Fusible Applique with Razzle and Dazzle Threads

After yesterday’s success with my wool applique experiment I was itching to try out fusible applique with Razzle and Dazzle threads. Fusible applique is more accessible than felted wool applique, because cotton fabrics and fusible web are more readily available than felted wools. As a result, more quilters are familiar with the fusible applique technique.

Let’s get to the project!

I’ve decided to make my samplers into a small table runner for a skinny table in my front hall. If you’d like to do the same, here are the materials needed:

• Cotton fabric for table runner front – 8″ x 32″
• Cotton fabric for backing – 12″ x 36″
• Cream felted wool – 6″ x 18″
• Light green cotton fabric – 6″ x 12″
• Scraps of felted wool in black and reds for the ladybugs
• Scraps of cotton fabrics for the two birds
• Freezer paper – 12″ x 12″
• Fusible web – 10″ x 10″
• Razzle and Dazzle threads in assorted colors
• Tuitti and Spagetti threads in assorted colors
• Batting – 12″ x 36″
• Binding – 8″ x WOF

Make the felted wool applique shapes

Follow the instructions in yesterday’s blog post to make and stitch the felted wool applique shapes.

Preparing the fusible applique shapes

Here’s the process to follow to make the fusible web appliques:

1. Trace the background circle, the bird body and the wings onto the dull side of a square of fusible web, making sure to leave at least ¼” between each of the shapes.
2. Loosely cut each shape out, just outside the drawn lines.
3. Place these fusible web shapes onto the BACK side of the cotton fabrics and iron.
4. Cut out all shapes before removing the backing paper.

5.  Peel off the backing paper.

6.  Place the bird shapes fusible side down on the right side of the background circle and arrange  these and the felted wool appliques onto the background fabric as shown in the following picture:

7.  Iron the fusible appliques to the background fabric and then remove the wool appliques – they’ll be sewn onto the background later.

Here’s a YouTube video that goes over all of these steps again. In order to get the best possible results, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on your fusible web as there are a few different products on the market, and their instructions may vary slightly.

Stitching the fusible applique with Razzle and Dazzle threads

1. Thread an embroidery needle with a length of the desired color of either Razzle or Dazzlethread and blanket stitch all the way around the applique shapes. I found that both threads unraveled even more with the fusible applique, but when I applied a bit of thread conditioner it happened MUCH less. I think I’ll use it all the time when using these threads to do handwork.
2. Add any desired embroidery or other embellishments (like buttons or beads if desired) to the background circles.
3. Blanket stitch around the edge of each background circle.
4. Spray the back of the wool applique circles with the adhesive spray and then press them down in place on the cotton background. Blanket stitch around each of them to secure them to the table runner.

Well, now that all of the handwork is done, I’m anxious to try out the Spagetti and Fruitti threads to machine quilt my table runner. So far I’m impressed with the results that I’m getting with my wool and fusible applique with Razzle and Dazzle threads, but tomorrow we QUILT!!