Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to make a sweet applique wall hanging, and how to trim your shapes clean without nicking the fabric underneath.
First, let's talk about the scissors. These are the 712 - Duckbill Applique Scissors from Famoré. They measure 6 inches. That is a really nice in-hand size for close work at the table.
The details on this pair tell a clear story. High carbon stainless steel. Precision ground. Non-serrated. Sharp tips. Those things matter a lot for applique. You want a smooth edge, not a grabby one. You want control right out to the tip.
And then there is that duckbill shape. One blade is wide and flat, like a little paddle. That paddle slides under your applique shape. It holds the background fabric down and out of the way. The top blade does the trimming. Just like that, you can shave away extra fabric close to your stitching line.
On a wall hanging, every edge shows. There is nowhere to hide a fuzzy cut.
The project: an applique wall hanging
Our project is a simple applique wall hanging. Mine finishes at about 18 inches wide by 24 inches long. That suits a hallway or sewing room door nicely.
Pick a simple motif. A big flower, a house, or a sweet little bird. Three to five shapes is plenty. We are not reinventing the wheel here, folks.
Why do these scissors suit this project so well? A wall hanging lives or dies on its applique edges. That second trim is fussy work. The sharp tips get into tight curves and inside corners.
What you will need
- One pair of 712 - Duckbill Applique Scissors (6in.)
- One fat quarter of quilting cotton for the background, cut 18 1/2 by 24 1/2 inches
- Scraps of quilting cotton for your applique shapes, about 1/4 yard total
- Paper-backed fusible web for your shapes
- Low-loft batting, 20 by 26 inches, and backing fabric the same size
- Thread to match or gently contrast, and a machine needle in size 80/12
- 1/4 yard of fabric for binding, cut into 2 1/4-inch strips
- Pins, an iron, a small dowel for hanging, and a hand needle for the sleeve
Brief steps
Trace your shapes onto the paper side of the fusible web. Cut them out loosely for now. Press them to the wrong side of your applique fabrics.
Now trim on the line. Hold the scissors steady, and turn the fabric, not your wrist. Cut smooth, not choppy. Peel the paper, arrange your shapes on the background, and press to fuse.
Stitch around each shape. A narrow zigzag works great here. Try a width of about 2.5 millimeters and a length of about 1.5 millimeters. If you prefer straight stitch, use 2.0 millimeters and stitch just inside the edge.
Here comes the duckbill moment. After stitching, slide that flat paddle blade under the applique edge, on top of the background. Trim away any little whiskers that peek out past your stitching. Go slow around curves. Snip, turn a little, snip again.
Layer with batting and backing. Pin well. Quilt simply — stitch in the ditch, or echo 1/4 inch out. Trim to 18 by 24 inches, bind, and add a 3-inch hanging sleeve.
Tips from my table
Here is my warning at the moment of risk. Slow down on inside corners, or that sharp tip can poke past the line. Ease in, open the blades small, and take tiny bites. Tiny bites save projects, y'all.
Let me admit a mistake, too. I once trimmed with the scissors backwards, paddle on top. Oh my goodness. I nicked my background in two places, and I had to cover one nick with a tiny leaf. Learn from me. Paddle goes down, flat against the background, every single time.
Test on a scrap first. Fuse a circle, stitch it, then practice trimming it. Completely up to you, but I really really recommend it.
And here is your permission beat. If a curve is not perfectly smooth, it is still a good wall hanging. You are your own worst critic. Hang it up, step back six feet, and look again. Take your time. It is not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 712 - Duckbill Applique Scissors (6in.) at Linda's Electric Quilters.
