World Wide Quilting Page

Question of the Week

Question for the week of May 4, 1998:

Our question this week comes from Jeanette Chessman

I am working on a applique block that a circle in the center calls for reverse applique. I can't see that it is any different than the freezer paper method or needle turn. Does someone have any idea if this is a different method?

Bonnie Cain :
You will like reverse applique because it
has a different look. Place the fabric which
you wnt to show in the circle under the
background fabric.. Cut and clip the circle
in the background fabric. Use tiny stitch
with thread the color of background. Sew
the turn under edge down.

Trying to be helpful :
Reverse applique usually means instead of stitching a foreground (circle) on top of the background (square,) you stitch the background on top of the foreground. The background (square) has a hole in it a bit bigger than the desired finished window (circle.) Put the circle fabric behind the square, turn under the edges of the circle window, and stitch.
Anthony in Florida :
Yes and no. I assume you're talking about hand work. You do use the needleturn and/or freezer paper methods. But, it is different in that you cutting away your desired shape from the top fabric to expose the underneath fabric. This is the "reverse" part.

Take a simple leaf design, for instance. In regular old applique, you would place a green fabric on top and finish the green edges, attaching it to the background. In reverse applique, you would place the green fabric underneath the background, cut out the leaf shape from the background fabric and finish the edges of the background, appliqueing it to the green underneath fabric.

See Elly Sankewicz's "Baltimore Beauties and Beyond" or "Applique, 12 Easy Ways" (cheaper) for some of the best descriptions of this and many other hand applique techniques.

Good luck! As you sew, so shall ye rip!

Louise M. :
Yes, this is definitely done differently. Your applique fabric, say it is a flower is placed behind the background fabric..your design is traced on the top fabric (background fabric) which is then cut to the line you have
traced..turn the edge under and stitch as usual..You might want to get a book on the subject or do a practice piece
first...hope this isn't too confusing.
It is quite an easy technique and sometimes I feel the end results are better then the usual applique method..

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