Tip of the Week (Catch up 2) - January 12- The Right Stuff for Appliqué

When doing appliqué, I've found that the tools make all the difference.  Here are some favorites:

Roxanne's Glue Baste-It

Roxanne's glue is not better than anyone else's but she is light years ahead of everyone with her dispenser, a syringe that gives you pinpoint (or more specifically, "needle"point accuracy.  I have been using this since I started quilting, and thank my first quilting teacher, Alison, for saving me years of trial and error.  It will wash out with soap and water, but will hold securely until you remove it.

Jeana Kimball's Foxglove Cottage Straw Needles Size 10

Needles are a very personal thing.  Many people recommend sharps or betweens for appliqué, but I find that I prefer straw needles, and of the straw needles I've tried, I preferJeana Kimball's needles.  They glide through several layers of fabric, and make needleturn easier for me.  They are, to quote Goldilocks," not too big, and not too small, just right." 

John James Gold'n Glide Appliqué Needles Size 10

I like this brand, size and type needle for the same reasons I love Jeana Kimball's.  The slight difference between this needle and Jeana Kimball's is that her manufacturing process means you have to pull the eye through the fabric, and his goes through the fabric without stopping at the eye.  I love them both.

Wonderfil Invisafil & YLI Silk Thread

For nearly invisible stitches, I use Invisafil® thread.  It is the finest (fine being a thread weight thing, not a quality thing, though the quality is wonderful too!) thread on the market, and your stitches will disappear.  They sell wonderful mini packs, so you can buy several colors at once. The slim spool means you can carry a few colors in a small pouch. I use this thread with a combination of YLI silk thread, which also sinks into your fabric.  Wonderfil is less expensive and has a wider variety of colors, important because you have to match the color of your appliqué piece (not the background).

Bobbinsaver
I've mentioned this item before as a great way to store bobbins.  It looks like a silicon donut, and I keep bobbins of Invisafil and silk thread in a Bobbinsaver in my appliqué organizer.  That keeps it portable, and ready to go when I'm ready to appliqué!