Intro to Wool Applique: 3. Blanket Stitch

In the "Intro to Wool Applique" tutorial series I share various aspects of getting started with wool applique.

For the tutorial samples I used woven and fulled (commonly referred to as "felted") wool applique pieces and stitched them to a cotton background fabric.

This tutorial covers:

• Learning the Blanket Stitch

If you haven't already, be sure to prepare your wool pieces following these two tutorials:

• Part I "Intro to Wool Applique: 1. Working with and Cutting Wool" and
• Part II "Intro to Wool Applique: 2. Thread - Needle - Knot" tutorial that includes steps necessary prior to starting to stitch.  

Note:  The images and instructions in this tutorial are specific to a right handed stitcher - right handed stitchers should always sew to the left - making it easier to position needle, thread, and hands.    

If you are a left handed stitcher, reverse all indication of right /left in this tutorial and work/sew to your right.

Supplies:  

• a piece of wool to applique (shown: "in the Patch designs" wool charm)
• a piece of background fabric (wool, cotton, linen, etc. - shown Hoffman of Ca. Bouquet Memories)
• applique pins (shorter and smaller than sewing pins - shown Clover)
• 2 strands of 12wt thread (shown: Aurifil Lana Wool 12wt)
• 1 size 5 embroidery needle (shown: Bohin embroidery needle)

Blanket Stitch:

• Begin the blanket (or any) stitch by burying the knot on TOP of the background fabric but behind the wool piece.
• Come up just on the outer edge of the wool applique piece (considered #1 and #3 in future images)

• Hold the piece in your left hand and, as with needle turn applique, use the left hand to "manage" things and keep your applique piece steady and secure.  Your left hand does a large amount of the work both on top and behind the fabric.
• Position thread to the left of #1
• Place needle into wool and through the background fabric at  #2
• Travel behind the background fabric and come up at #3 just on the outer edge of the applique
• Make sure the thread is behind your needle to complete the stitch

•  A completed stitch will look like this -- pull taut and upward to secure the stitch (but not too taut).

 

• Now repeat those steps - Thread to left, down at #2, up a #3 with needle in front of the thread

• Repeat again, thread to the left, down at #2, up at #3, pull taut.

• It's traditional to ensure that the length of your stitch from point A to point B below is the same as the length of your stitch from Point C to Point D.   
• This is customary but certainly NOT required.

• Continue to travel around the perimeter of the applique piece.
• Points are sometimes completed with a V shaped stitch -- where the same #2 hole is used for two stitches.
• When done stitching, travel to the back of the background and take two or three stitches in place (background fabric only).  Now travel between the background fabric and the wool to bury the end.  Trim at the surface of the background fabric.

This tutorial covers the basics of hand wool applique using a blanket stitch.

Stay tuned for more Wool Applique Basics -- coming soon.

I appreciate your feedback -- so please leave me a comment if you stopped by.
Thanks so much,
Karen

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