Hip, hip hooray – it’s applique day!!

Now that we have our table runners all quilted, it’s time to prepare our applique shapes so that we can try out our new couching skills!! First thing we need to do is trace the leaf shape below onto the paper side of your fusible web three times. Leave about ½” between each of the shapes.

Trimming and ironing your applique shapes

Cut apart your three fusible web leaf shapes (leaving about ¼” around the shape) and iron them to the back of the three fabrics you chose for your leaves.

Once the shapes are cool, cut out the shapes along the drawn lines and peel off the paper backing.

Arrange and stitch

Lay your fabric leaf shapes onto your quilted table runner and move them around until you like the arrangement. Iron them in place, following the fusible web’s manufacturer’s directions.

Getting ready to stitch 

Now that your shapes are secured, you need to decide which threads you will use to stitch them down. Instead of using a blanket stitch on the edges, we are going to couch some Dazzle threads along each raw edge to secure and embellish the leaf applique. For my first green leaf I decided to do two threads of green Dazzle couched with the black and white variegated Mirage thread. I’ve still got the Deco-Bob in the bobbin. I tied the two green threads together with a knot and then laid them along the edge of the leaf. Like with the stitch-outs I held all of the thread ends (Mirage, Dazzle and Deco-Bob) in my left hand while I used a short straight stitch to secure the beginning of my stitching. Now we are going to zig zag over the Dazzle thread along the edge of the applique until we get to a point.

Let’s get right to the point

If your machine has a needle down position, make sure that you are using it. When you get to the tip of the leaf, put your needle down on the edge of the appliqué shape, raise your foot and turn your table runner around on the bed of the machine. Have the Dazzle thread go around the BACK of the needle and put your foot back down again. Start stitching and the point of your appliqué shape should still look nice and sharp. Do this on all of the points of the leaf.

How to end your stitching

As you approach the spot when you started your couching stitches, pull the knotted end of the Dazzle threads to the side and keep stitching until you have just covered the stitches at the beginning.

Use a short straight stitch to go forwards and back a couple times to secure the thread ends and them removed the table runner from the machine. Using small, sharp scissors trim away the excess threads from the top and back of the table runner. Repeat this same process to secure the other two appliqué shapes.

Our next steps

Tomorrow we will finish up our table runner by trimming and binding, but for today just step back and enjoy your machine applique successes!