Is there a trick to trimming fabric when doing applique?

Karen you have been given several answers . I was told to hold the work flat in your hand and if possible use Duck Bill scissors

Karen, apparently it helps alot to stick your tongue out to the side while trimming....at least that's the way I do it. hahaha!;)

2 comments

by mpo14011 15 Jun 2008

Yes,but if you don't move your tongue correctly you stuff up.hehehe

by katydid 15 Jun 2008

Amen!!

Karen, you got lots of good advice here. I also use applique scissors to cut with. I also use a double-sided applique paper to back my fabrics that I want to applique and give the article a good press when I'm finished. This is just a little bit of extra insurance that my applique is secure. *4U

After I trim the fabric I will take my finger nail and gently run it across the cut edge. This will make the little "lashes" seperate. Then I take my small curved emb. scissors and nip off the little "lashes". This seems to work for me and I don't have the tiny threads of the fabric sticking out of the final satin stitch. Good luck. Sue *4U

1 comment

by kharriman 15 Jun 2008

thank you so much!! Please call me Karen.

You got excellent answers, but I also have scissors that allow you to cut very close to the stitch line. This allows you cut close to the stitch line without the danger of cutting too close.

1 comment

by kharriman 15 Jun 2008

thank you! You can call me Karen.

Most of all you need very sharp scissors and a bit of patience to cut along all corners and crannies. I use applique scissors, sometimes called duck billed, that are razor sharp and work a treat. On bibs, towels, bathcapes etc I put a piece of wss or tear away under the applique fabric, to prevent cutting the loops of the towelling; cut the applique fabric along the stitching and then remove the stabilizer.

2 comments

by kharriman 15 Jun 2008

Thank you so much. You can call me Karen if you like.

by mops 15 Jun 2008

Well Karen my name is Martine.

Thanks for asking the question i needed toknow as well.

3 comments

by ezzemml 15 Jun 2008

sorry for the repeat the computa wouldn't take the submit and i was impatient and it came up 3 times.

by mpo14011 15 Jun 2008

I have done that to.Dump computer!

by kharriman 15 Jun 2008

Your welcome. Call me Karen.

Thanks for asking the question i needed toknow as well.

Thanks for asking the question i needed toknow as well.

kharriman, there is always a trick with it comes to trimming fabric - cut it close enough - not to cute the stitch and leave enough - so that the stitch will hold. Hehehe! *4U

4 comments

by kharriman 14 Jun 2008

you can call me karen if you like. how do I get it so there isn't any frayed edges that the scissors couldn't get? thank you!

by mpo14011 14 Jun 2008

Hi, Karen. The final stitches are usually satin stitches. They will cover the raw, cut edge.No fraying! I use embroidery scissors, the ones with the curved blades.They wary in price depending on how much you want to pay.Don't buy the real cheapies, they won't last.And you probably don't need the real expensive ones,either.Go for the middle of the road.Ricky.

by mpo14011 14 Jun 2008

I forgot to tell you that blanket stitch is also a common applique stitch.No fraying with these either.

by shirlener88 15 Jun 2008

Karen, you will just have to learn how much the satin stitch will cover and just cut inside that line - it is really from designer to designer - but to be sure - it is going to have to be awful close to the first stitch line - with a really sharp pair of scissors - as Ricky said - applique scissors work really well - they have a large bill on one side and help guide you are you clip away - it becomes second nature to you - once you clip enough of them - if you have frayed edges - just clip them and stitch the satin stitch again - it should catch anything that is close. You go girl.

I have a pair of applique scissors to trim the applique with. They r gr8 since they r made to do just that. *4U

2 comments

by kharriman 14 Jun 2008

I guess i'll have to get me some of those. Are they expensive scissors? Thank you!!
You can call me Karen if you like.

by lbrow 15 Jun 2008

Karen I don't know how much they cost, they were on my want list 4 christmas & daughter got them 4 me. I do know different brands have different prices, mine r gingher. they r gr8 & the trick is as u have bn told cut as close to stitching as possible wthout cutting the stitches. U need very sharp scissors to do this, small for little appliques & if they have a curved blade it helps so it can b done with just reg small sharp scissors.

You are talking about applique on your embroidery machine? The design is so digitized that it will stitch 2 lots of outline stitches.After the first line you carefully take the hoop of the machine, but leave the fabric in the hoop.Cut as close as you can to the stitch line. Put the hoop back on the machine and place another piece of fabric, slightly larger then the actual design over the stitch line.The machine will then stitch out another outline.Take the hoop out of the machine again and cut the excess fabric away from the stitchline.Put it back and the machine will then stitch the final outline stitches.You will find that the outline stitches are usually digitized in different colours.The machine will stop at each colour change.this makes it easy to know when to take the hoop out of the machine.

5 comments

by shirlener88 14 Jun 2008

Ricky, cute kitty avatar - Hehehe! - Great explaination. *4U

by kharriman 14 Jun 2008

Oh thank you so much! You can call me Karen if you like.

by cutiepie 15 Jun 2008

Um, but you don't cut after the FIRST outline, just after the second (when you have placed the design fabric and tacked it down).

by mpo14011 15 Jun 2008

You're right.I read what I had written.WHAT A DILL! I was thinking faster then I could write and got ahead of myself!Thanks for pointing that out.You deserve a flower.

by katydid 15 Jun 2008

You all are so good!! I have had my Gingher applique's for 30 yrs and they have never failed me.