43. Foundation Piecing + Applique Introduction

It’s time to learn something new! Over the next several weeks we’re going to switch between learning new designs on Express Your Love and how to construct large pieced sections using a technique I call Foundation Piecing + Appliqué.

This was the technique I used to created these cool sections of hair:
free motion quilting | Leah Day

So where do we start with Foundation Piecing + Appliqué? Well, as with any foundation piecing project, we have to first create the foundation, or a base upon which the fabrics will be stitched. Check out the video to learn what to do!

So the basic steps are as follows:
1. Extend the size of your printed master pattern. Click here to download the original and tape all the pages together.

Now take extra sheets of paper and extend all edges by 6 inches. If you have created your log cabin background, lay it on top of this master, lining up your special star block (or whatever you used in that center spot) with the Earth shape it replaced. Mark the edges of the fabric background so you now have an extended pattern the same size as your pieced background.

2. Flip the master pattern over.
 

3. Draw the outline of each shape on cotton fabric (white fabric was easy because you can see through it without a light box. You’ll want each piece of fabric to be at least 1 inch bigger than the shape you’re working on on all sides.
4. Flip this foundation over and press French fuse, or your alternative favorite lightweight interfacing, to the wrong side for stabilizer. Technically this step is optional.

I felt like having a bit of stabilization to the fabric would be nice so it wouldn’t go wobbly on me later. Turns out we ended up with so many layers of fabric that this might get a bit bulky on some piecing arrangements so only do this if you want to.

5. Mark the foundation lines onto the back side of the foundation (interfaced side) for reference.

That’s it! Once you create all the 7 foundation pieces for the goddess hair it will be time to start piecing! Next week we’ll get started with an easy arrangement of diagonal strips as we tackle the first red section.

Now I don’t know about you, but learning new techniques makes me hungry! I’m off for a snack and then back to the machine!

Let’s go quilt,

Leah

Other Foundation Piecing Posts: 
Prepare Your Foundation 
Red Diagonal Section  
How to Create a Scrappy Mix of Colors 
Orange Triangle Section
Yellow Log Cabin Section  
Green Mosaic Section 
Blue Double Scrappy Section 
Purple Braid Section

LeahDay

Leah Day has been teaching online since 2009. She's the creator of the Free Motion Quilting Project, a blog filled with thousands of quilting tutorial videos. Leah has written several books including 365 Free Motion Quilting Designs, Explore Walking Foot Quilting with Leah Day, and Mally the Maker and the Queen in the Quilt.

2 Responses

  1. claudia says:

    You make me excited to do some of your projects. Pray that I get my sewing room ready to head in there soon. I need some sewing therapy!!!
    Thank you Leah.

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