- I want to thank Flexi Fuse for sponsoring this video.
Are you looking for fabric scrap ideas?
Today's tutorial has five fast and easy ways
that you can use up your scraps
with raw-edge applique.
Fabric scraps can easily overwhelm your sewing space,
unless you have a way to consume them.
So stick with me and I'll show you how to do it.
(light upbeat music)
Hi, I'm Karen Brown of "Just Get It Done Quilts."
I give you tips, tricks and strategies
to help you make the quilt that you want to make.
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Fabric accumulates with every project.
So you need projects and techniques
to keep Mount Scrapmore under control.
I have shown you how to use up your scraps
in sampler blocks,
strip blocks and crumb projects.
I have even shown you what to do with your batting scraps.
Today's video is about using up your scraps
with raw-edge applique,
using raw edges, means no piecing or hand sewing,
which means it can be fast and simple.
Applique is an ornamental technique
where you put patches of fabric over a larger piece
to form a picture or pattern.
For raw edge applique, you'll also need fusible webbing.
And in this video I'm using Flexi Fuse,
the sponsor of this video.
So grab your scraps, scrap strips, scrap pieces,
scrap padding, scrap binding,
we're going to use it all.
In this method,
you put defined shapes on a scrappy background.
To demonstrate this method,
I will be using these autumn leaves
on this scrappy background
to make place mats totally from my scraps.
To make the leaves, I found some clip art online,
then printed it out.
Mark or trace your design on the paper side
of the Flexi Fuse.
The paper side is the backside of the fusible web.
So just know that your finished design will be a mirror
of what you trace.
To conserve the fusible webbing,
before I trace, I shift it around
so the shapes are right up against each other.
Next, roughly cut out the design.
Grab some scrap fabric in fall colours.
You'll scraps will often have really deep creases,
so give them a good press first.
Then with the paper side up, fuse your shape
to the wrong side of your fabric.
I use a piece of parchment paper over the fabric
to ensure that any glue does not get on the face plate
of my iron.
Then cut out your shape.
These leaves have a lot of detail.
So I do a rough cut and then I do a second pass
for the finer bits.
I keep scrappy two and a half inch squares
beside my sewing table.
And I'm grabbing a stack in black, grey and white
to make this scrappy buffalo check.
First I sew them into four patches
and then I sew those four patches together
to make the background.
Then I play with my shapes until I get a layout I like.
Take it to your iron,
and when you're happy with the layout,
remove the paper and fuse in place.
I normally choose to do this in stages,
as pieces can shift when you're not looking.
With the piece of scrap backing and scrap padding,
I make a quilt sandwich.
and sew in place.
Depending on the size and shape,
you can do this with a straight stitch,
you can do this with a zigzag,
you can do it with a blanket stitch.
And just sew around the outside edge.
You may also decide to add in more detail,
like these veins.
And I grab the couple of orphan jellyroll strips
to make a 3/4" binding.
A fast and easy gift, made completely from your scraps.
This method also works very well with scrap strips.
You can make them straight or wonky
to make up your background.
And the patch on top could be both a positive
and a negative image.
This method also works really well in table runners,
tree skirts and wall quilts.
So let's take a moment and talk about the fusible webbing.
Fusible webbing comes in sheets or rolls.
One side is textured, which is the glue
and the other side is paper
that you could draw on.
Some varieties have paper on both sides,
but one size comes off easily to reveal the textured side.
And we fuse it with a hot iron to our fabric.
And since there are many different types,
for many different purposes,
you need to be sure to buy the right kind for quilting.
Flexi Fuse first got on my radar a couple of years ago
when a couple of fibre artists I know recommended it.
I started using Flexi Fuse shortly after
but I became a true covert
when I saw the difference in my work.
Which makes total sense when you realise
it was developed by quilters for quilters.
For quilters, the most important features
that we need are,
we need a product that the needle can pierce easily
but doesn't leave a hole behind.
We need a product that gives an even, flat fuse
without the glue crumbling.
And we need a product that doesn't leave glue
on your needle.
So that our thread doesn't shred as we sew it,
or worse, break the needle.
Trust me on this one.
We also want a product that's soft and pliable,
just like our quilts.
Even when we stack the webbing three or four layers thick.
And Flexi Fuse does all of this.
I also found that the letter sized sheets
were much more convenient to work with.
It's easier to trace the shapes out,
my shapes life flatter as I arrange them
and they don't shift as much as I set the design.
If you act now, you can get 20% off your entire order
with a discount code "SCRAPPY2021."
