Star baby quilt--the beginning

Well, I was a bit under the weather for a few days, in more ways than one!  Besides my not feeling well, we went from having comparatively cool type weather all summer to having the hottest day ever recorded.  It was as if all that summer heat that we had avoided decided to hit us in only one day!  Lucky me, I had my AC repaired recently, and it was up and running for that blast of heat.  And people say that we have no weather to speak about in Southern California.

I have begun sewing a baby quilt, which was the next thing on my sewing list.  I turn under the edges of the stars by sewing them to fusible interfacing. Placing right side of  fabric to sticky side of interfacing, I sew all around the edges, then I cut a little hole in the interfacing and turn the star right side out.  Presto, all the edges are turned under.  I then press the stars to the quilt square and machine sew the edges.  I plan to make alternate squares in a free-pieced crazy square.  I have a lot of scraps of kid-type fabric left over from that I Spy quilt that I made. So now is the perfect time to get some of them sewn up.    

Is it embroidery or?

Do you call this embroidery, or am I simply too lazy to remove the basting?  I've been making some larger-sized appliques by this method that I invented for a few years now but I never fessed up to it before.  First of all, for this particular (about 7 inch)applique shape, I saved the cardboard insert from a heart-shaped box of chocolates.  Those chocolates were a gift quite a few years ago. The candy is long gone, but the heart-shaped cardboard endures. I placed the cardboard on the right side of my fabric and traced around it with a piece of chalk.  Then I cut out the heart with a quite generous seam line--larger than for a regular applique--OK I better go and measure--alright, it's 1/2 inch seams.  Clip the seam where necessary. In order to prepare the applique for sewing, I used to baste this hem in place, press it, and then rip out the bastings.  So I said to myself, "Self, why am I ripping out perfectly good stitching?"  So now what I do is use embroidery thread when turning under the edges, and leave it there--presto, an embroidered applique!  I have now pressed it, pinned it in place, and it's all ready to be sewn down.

Applique with sewn turn unders

Here's how things stand with me right now. I have completed sewing the top of the denim quilt and the backing has arrived. Because I'm using flannel, I have to wash it first. Flannel can shrink like the dickens. At least it will only shrink the once, that's the first time it's washed in hot water. And so it's in the washer right now! And meanwhile, I'm making a start on that wall hanging that I wanted to make using a piece of an old pair of jeans for the background. I like to use this method of turning under the applique if the pattern permits. And since I'm designing the pattern, it does permit.
First I use a number 2 pencil and I trace the pattern on the non-sticky side of non-woven fusible interfacing. Leave at least 1/2 inch between patterns. Cut out around the patterns leaving at least 1/4 inch on the outside edges. Pin the interfacing to fabric, sticky side to the right side of the fabric.

Set the sewing machine to a short stitch and use a clear plastic foot, if you have one. Sew on the drawn line using a slow speed. Having a needle-down setting on the machine is handy for this. Trim seams to a bit less than 1/4 inch and clip curves. Then cut a slit in the back of the interfacing, sort of an "X", and turn the applique through to the right side.

Using a pressing sheet and a small iron (if you have it--if not just use the tip of the iron). Press the edges only (leaving the center sticky stuff for attaching the applique to the background later.)

I generally hand hem and embroider the edges. But sometimes I machine applique the edges using a decorative stitch.