.
Lady Qamara
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 21:29:15 -0400
From: Margo Lynn Hablutzel <Hablutzel at compuserve.com>
To: A&S List <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Applique Circles
I second what Rosalinde said. Note that the stuff in quilting or sewing
stores has a tariff over regular grocery-store freezer paper.
Be sure to iron the shiny side to the fabric. It melts very slightly so it
will stick, and therefore the paper offers a stiff backing and an edge if you are used to applique that way. (I learned this method and now do
nothing else!) However, you can pull the paper out afterwards, either by leaving a bit of the edge unstitched, or by cutting a slit in the backing and pulling it out, then you need to weave-stitch the backing together
again.
Cut the freezer paper to the same size as the finished applique, and cut
the fabric piece with a margin. Place the fabric face-down, with the
freezer paper, shiny side down, over it. You need to iron from the paper side at the hottest setting you can safely use.
--- Morgan
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 18:27:39 -0700
From: ladymari at GILA.NET (Mary Hysong)
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: WAS Applique Circles/Wonder Under
Heather Watkins wrote:
> I use "wonder under" for all my appliquing. I did an entire sideless
> surcoat with my device and my lords on it. Lots of curves, circles,
> small lines. No problem. You iron the wonder under to your fabric,
> cut out the design with the paper backing still attached, iron your
> applique pattern to the fabric to be stitched and away you go.
>
> I have never had any trouble with puckering or slipping. I think
> this sounds like a beautiful idea and would give it a try. Try it on a
> piece of scrap first and then go. The "wonder under" will also
> help with your raveling problem.
>
> Lady Qamara
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wonder Under is a wonder*ful product for some things, but for slinky
silky fabric I'd avoid it, it can cause color changes and shrinkage,
even scorching because of the heat needed to get a good seal. Also
using any sort of iron on product under the area to be hand embroidered
will be murder on your fingers because it makes it stiff.
Just my opinion.
Mairi
--
Mary Hysong <Lady Mairi Broder> and Curtis Edenfield <The C-Man>
Date: Fri, 1 May 1998 10:15:59 -0500
From: "I. Marc Carlson" <LIB_IMC at centum.utulsa.edu>
Subject: re: Garb/Applique Question
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
<"Erin and Conrad Harkiewicz" <erinandconrad at ibm.net>>
>I am very new around here, and I hope this is not a question that has been
>answered a million times before.
I haven't always been here, but I don't recall it being that common a
question - although it does seem fairly reasonable.
>As a newbie, I have been doing some extensive (for me anyway) research about
>historically correct garb, but there is one question that I haven't been
>able to find the answer to... were the heraldric symbols all and always
>embroidered, or were some of the larger elements appliqued?...
I'm afraid I don't have "the" answer for you, since I don't know if
there are any existing cloaks or cotes decorated as you describe (if
anyone knows of any PLEASE tell me), but I think the answer should be
fairly simple. If we assume that you take the time and effort to
embroider a large piece on a cloak, and are happy with it and so forth,
and that cloak gets damaged, worn out, or in some other fashion is
made useless, what are you going to do with it? Toss it into the trash
and start over (as is common in our modern culture)? Probably not.
You are more likely to cut it up to use the material for some other
tasks (burial shrouds, and caulking ships leap to mind, for example :) ).
But what about that embroidery you worked so hard on? It's cost you
time, effort and expense (after all you can't just hit Walmart for a
few more skeins of DMC at a few for a buck -- somebody has to handmake, spin
and dye, that floss - although it may well be someone else, depending on
when and where you are). Do you shrug and use it for a wipe-rag OR do
you cut it off, and applique it elsewhere? Just seems to make sense to
me.
To verify this, I asked and was told by my Costumer that Applique work
was *very* common in late period embroidery. So my thought is, g'head.
If people bitch, tell them Diarmaid said it was period and give them
my e-mail address :)
Marc/Diarmaid O'Duinn
lib_imc at centum.utulsa.edu
From: priest at NOSPAMvassar.edu (Carolyn Priest-Dorman)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Garb/Applique Question
Date: 1 May 1998 18:58:56 GMT
Organization: Vassar College
Azalais de Miraval (erinandconrad at ibm.net) wrote:
>were the heraldric symbols all and always
>embroidered, or were some of the larger elements appliqued?
There are extant medieval applique and reverse applique pieces including some
heraldic ones. For starters, see the section on applique in Kay Staniland's
_Embroiderers_, in the Medieval Craftsman series (University of Toronto 1991),
which has a picture of a 13th century heraldic fragment, among others.
***************************************************************
Carolyn Priest-Dorman Thora Sharptooth
capriest at cs.vassar.edu Frostahlid, Austrrik
Gules, three square weaver's tablets in bend Or
http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/textileres.html
***************************************************************
Subject: Re: Garb/Applique Question
Date: Tue, 05 May 1998 07:01:02 -0400
From: capriest at cs.vassar.edu (Carolyn Priest-Dorman)
To: stefan at texas.net
Unto Stefan li Rous, greeting from Thora Sharptooth!
You asked:
>What is reverse applique?