This time we cut out pieces
and arrange them on a solid background.
It's often called a collage.
Collages can be quite literal, abstract,
or something in the middle.
We can make the collage layered, or flat.
And you can take advantage of your fabric's motives
to add interest.
So dig into your scraps and make a stack.
This time we are fusing our fabric
to the fusible webbing first
and then we are cutting out our shapes.
And then just arranging the fabrics so I can cover
as much as the Flexi Fuse at one time as possible.
Cut out shapes as desired.
This is an improv exercise for myself.
I'm just letting my brain relax
and letting the scraps take me wherever they will.
I decided that I'm only going to use squares
and rectangles.
But I'm also going to add in these circle motives
from some fabric scraps I have.
I fiddle and adjust, I add in some more
until I finally have a design that I like
and I take a photo.
I reassemble it at my iron,
using my photograph as my guide.
And I work in sections, removing the paper.
I grab a piece of scrap backing
and scrap padding and I make myself a quilt sandwich.
How you quilt it depends on your designs.
I'm choosing to do just straight line quilting here.
You may choose to add colour in
and emphasis to certain areas.
Just be sure that all pieces are secured.
Originally I had intended this to be a pillow,
but my family liked it so much I made it a wall hanging.
So I've gone to my scrap binding basket
and I've pulled some strips to finish it off.
(upbeat music)
Lettering is always a great way to personalise any project.
You can add a name, a special phrase or even the alphabet.
And you most likely have fabric left over
from your current quilt top.
So before they become scraps,
you can use them to make the letters.
On your computer, find a font that you like.
Then increase the font size to what you require.
To save ink, change the colour to white
and add an outline.
This method is almost identical to method number one.
The difference is
that there's a specific order that the letters must go in.
And that whole design must be flipped backwards
before tracing.
Remember, the Flexi Fuse is fused to the back of the fabric.
You trace your design on the paper side
of the Flexi Fuse.
Then fuse the design to the wrong side of the fabric
and cut out your shapes.
You can see now that by making the letters in reverse,
everything is going the way it should.
Be sure to lay out your design here
because it's amazing how easily your letters
can get mixed up.
This ensures that everything is where it should be,
spelled the way it should be,
and you can also deal with design issues
like this corner, before it's permanent.
Again, I chose to do this in stages.
This keeps it in a manageable amount
and I can keep all the letters aligned properly.
You can choose to sew it in place now
or when you quilt your quilt top.
(light upbeat music)
Sometimes your quilt needs something more.
And unfortunately you might not realise that
until your binding goes on.
If this has happened to you, grab your scraps
because one of the great things about raw-edge applique
is that it can be added after your quilt is quilted.
When a quilt feels flat
it almost always goes back to value.
Take a black and white photo.
You can see that this quilt
just needs a little bit more contrast.
Your situation might be different.
Maybe it just needs a pop of colour.
Or you have a very busy quilt
and you need a centre of interest.
So place a couple of fabric scraps in a range of values
and colours on your quilt.
I find it very helpful to take photos and compare.
You might even need to bring in some outside scraps.
Once you find what fabric solved the problem,
then you can play with shapes, sizes and how many.
Sometimes it doesn't take a lot
and note that you can also layer them.
Once you decide on a final design,
fuse them to your quilt top.
Because we're working on a finished quilt,
you need to be mindful how you sew on your patches.
You can add texture with dense quilting,
a design with a pattern and colour with different threads.
And now the quilt is truly finished.
(light upbeat music)
For many of these projects you
will end up with scrap fusible webbing.
I save these bits and incorporate them
into other projects.
My favourite way to use them is postcards.
Take a piece of scrap fabric,
scrap padding and some cards dock.
Set the cards dock aside
while we build up our design.
Sometimes I have a theme in mind,
sometimes I let the fabric guide me.
When I've settled on a design,
I remove the papers and I fuse in place.
Then I quilt as the design demands.
Then I grab my card stock and put glue on the back,
then tack down my design.
I trim down my front piece
so that it's the same size as the cards dock.
I switch to my zigzag stitch, size 4mm
and my stitch length is around .75.
And I stitch around the card.
(light upbeat music)
I trim off any loose threads or unevenness.
And then I'm done.
Postcards have a huge payoff.
They are wonderful sparks of colour in someone's mail.
If you want to watch my scrap busting playlist,
I'm going to leave a link right here.
If you are looking for some other fast and easy gift ideas,
I'll also leave a link to that playlist.
Don't forget to hit that subscribe button.
Take care and I'll see you next time.