Straight Stitch Applique... Captain Dick's Way

The Treadle On "Hug Block"

The suggestion for a "Hug Quilt" came from Crazy Karen, who picked it up on another list. The concept was very appropriate at the time and I added to it by suggesting that the appropriate block for such a concept was an appliqued heart. Several people on TO had been wanting to do an applique project, particularly the straight stitch fusible applique technique that is so easy on our old machines. Thus was born the "Treadle On Hug Block". This block can appropriately be sent to anyone in need of a hug, at any time, for whatever reason.

Here are the basic instructions:

I do machine applique on treadles or hand cranks. I know that there are those who do hand applique, but that is their problem. As everyone knows, I consider that anyone whostitches with a hand needle has simply failed to learn to do it with an old machine. :^) Anyway, the technique I use is a common one, often known as "fusible interface applique". It's really simple. You cut out your pattern, lay a piece of thin fusible webbing over it's good face, stitch very close to the edge around the pattern, trim off the excess webbing, then cut a slit in the webbing and turn the piece inside out. Be careful to do a good job of turning out and to press the edges all nice and flat. Then, lay the piece, webbing down, on the background, put another piece of cloth over it, and iron it down. When ironing or "setting" fusible webbing, do not slide the iron. Place it in position, on a high steam setting, for about 10 seconds, then move it. When it has cooled, it will stay in place, essentially glued down. Stitch very close to the edge all around and you end up with " straight stitch applique", with your machine's fine stitching plainly visible. If you have a zig zag machine for your treadle, or a zig zag attachment, you can zig zag the edging, creating what is called "satin stitch applique". However, in general, for TO exchanges, that straight stitch is what is used.

Here is a pictorial showing the design and making of the first of the Treadle On Hug Blocks:

 

 

 

I'm presenting these pictures just as I did the project... a different organization might have made just as much sense, but this is the order in which I did things. First, I took a large piece of what would be background fabric and cut two 9 1/2" squares and two 12 1/2" squares out of it. I figured I would need a test run, or possibly two. My goal was one 6 1/2" block for a current project, and one 9 1/2" block as a test run for the applique exchange. As you can see, I left myself plenty of room, and you will see why later.

 

 

Once I had fabric located, ironed and layed aside, the next step was to produce a heart pattern, or two. I folded a sheet of paper and made a quick sketch and cut it out, then tried another. I ended up with two shapes, a slightly narrow bodied heart and an full bodied heart. I made patterns in two sizes, 5" for the 6 /12" block, and 7" for the 9 1/2" block. These dimensions include what will be a 1/16" or 1/8" seam allowance all around.

 

 

 

Here are two of the paper patterns I finally was satisfied with.

 

Paper is not reliable for drawing a pattern on fabric, so the next step was a generation of patterns on poster cardboard.

 

 

I love making special tools. When doing piecing from theme patterned fabric, I like to be able to select the section I want to use. Here you can see one of the plastic hearts I cut out for doing that.

 

And here is another...

 

At this point, I have a couple of hearts cut out, and background fabric. The next step involves using the fusible webbing. I use a very thin webbing. I used a product called "Stitch Witchery", by HTC, obtained from Jo Anne's (NAYY). When buying fusible interfacing, there are choices. It comes in different thicknesses, and with one or both sides treated with fusible adhesive. If you get one sided webbing, you will have to be certain that when you sew your pattern pieces to the webbing, the fusing is on the inside, so that it will be next to the background after the piece is turned inside out.

Here you can see just how thin the fusible webbing I used is! The webbing goes on the printed side of the fabric! If you have one-sided webbing, the side with the fusing is down. I prefer the original Singer sewing foot for this work. The thinner of the two "toes" on the foot is about 1/8", and I generally try to feed the work edge in at about half that thickness. Nothing's wrong with using the full 1/8" if you are more comfortable with that. Sew all the way around. You will be turning this work right side out, but you will do it by cutting a slit in the back. There is no need to leave an opening on the side.

Just so that you are not too confused, this heart is white, made of background fabric. I decided to do a "negative image" version and this was what I was working on for this picture.