Applique is where you cut the design element out of one fabric and stitch it
to the top of a backing fabric. Reverse applique is where you cut the
design shape out of the ground fabric and apply a second fabric either to
the *underside* or exactly into the cutout shape. It's also sometimes
called "intarsia."
In some extant intarsia pieces (several medieval Scandinavian ones, probably
wall hangings, come to mind) the intersection of the two fabrics is hidden
by a couched strip of gilded leather or parchment to give the effect of a
corded outline.
*****************************************************************
Carolyn Priest-Dorman Thora Sharptooth
capriest at cs.vassar.edu Frostahlid, Austrriki
Gules, three square weaver's tablets in bend Or
http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/thora.html
*****************************************************************
From: hrjones at uclink.berkeley.edu (Heather Rose Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Garb/Applique Question
Date: 4 May 1998 05:13:59 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Erin and Conrad Harkiewicz (erinandconrad at ibm.net) wrote:
: As a newbie, I have been doing some extensive (for me anyway) research about
: historically correct garb, but there is one question that I haven't been
: able to find the answer to. I am fascinated by the gowns and cloaks popular
: in the late 14th - early 15th century that are covered with the heraldry of
: the wearer. My question is - were the heraldric symbols all and always
: embroidered, or were some of the larger elements appliqued?
Very few of this sort of garment have survived, making it difficult to say
much for certain. The heraldic garments of this type that _have_ survived
were preserved because they were associated with important (i.e., rich)
people. Since embroidery is the more ostentatious of the two techniques
(i.e., shows off your wealth better) the fact that surviving garment
examples all use embroidery is not an entirely conclusive argument against
the possiblity of applique. Similarly, wardrobe accounts describing
garments with heraldic motifs of this period all specify embroidery,
however surviving wardrobe accounts will, again, tend to be those of
important households.
There are examples of heraldic applique from even earlier (see two 13th
century examples in Staniland's "Medieval Craftsmen: Embroiderers"),
however these are relatively small items. There are problems of scale in
doing large motifs using medieval applique techniques -- either a fair
amount of stress is going to be placed on a stitch technique that is not
well suited to bear it, or (as some pieces were) the appliqued piece can
also be glued down, but this would create drape and movement problems in a
garment that would not be as great a problem in either a small motif or a
flat hanging item. (I _believe_ I've seen relatively large banners done
with applique -- my memory is saying it's on some captured banner
associated with Switzerland, or maybe Austria ... I don't have the book
and the details are escaping me.)
: I can see how
: embroidery would certainly be the easiest way to go for small elements -
: such as the spots in an ermine field - but by the same token, it would seem
: to me that the best way to handle large charges would be via applique. I
But keep in mind that a medieval noble ordering a piece of heraldic
clothing would not necessarily be considering whether a particular
technique was easy or even cheap -- if fashion demanded a more
time-consuming and expensive method.
Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn
From: Ciard49 at aol.com
Date: December 27, 2005 3:51:49 AM CST
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Applique
One way to turn the edges for applique is to sew (right sides together) your
decorative fabric with bridal tulle, about one quarter inch around all edges
leaving an opening big enough to turn the fabrics right side out.
Before turning, trim and clip all curves and points. If fabric wants to
pucker after turning, turn it wrong side out again and reclip.
The tulle fabric gives no bulk on the underside and holds the seams well.
Hand sew using applique stitch or small straight stitches perpendicular to
the edge.
Ciard
From: prudencecurious at netscape.net
Date: December 27, 2005 10:33:01 AM CST
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Applique
The way most applique was done in period is cut out the piece to be appliqued to size and apply it to the ground cloth without turning under. They sometimes used glue or beeswax to control the initial fraying of the edges. They almost always (like 99.9999% of the time) put cording overtop the edges, which also controled fraying. This method produces very little puckering, but also does not stand up to repeated machine washings.
Things that will help control the puckering, if you are doing modern applique.
1) Make the ground cloth and decorative fabric as close in weight and material as possible - this reduces shrinkage differences and how the two fabric pull against each other.
2) Watch the grain when cutting. Fabric stretches more one direction that another (pull vertically, horizontally and both of the diagonals and see how it works). If you cut a triangle, at least one side will be along the bias and have a very different stretch when sewing it to the ground cloth.
3) Make certain that the tension when sewing the ground cloth to the decorative fabric is consistant for both fabrics. If one is stretched more than the other, puckering will occur.
4) Choose a fabric that doesn't slide. The choice of fabric in applique can make all the difference. Do not applique gauze. Wool to wool, on the other hand, is wonderful (after making certain that both fabrics are completely shrunk).
Prudence the Curious
From: Ciard49 at aol.com
Date: December 27, 2005 10:34:51 AM CST
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Applique
In a message dated 12/27/2005 10:09:53 AM Central Standard Time,
baby_sis_83 at hotmail.com writes:
<<< so I'm supposed to put something under said decorative piece of fabric
before sewing it? Perhaps I should do an applique class before I start out
on this endeavor. lol
Grainne Kathleen NicPadraig MacDaniel >>>
Some people use wonder under, or some other type of iron-on fabric to "glue"
the decorator fabric in place while it is sewn down.
