Little Bits.....: Fusible web

There are a lot of brands out on the market today and we all have our personal preference.
Steam-a-Steam
Wonder Under
Misty Fuse
Transweb
Heat 'n Bond
are but a few of them
My favorite is Transweb. I can get it locally at Sewetc., in Burlington and when I'm in I usually pick up a meter or so. I do like Steam-a-Seam, but since they went with a new manufacturer it is sticky and gums up my needle. It feels "thicker" too. If I'm not layering I will use it.
Fusible web is tricky stuff. Sometimes it sticks, sometimes it doesn't. Why? My theory is, it hasn't been stored properly. That's all I can think of. I don't think it's because it's been around too long as most stores move it pretty quickly. When you bring it home, roll the web (I use a paper towel tube and roll it around that) and then put it into a plastic bag and tie it shut. It helps to keep the moisture in. Don't buy meters and meters of it, if you won't be using it up quickly. It will dry out.
I've learned a lot about "fusing" over the past several years because it's my favourite way to appliqué. I don't like doing it with needle turn or with freezer paper. I have never mastered the skill required to do it either way.
When I was working on the flowers I snapped a few photos. These were done with Transweb.
1. I use a light table for tracing the patterns and if not stated I turn the pattern over to trace. Some are already reversed. It usually says in the pattern instructions whether it has been or not. If the pattern pieces are the same as the picture, it hasn't been reversed. That's the easiest way to find out.

2. Leave space between each piece and trace as many as needed all at the same time. I number mine as I go, especially if I am going to be doing lot of them. Saves me a few seconds by not going back and counting to see if I have enough.
3. When I press my web to my fabric, I press both the front and the back. I also use a pressing cloth so I can hold the iron in place for a few seconds so the glue on the web can 'melt' into the fabric. It depends what kind of web you use as to whether you use steam or a dry iron. I use a dry iron for everything but Steam-a-Seam. If you aren't sure ask the store where you buy your web from.
4. I don't care which brand you buy, I've learned over the years that all of them need to be stitched down. You can use a straight stitch, a blanket stitch, a hemming stitch or a fancy stitch. That's up to you, but do stitch it.

5. I bought an appliqué pressing sheet years ago and it is still going strong. I lay the sheet down on the pattern, lay my pieces on it and then fuse them together. The whole flower on the sample was fused on the appliqué sheet and then put on the quilt.
6. Fusible web is quick and easy. Not time consuming at all. I can't afford to spend hours and hours with hand appliqué for donation quilts. I do love to add to the quilts to jazz them up a bit.
I would do it by hand if it was a quilt for us, but that isn't likely to happen either. When I start a quilt I like to see an end in sight, not have it hanging around the house for years and years.

I used a straight stitch to hold the pieces in place with matching thread. I did consider doing some yellow veins on the flower petals and then decided against it. It will have machine quilting going through it and it will probably be lost.

We are finally getting a really good snowfall in our part of the country.

It was a bit cold over the week-end which we desperately needed -- some would refute that -- but the bugs in the garden had to be put to sleep so we get healthy vegetables this coming summer.

Honestly, I have missed the snow. There is nothing more beautiful than snow sticking to the trees and covering the ground in it's dazzling whiteness.