Day 3: Applique Day....

This is the most time consuming part of your Mac or Katy.

Please don't pull a "If you ain't first your last" ~Ricky Bobby you don't need to be speedy mcspeedster.

In fact if you do.... your applique will look like a muddy mess and you will more than likely be re-cutting your entire front and starting over while cursing like a sailor.

This will take time and patience, you will be doing multiple layers so please take care to see what layer will go were.

Supplies you need for this portion:

• Appliqued pieces cut out
• Stabilizer
• Embroidery Thread
• Scissors
• Iron & Ironing board
• Marking Pen
• Sewing Machine
• Treats

For this applique I'm showing my Frankie on my Mac up-cycle. For Frankie she has some "BIG" hair So I knew I was going to put some of this Utah Hair {I say Utah hair because lawdy the gals here love their rat combs, hair spray and making their hair as big as they can get it. You'll have to google it ;)

{Because I was using some of my applique to go on the upper portion of the bodice I will be showing you some of tomorrow steps now. Some of the appliques are a much larger scale that require you to sew this part first. I grab my wonder clips I don't even use pins anymore I highly suggest you look into purchasing you can buy online Amazon is the cheapest or they sell these at Joann and Walmart. So find the center points of your two pieces and pin in place.}

{As you see... well maybe you can't I stay stitch with my sewing machine before moving to my serger. Totally optional I just like the extra step I produce a more professional garment each time I sew by doing so. Because the bodice has a slight curve you will want to gently pull the curved piece straight as you serge.}

{Grab your iron and iron the seam up.}

{Next, you will grab your first pieces of applique which for me on Frankie was the face shape and hair piece. Peel back your heat n bond.}

{The heat n bond will have a shine look to the back side once you peel it off.}

{Now you will begin your layering process. So for Frankie I found the perfect spot to place the head and hair. Once you find the placement grab your iron and iron your pieces in place. Please remember to make sure your iron is set to the proper settings for the material you are working with. If its too high you could melt your material and you will cry and want to throw your iron out the window!!}

{I've lifted my Mac shirt up to show that the iron secured my two layers to my main shirt. Now you are ready to start stitching :) Get ready for magic to happen a few hours later.}

{Be sure to grab your stabilizer to go on the back side of your shirt. I spoke about stabilizers in the Day 1 post. Please refer there for the different brand and styles they have on the market. I did fail to mention if you didn't want to buy stabilizer you could use tissue paper and it would work just as great.}

{I have my embroidery thread I used just the black variegated and the glow in the dark for my entire Frankie. Don't be afraid to play with different colors and make your applique piece truly unique.}

{Here is my machine... :) Tip before you official start sewing it is a good time to play around with different stitch lengths, stitch width, and even your tension on your machine and switch over to different stitches until you find what you like. Be sure to either take a photo of the settings or write them down in a notebook so when you do another applique you know exactly what your machine should be set at.}

{This is just an example of me playing around and to show you. Feel free to grab scratch pieces of knit and play. This will help give you a visual look at what the stitching will look like before its on your shirt. There are a lot of fun stitches other than a zig zag stitch for applique work.}

{I used my #10 foot it has a guide on it and I used the guide to line up the edge of my fabric.}

{Sometimes the knit will want to be a naughty nelly and start to pucker up on you;  you will have to slightly pull and smooth any spots that are giving you issue out.}

{I stitched Frankie's hair first and choose my variegated black thread, Then I moved to the face portion. Eeek... doesn't it look awesome!!}

{Back view. The stabilizer really helps give your applique that extra support it needs while you are sewing.}

{Once you've sewn your face, you will in my case grab the next layer which are the highlighted bolts. }

{My next layer was the eyes and that was the last layer for Frankie besides making the nose and mouth which is all free-hand.}

{You will get your marking pen. I used FriXon these pens are amazing and I spoke about them in Day 1. The markings will just steam away. Once you get the right spots for your eyelashes, nose, and mouth in my case it might be different for each of you which I know it is. Stich those markings with your machine.}

{Back view: Just as pretty as the front view.}

{I wanted to in the post explain why stabilizers are so important in the applique process. So I made a small portion of the hair without the stabilizer supporting it. I'm not sure if you can really see but, the stitching is loose, it is slightly more puckered and not smooth, the stitching also in the back is very rough and un-even. You don't want to spend a hour or so doing all your hard work with your applique only to find out the stitching is weak and isn't nearly that nice looking and won't last over time. So please invest in tissue paper or any of the stabilizers I have spoken about.}

{You can really see the difference that the stabilizer makes here. Look at how nice and even and how strong the stitching looks.}

 

 

{LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO I MADE COMING SOON!! }

{Hopefully this video works. I sound like a chipmunk and sorry it was a long day and I look less than desirable when making a video. This is my first time ever making a video and might as well be the last.... For my stabilizer I did a wash away one. This product is new to me and I was excited to try it out. In the video I made a sample piece because you will keep the stabilizer on the shirt and once you are finished with your garment the washer will wash it all away. After that if you have a child that is very sensitive to the stitching you can get an iron on pellon for knit clothing that has a smooth back to place over your stitching. You'll have to go out and get some wash away and let me know what you think. Sulky makes a great wash away as well.}

{This is the Pellon I used that I couldn't remember in the video its 541 Wash-n-Gone.}

{My finished Frankie!! She isn't perfect but, with this style of applique the imperfection is beautiful!}

 

 

{Thought I'd add this little note: Whether you choose tear away or wash away stabilizer if your child is overly sensitive to the stitching you might want to add a knit tricot iron on interfacing and iron that to the back of the shirt covering the stitching. I didn't find the wash away stitching to be rough I did see a tad bit of roughness in the tear away but, that could be just me! }

Hooray you are all finished with your applique. You deserve to treat yourself to a nice drink, chocolate, or a shopping spree to the Fabric store. I can't wait to see all the beautiful work you all create.

Check back tomorrow as we continue together in the sew a long!!

xoxo

~Nicole