{"id":29215,"date":"2015-01-20T03:30:43","date_gmt":"2015-01-20T09:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nancyzieman.com\/blog\/?p=29215"},"modified":"2015-01-20T03:30:43","modified_gmt":"2015-01-20T09:30:43","slug":"to-applique-with-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nancyzieman.com\/blog\/sewing-2\/to-applique-with-love\/","title":{"rendered":"To Appliqu\u00e9 with Love"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m excited that \u00a0Mary Mulari,<\/span><\/a><\/span> Sewing With Nancy’s<\/em><\/strong> most frequent guest, is sharing more ideas from her popular appliqu\u00e9 book, Applique Large & Small<\/span><\/em><\/span>. \u00a0She has projects featuring patterns and techniques, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Join us as Mary Mulari guest blogs today. And, watch her on Sewing With Nancy<\/a><\/em><\/strong> online, in her two part series, (Part One<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0and Part Two<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span>).<\/p>\n

\"Applique<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By \u00a0Mary Mulari, Guest Blogger<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not too late to plan and stitch some great Valentine\u2019s Day mementos. With a copy of my book Applique\u2014Large & Small<\/span><\/em><\/span>\u00a0 and the appliqu\u00e9 designs included, you can create distinctive cards, gift bags, and gifts. Start now and you\u2019ll have time to ship your creations to friends and family. You\u2019ll see how to form heart shapes from swirls and how to use intriguing techniques to build appliqu\u00e9 designs. You have permission to enlarge and reduce the sizes of the 25+ appliqu\u00e9 designs and two alphabets from the pattern sheet in the book. Join me in inventing classy but easy projects perfect for my favorite February holiday.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

Applique- Large & Small<\/span><\/em>
\nTurn a plain tee into a perfect garment to wear to a Valentine\u2019s Day party. The design is built from two fabric cutouts of one swirl appliqu\u00e9 shape. To make the heart more interesting, I chose a square of lace fabric to be placed off center and beneath the appliqu\u00e9. The perfect tiny silver button adds additional dimension to the appliqu\u00e9.<\/p>\n

\"Applique<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

Appliqu\u00e9 Aprons<\/h3>\n

Aprons are terrific candidates for heart appliqu\u00e9s. Here\u2019s the Blue Ribbon Apron from my pattern Newfangled Reversible Aprons<\/span>.<\/span> I chose the red rick rack trim, so a matching red heart was just right. To make the heart shape, I chose two different size paisley shapes from the pattern sheet. You can see how they fit together to form a heart. The heart fabric has wrinkles, which gives it lots of texture. The cotton fabric was sewn to specialty fabric (Fabric Magic\u2122 or Texture Magic \u2122<\/span><\/span>), which shrinks with a steam iron.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

What are Appliqu\u00e9 Chips?<\/h3>\n

Start with scraps too small to save; they\u2019re what I call appliqu\u00e9 chips.
\nArrange the chips on a base fabric and sew everything together with clear monofilament thread<\/span><\/span>. You\u2019ll find the instructions and recommended materials in the book so you can build chips creations of your own. On this table runner, a flower cut from a chips base is terrific trim for a Valentine\u2019s Day dinner table. Lines of stem stitching extend from the heart shaped pearl button in the center. Lana wool thread<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a>(stitched with a topstitch needle<\/span><\/span>) creates the prominent heavy stitching.
\nThe flower on the table runner is one of the three-layered flowers shown on a notebook cover\u2014a pretty and practical Valentine\u2019s Day gift for someone special.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Get Personal with Appliqu\u00e9<\/span><\/h3>\n

Monograms are popular accents and embellishments. Choose one or more letters from the alphabets and reduce or enlarge the size as needed.
\nOne large initial makes a bold and colorful trim on a small pillow. Use the traditional red and pink tones of Valentine\u2019s Day, or select colors to match a girlfriend\u2019s bedroom.
\nMonograms are also great tote bag decorations. To celebrate the holiday of Cupid and love, this tote features an added front pocket with appliqu\u00e9d first initials of a special couple. Consider this idea also for a wedding shower or tote bag gifts for wedding party attendants.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

Lots of Love Enclosed<\/span><\/h3>\n

With these cute and clever gift bags, it\u2019s the thought that counts. A boating enthusiast will love the anchor-stitched design (Use the anchor appliqu\u00e9 shape and stitch around it by hand or on the Baby Lock Sashiko machine). The wool-felted bag trimmed with a woolen heart cut from an orange and white blanket holds an electronic tablet or a warm pair of socks. The bottle carrier can hold a Valentine\u2019s Day \u201cpeace offering\u201d of wine or flavored vinegar.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

Last Minute, Fast No-Sew Heart Appliqu\u00e9s<\/h3>\n

With colorful fabrics, paper-backed fusible web, such as<\/span> Wonder-Under<\/span><\/span><\/span>, and an iron, you have the materials to turn plain paper bags into Valentine\u2019s Day holiday d\u00e9cor. For a coordinated gift, match the appliqu\u00e9 fabrics to the colors of the gift inside the bag.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

Beautify an everyday towel with a swirl appliqu\u00e9 shape paired to form a heart. When adding cotton fabric appliqu\u00e9s to a heavily textured waffle-weave towel, first apply lightweight fusible interfacing, such as Sof Shape Interfacing by Pellon<\/span><\/span>, to the wrong side of the appliqu\u00e9 fabric. This helps maintain a flat appliqu\u00e9 surface.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

Turn samples of heart appliqu\u00e9 designs into greeting card trim. The oval opening on the card frames the stitched heart shape.<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

I hope you\u2019ll enjoy the creation of Valentine\u2019s Day appliqu\u00e9 gifts and decorations along with giving and receiving gifts for this holiday of love, gratitude, and friendship.
\n~Mary<\/p>\n

Do You Have a Copy of Mary’s Book?<\/h3>\n

\"Mary<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn 14 easy-to-sew, up-to-date appliqu\u00e9 techniques\u2014you get more than 3 dozen ideas on how to use these techniques on projects.<\/p>\n