 

 

 

Here the webbing has been sewn to the pattern piece, and a slit cut in the back. Trim the excess webbing off. Make tiny slits in the seam, up to but not cutting the seam itself, where the curves are strong, at the top of the heard, and in the top indentation. If you can, carefufully trim of the point almost to the seam. Turn the work right side out through the slit, and work on the edges to be sure that all the fabric is turned. Finger press the fabric flat t the edges.

 

 

Here the White, or negative image, heart, turned right side out, has been roughly centered on an oversized piece of what will be a printed background. A piece of scrap fabric is used to cover the work, and I am steaming the piece to fuse it to the background.

 

 

Here is a standard, or positive image, approach. The heart is the print and is going to be mounted to the muslin background. At the stage where this picture was taken the heart had already been fused to theoversized background piece I cut earlier, and I am using a 6 1/2" square ruler to center the heart on what will become the block.

 

And here is the block, cut out o the oversized background piece, with the heart fused on, ready to be stitched.

 

I have very carefully and slowly, stitch by stitch in the curves and in the top depression, stitched the heart to the background. My seam is 1/6" from the edge.

 

I got too close, so the focus isn't the best, but this was an attempt to show you the visibility of the stitching with this technique. It is a rather primitive, or "naif" effect for some, but once you get a bunch of blocks together, it has a unique charm of its own.

 

We're back to the negative image block, the 9 1/2" one. The heart has been stitched to the printed background.

 

And the addition of the information, inside the heart in this case, completes the block. If your eyes are fuzzy, the inscription is:

"I Love Treadle On!"

Captain Dick

1940 Singer 201

Applique mini-TOBE 2004

 

 

Patterns

Here are the two heart shapes I developed. You can download them and then print them out, changing the size to meet your needs on either the computer or a copy machine. For the 6 1/2" block I used an edge to edge size of 5", seam allowance would be included in that. For the 9 1/2" block, I used 7".

 

 

 

 

 

After the initial posting of this page, I received the following from Jacqui in Canada. Her comments are quite good. I had heard the trick about using dryer sheets before. We'll have to forgive her for the comment about doing hand stitching :^) :

Just checked out the instructions for the straight stitch applique. As
usual, Capt. Dick, you did a thorough job and the pictures really help to
see what you did. I use this same basic technique, but draw my pattern
on non-fusible interfacing (I even use a used dryer
sheet in a pinch) and then sew around the drawn line on the interfacing.
I then turn it around the same way you do and use a little plastic
pointed 'thingy' to smooth out the edges and then press it right away.
I'm not fond of the iron on stuff as I like to be able to iron the
applique piece smooth first before having it positioned on the
background. I find the interfaced backing of the applique piece sticks
just slightly to the background when I am sewing the piece and I usually
don't even have to pin it. I did a bunch of 30's Sunbonnet Sue blocks
for our CanSew exchange and they turned out really nice. I used a 1939
RAF Canadian Singer handcrank for this work. The handcrank works very
well because you have such control going around curves and tight corners.
I just love doing applique with this method and often do it by hand as
well as it's a relaxing project to take along. Jacqui in Canada

Some Additional Examples of What Can be Done With This Technique

 

Here are three blocks I did some years back, using this same technique. They are from the Sunbonnet Sue Treadles On quilt:

 

This block depicts Sue helping Captain Dick restore a parlor treadle cabinet. Note the detail that was achieved simply by patience and using small pieces... hands, feet, the wax can, The Captain's hat, the cabinet, the cloud... all were separate pieced appliqued in place. The stripes on The Captain's sleeve and hat were sewn on before the joining of the piece and the webbing, so that they were in place after the turning right side out process.

 

 

This block depicted a TOBE Coordinator about to be buried under a collapsing pile of TOBE blocks. The stack of blocks was one piece, the scattered block were individual pieces.

 

 

This block is one of the most frequently commented on. It is located in the quilt at the Southwest corner, and is positioned exactly as you see it. Everyone asks, "Why is that block upside down", and I simply reply that it represents our Treadle On members "Down Under"! Again, most things are individual small pieces, but I am especially proud of the treadle irons and the sewing machine, which were free motion sewn directly onto the background after the other pieces were in place.

 

 

There you have it... the technique of fusible interface straight stitch quilting, and some examples of what can be done with it, as well as the institutionalizion, if you will, of the Treadle On Hug Block.

Captain Dick