Part 3: Appliqué your shapes

Part 3 - Appliqué Your Shapes

Materials:

• Thread
• Cotton darner needle in size 9
• Fabric for appliqué

Bring back your cushion top where you drew the template of your 50 cm x 50 cm square, and arrange your shapes on your cushion.

Thread-basting Your Shapes

1. Grab a piece of thread in a contrasting colour. Cut a length of thread from wrist to shoulder length.
2. Thread your needle, but don't tie a knot at the end. I use a long Cotton Darner needle in size 9.
3. Gently pat down your shapes once you've positioned them. Take your needle and thread and go through the top of your appliqué shape and under the backing of your cushion. Make sure your needle is going through all three layers.
4. Use large basting stitches across the surface of the quilt with about a 5–8 cm gap between the stitches in a herringbone diagonal effect. Secure the folded edges each time you take a stitch.
5. Repeat the basting process until you've gone around all the edges of your shape.

Appliqué Your Shapes

1. Grab a piece of thread that matches the colour of your appliqué pieces. Cut a length of thread from wrist to shoulder length.
2. Thread your needle and tie a large quilter's knot. I use a long Cotton Darner needle in size 9.
3. Go behind your shape on your cushion back and, taking your hand underneath the cushion top, bring your needle and thread up through the backing of the cushion and through the folded edge of your shape. Bring the thread all the way through.
4. Take two small stitches through the cushion top and through the fold of your shape. Take the needle through the loop of the thread and secure the knot.

Blind Stitching

1. Using blind stitches no longer than 0.5 cm (½ in), stitch the edges of appliqué shape to the base cloth.
2. Take the needle through the back of the cushion top and come out of the cushion top and through the fold of your shape around 0.5 cm (½ in) from your initial stitch, and bring your needle through. Repeat that process all the way around the edge of your shape.
3. Every few stitches, add a security stitch. Take two small stitches through the cushion top and through the fold of your shape. Take the needle through the loop of the thread and secure the knot.
4. Continue this process with your under shapes until you finish appliquéing the shapes.

Cut Your Cushion Top to Size

1. Once your shapes are attached, press all of your shapes so they are nicely steamed.
2. Bring back your original paper template and place it on the cushion top. Make sure all your shapes have enough room around your template.
3. Bring back your weights and weigh your template down. Grab your chalk and ruler and draw around your paper template. Make sure not to move your template. Take your time.
4. With your lines drawn, remove your weight and grab a pair of sharp fabric scissors. Gently cut out your cushion top, following the marked cushion top. Repeat this on all four sides until your cushion top is cut out.

Building Your Cushion Top

1. Grab a remnant piece of fabric that is larger than your cushion top. Grab a layer of wadding and place it on top of the backing, smoothing it out. Bring back your cushion top. It will sit in the middle of the wadding.

Refer back to the building blocks and build your cushion top.