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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was
retired in August 2007. It is being provided by
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From: speranza94
Date: 08-14-2005, 09:08 AM (1 of 15)
| I would like to make a fleece blanket with applique. Does anyone know if you have to wash the fleece? And what kind of fabric is used for the applique? Does it have to be washed before appling it to the fleece. I want to do it by hand using a blanket stitch. Thank you Speranza94 |
User: speranza94
Member since: 03-28-2003 Total posts: 8 |
From: SummersEchos
Date: 08-14-2005, 09:45 AM (2 of 15)
|
Hello Speranza, Welcome to Sew Whats New. This is a great group and we have lots of knowledgable people here. Fleece does not shrink when washed. So pre-washing it before hand is your own personal preference. I myself wash all my material before I sew on them, but others don't. As far as the applique, you could use more fleece, it does not ravel. You can use any other kind of material you would like. If it is 100% cotton I would wash that before doing the applique. Cotton will shrink a great deal. Others on here will have some more great advice for you too. Summer
FREE FALLIN |
User: SummersEchos
Member since: 09-29-2004 Total posts: 884 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 08-14-2005, 12:41 PM (3 of 15)
|
I've appliqued cotton quilt fabric on fleece and it turned out beautiful. I think I used a little non-woven-iron-on interfacing under the cotton to give it some loft. I often do. I always prewash. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: speranza94
Date: 09-04-2005, 08:22 AM (4 of 15)
| Thanks Summer and Dorothy. Sorry it took so long for me to say thanks I had a family emergency. I want to make fleece blankets for my 3 younger Grandchildren and I wanted to applique something special on each one, not just use novelty fabric.So thank you for your help. Speranza94 |
User: speranza94
Member since: 03-28-2003 Total posts: 8 |
From: emermuffin
Date: 09-14-2005, 12:56 AM (5 of 15)
|
I have made personalized fleece blankets for lots of kids and adults in my life and they are appreciated gifts. I find a nice computer font, enlarge until each letter takes up about a page (tip: delete the fill color so only the outline shows), then cut them out. Then I trace them face down on the wrong side of the fleece - when they're cut, you won't see any tracing marks. I use a quilt basting spray to hold them in place and then blanket stitch around the applique by hand. (I wish I could use a machine for this but of the three machines I have, none of them have a pressure tension adjustment! Ah, someday I will be able afford a better machine...) For the edges, I have blanket stitched, used fleece binding and blanket stitched over that, and cut fringe. All three finishes look fine. I tried to attach a photo of my daughter's blanket but my file was too large and I'm too impatient to fiddle with making it smaller. Sorry! Good luck with your blankets! They are a great gift as well as fun to make! emermuffin
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User: emermuffin
Member since: 03-29-2003 Total posts: 55 |
From: speranza94
Date: 09-14-2005, 08:31 AM (6 of 15)
| Thank you for your reply. I was told to wash the fleece because it might bleed. Have you found this to be a problem? I am glad to here some one else does the blanket stitch by hand. I have a machine that has pressure tenion but no blanket stitch. Speranza94 |
User: speranza94
Member since: 03-28-2003 Total posts: 8 |
From: emermuffin
Date: 09-14-2005, 09:14 AM (7 of 15)
I think hand blanket stitching is more personal - you can put love in every stitch! OK, cheesiness aside, if I had a machine that could handle it, I probably wouldn't hesitate to shun the hand stitching!  I have never had a problem with fleece colors bleeding although I always prewash the fabric before working on it. Another tip I have found that keeps fleece looking and feeling great after many, many washings is to only use powder laundry detergent and leave out fabric softeners entirely. The fabric softeners are what do the most damage to fleece - the fibers get all bound up with each other and start to feel grubby even when the item is clean. Wash in cold water, then dry on medium or low alone or with other fleece garments. I've had great luck washing my fleeces alone without softener and I've never had one bleed it's color yet. Happy fleecing! emermuffin
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User: emermuffin
Member since: 03-29-2003 Total posts: 55 |
From: jenny-o
Date: 09-14-2005, 02:01 PM (8 of 15)
|
emermuffin, I love your idea of enlarging letters for applique! Whenever I applique on fleece, I use my quilting walking foot. I find it really quite good for doing the blanket stitch without stretching the fabric out of shape (and so much faster than by hand). You may want to try it out, I get a lot of use from that walking foot besides quilting. Jen |
User: jenny-o
Member since: 08-28-2005 Total posts: 132 |
From: speranza94
Date: 09-14-2005, 07:21 PM (9 of 15)
|
HI Everyone I had some red fleese, yellow and white so I cut out asnowman from the white and stars from the yellow. I am doing the blanket stitch by hand but so far it loos great. Next I am going to try names on the blankets for my 5 grandchildren. I thinl they would love them. Jenny I am going to try my walking foot but since I don't have a blanketstitch I am going to try a zigzag. Can you usea walking foot if you make a bind hem stitch? Speranza94 |
User: speranza94
Member since: 03-28-2003 Total posts: 8 |
From: emermuffin
Date: 09-14-2005, 09:08 PM (10 of 15)
That's a great idea, jenny-o! I bought a walking foot two months ago and have yet to use it. I just tucked it away with my ever growing foot collection and forgot about it.  My presser feet "bins" are almost as bad as my embarrassingly large fabric stash. I have GOT to find more time to sew! With winter approaching (or rather the brief cold snap or two we get in Houston), it's fleece time...now where's that walking foot? 
emermuffin
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User: emermuffin
Member since: 03-29-2003 Total posts: 55 |
From: thisNthat
Date: 09-16-2005, 04:34 AM (11 of 15)
|
Great Ideas!!! I love fleece blankets, but applique will make them look SOOOO much nicer!! Now I know what I am making for my brother and his family for Christmas - as they are difficult to buy for. Thanks! Lori
Euro-Pro 9105 & Kenmore Elite Ergo3 |
User: thisNthat
Member since: 07-31-2005 Total posts: 10 |
From: gm23237
Date: 10-21-2005, 05:03 PM (12 of 15)
I am one of those freaks that love sewing fleece and especially serging fleece. i pre-wash fleece for the same reason I wash all new cloths and fabric I buy. I do not know how they have been handled or stored. but then i always was cloths that i did not wear but had packed for trips before I put them back in the closet or drawers. 
|
User: gm23237
Member since: 11-03-2003 Total posts: 145 
|
From: Catalina
Date: 10-21-2005, 05:31 PM (13 of 15)
| A wonderful book on fleece is More Polar Magic by Nancy Cornwell. Theres even a multi-size jacket pattern in it. Its full of applique techniques. Check it out- I got it at Joannes with a coupon. |
User: Catalina
Member since: 01-06-2005 Total posts: 119 |
From: speranza94
Date: 10-21-2005, 08:12 PM (14 of 15)
|
Hi Everyone Can someone tell me are there diferent brands of non woven interfacing. What would work best with fleece? I have a piece of white fleece that lets the back ground fabric show through. I am hoping interfacing will help. Any other suggestions? Speranza 94 |
User: speranza94
Member since: 03-28-2003 Total posts: 8 |
From: bridesmom
Date: 10-22-2005, 06:04 AM (15 of 15)
|
What about white flannel? I've lined a jacket with flannel and the fleece on the outside, works great and is extra warm.
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
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