Appliqué

Off Block Construction with Back Basting

This pictorial guide shows how to construct appliqué elements "off block" or "in hand" by using the back basting method. We will construct the sleigh in "Rose Sleigh" a block in the "It's a Baltimore Christmas" series.

A small, gold trim was applied to the inner curved edges of the sleigh. To first applique the sleigh using back basting and then to add the gold trim would have necessitated opening the outer edges of the sleigh to slide the gold trim under the seam allowance. Not wanting to open those edges I chose off-block construction for the body of the sleigh. This allowed me to turn under the gold trim at the same time that the outside edge of the sleigh was appliquéd.

Step 1: Trace the pattern on the back side of your background fabric. You may need to reverse the pattern. In the case of the "Rose Sleigh", it will look good facing either direction. You need not reverse it unless your personal preference is to do so.

Click here to learn more about this block.

Step2: Using the back basting method, appliqué the sleigh rail on to the background fabric. Set this piece aside.

Step 3: Select 5 coordinating fabrics for the sleigh. Number those fabrics as in the diagram to the right.

Step 4: Place the paper pattern (reversed if you choose) over a light source. You can use a light box, a window or a split table with a piece of glass and a lamp. Place fabric 2 over section 2. Be sure the fabric is large enough to allow for a 1/4" seam allowance all around. Trace section 2 onto the wrong side of your fabric. Set aside.

Step 5: Place fabric 3 right side down over the paper pattern. Imagine seam allowances on section 3. Be sure that the fabric is large enough to completely cover the patch plus seam allowances. Pin to the paper pattern so that the fabric doesn't move. Do not draw any lines on fabric 3 at this time.

Step 6: Place the prepared fabric 2 right side down over the section 3 fabric in it's proper location. That is, the right side of fabric 2 will be on top of the wrong side of fabric 3 and it will be above section 2 of the pattern. Pin fabric 2 to fabric 3. Remove the pins securing fabric 3 to the paper.

Step 7: Back baste along the curved line that you drew on fabric 2 between section 2 and section 3 . Your piece should look like the sample in Figure 1

Figure 1

Note:

Section 2 has been drawn on fabric 2
Section 2 fabric has been placed over the section 3 fabric. Both #2 and #3 fabrics are face down.
The curved line between sections 2 and 3 has been back basted.

Step 8: Flip the fabric to the right side. Very carefully trim away the #3 fabric leaving approximately 1/8"-3/16" seam allowance on the section 2 side. (Figure 2) Appliqué this curve. Begin stitching in the seam allowance and end in the seam allowance. Do not start stitching before the seam allowance nor stitch beyond the seam allowance as the knots might be cut off when the seam allowance is trimmed.

Flip to the back and trim away fabric #2 leaving approximately 1/4" seam allowance.

Figure 3 shows the appliqué curve from the front. Figure 4 shows the back side after trimming.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

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