I personally do not like it. The finished effect is often stiff and does not
move right with the base fabric, and can leave a residue that shows.
Are you sewing it by hand or on the machine?
The edges of the decorative fabric must be stabilized -- preferably turned
under -- before being sewn down.
If you have never done this before, perhaps asking an experienced person to
help you would be a good idea.
Ciard
From: Kingdom Webminister <vscribe at ansteorra.org>
Date: December 27, 2005 11:06:48 AM CST
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Applique
Ciard49 at aol.com said:
> Some people use wonder under, or some other type of iron-on
> fabric to "glue" the decorator fabric in place while it is sewn down.
Having seen the work with and without the "glue", if you do not
do it right you will still get the puckering.
However that being said I have seen the work of both HL Ciard
and Mary Elisabeth and they both come out beautifully.
Right now I am working on, or rather finally finished, the
Steppes Warlord Tabard and the center piece was Wonder-Under'd.
This cause the Steppes embroireres who took turns on it much
grief because the glue rendered the fabric nearly puncture
proof. It was left to be the last thing to finish because of
this. I went through a set of my best glovers needles to finish
that part. I really did not want to use the sewing machine for
this so I did not test to see if it would go through cleanly
and not leave a puncture mark. Puncture marks are not good.
Will not heal kinda thing.
Now to find another surgeon willing to part with a set of these
very fine small needles.
Basically glovers needles have same blade configuration of an
Epee, three sided blades. This allowed the needle to actually
go through the two layers of trigger and allow the hole to heal
back closed around the thread.
If you use Wonder-Under and you are going to be doing any work
on top of it all ask these ladies what weight to use so that it
will allow you to puncture through easliy. Wonder-Under comes
in different weights.
HL Chiara
Kingdom Webminister, Ansteorra
From: Gail Gavit <ggavit at interconnect.net>
Date: December 27, 2005 12:17:56 PM CST
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Applique
I use "heat and bond lite" on the piece to be appliqued and a tear-
away stabilizer under the the whole piece when you stitch. Be sure
you use the heat and bond lite or it will gum up your needle. It
works like a charm!
Katherine Brandon
> In a message dated 12/26/2005 11:29:27 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> baby_sis_83 at hotmail.com writes:
> I was wondering if someone could give me some pointers on how to
> do applique
> and not have it pucker. I've done it before but every time, the
> material has puckered and looked not cool. Can someone help me?
>
> Grainne Kathleen NicPadraig MacDaniel
>
> If you do not plan on washing it. Wonder Under is your friend.
>
> Donnel
From: Laura Betenbaugh <mbetenbaugh at houston.rr.com>
Date: December 27, 2005 6:14:12 PM CST
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: [Ansteorra] Re: Applique
Before wonder under, I used Elmer's school glue, washing it out after sewing the pieces together. This eliminated the stiffness, but takes time to dry before sewing.
Lorraine Fraser
From: Jan Van Zandt <hejanais at yahoo.com>
Date: December 27, 2005 4:12:56 PM CST
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: [Ansteorra] applique
Grainne,
I use the SEW-ABLE Wonder Under - check the package. There is a NO-sew type - you DON"T want that - it will gum up your needle and machine.
It's best to have materials of the same weight and content washability. You can applique a lighter weight onto a heavier weight but it doesn'r necessarily work well the other way around.
For things like Ansteorran Stars, I iron-on Wonder Under to big squares of the material. Do NOT remove the paper backing. Then using a cutout of the Star, I trace around the cutout on the paperside of the Wonder Under. If I want a lot of the Stars I trace all of them at the same time and try to fit them as close together as possible on the paper back. You can never have too many Ansteorra Stars.:) Then I cut out what I need - leaving the paper backing on them. I pull the paper backing off just before I iron them on.
After I iron on the appliques I use a very close, narrow buttonhole (zigzag) stitch to applique them to the material. Use thread that is the same color as the applique. It looks better in the long run than using thread the color of the background. I set the needle on the spot where the two materials meet and have the zigzag stich go to the inside of the applique - that way you have a smoother clean looking edge. I am ambidextrous, so I can work on the right or left edge of an applique. After you do a few appliques you will figure which edge feels right to you.
I've made many banners and Rhoadd tabards. A few years ago I made the big, nine foot banner that Sir Corwin and Sir Gideon presented to the King to use as a Regional fighting prize at Gulf Wars The Banner was given to the Bryn Gwlad War Company the first year and the next year it was presented to the Kingdom of Calontir as a gift for being allied to Ansteorra for many years. It was doublesided with two rampant white lions holding a heater shield - doing a double-sided banner is another story - having a 4'x6' light table certainly helps.
He Jan
Ffynnon Gath
From: DonnelShaw at aol.com
Date: December 29, 2005 9:45:25 AM CST
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Applique
When I make my banners I just wonder under the piece on then use my sewing
machine to stitch down the edges. I have never had a problem. They have also
lasted 15 plus years.
Donnel
<the end>