Fussy Cutting and Broderie Perse – Fancy Applique Tutorial

September 9, 2016
Broderie perse applique tutorial from Shiny Happy World


There are two kinds of applique that rely on the print of the fabric you’re using – fussy cutting and broderie perse.

A lot of you have probably done fussy cutting without even realizing it has a name. It’s when you carefully position your applique template to incorporate images printed on the fabric.

I did it on this Paper Doll quilt block to make sure the top T.A.R.D.I.S. was centered on the V-neck and the bottom ones were lined up with the hem.

example of fussy cut applique for a tutorial from Shiny Happy World

I also did it on this haunted house quilt block, to make sure there was a bat flying in the center of each window, and the skull was centered on the door.

example of fussy cut applique for a tutorial from Shiny Happy World

Fussy cutting is easy. It just means paying attention when you position your templates. You can hold your fabric and templates up to a window so you can see really well where your outlines are falling.

Broderie perse is similar, in that it uses motifs printed on the fabric. But with broderie perse – the images ARE the templates. You’re cutting out the images on one fabric and appliqueing them to another. It’s traditionally done with flowers – but you can do it with anything you like!

Heres how I used broderie perse to add a couple of cute trick-or-treaters to one of my Shiny Happy Houses quilt blocks – designed especially for Halloween.

You have to start with adorable fabric. I’m using two fabrics from Dear Stella that are designed to work together.

Fun fabrics to use for Broderie perse applique technique - tutorial from Shiny Happy World

Bundle Me Up is the fabric with the sweet animals faces, hands, and feet – but no bodies. Costume Party is the fabric with all the fun costumes for those critters to wear. So clever!

Broderie perse applique tutorial from Shiny Happy World

Roughly cut out the image you want (like the fox in this picture). Back it with fusible adhesive, and then cut the image out neatly (like the dress and crown).

Broderie perse applique tutorial from Shiny Happy World

The dress in this example already has little slippers attached, so when I cut out the fox neatly I decided to cut away the lower part of the body. It would have been hidden anyway and this makes assembly easier – I don’t have to line things up as perfectly.

I’m such a lazypants. 🙂

Broderie perse applique tutorial from Shiny Happy World

After that it’s applique as usual.

Position the critter first, then the costume and fuse it down with everything else in your block.

I stitched around all my pieces in simple black thread for a nice cartoony look. I added a couple of pumpkin buttons for their trick or treat pails, and – of course – some spider buttons on all that magnificent glow-in-the-dark spiderwebbing. 

Have fun with broderie perse! It will make you look at your fabrics a whole different way. 🙂

Here are links to all the posts showing how to applique with fusible adhesive – my favorite method. It’s fast and easy and (with the right materials) it holds up beautifully to rough use and repeated washing.

Here are links to special posts about eyes.

Here are links to some extra fun things you can do with your applique.

Other Applique Methods

Finished with this topic?

Return to the Let’s Make a Quilt main Table of Contents.

Move on to the lessons about outline stitching.

Happy stitching!

Shiny Happy Haunted Houses

September 5, 2016

Haunted Houses - quilt pattern from Shiny Happy World

If you have the Shiny Happy Houses quilt pattern, you can use it to make a whole different quilt just by switching out the fabrics. Make a fun haunted house quilt!

For this block the arch templates that I usually use for doors and windows became fun tombstones! I used ghost and creepy eyeball buttons for extra Halloween fun. And of course – the Halloween-themed fabrics make it easy. 🙂

There’s a tutorial here showing how to do some fussy-cut applique.

Shiny Happy Haunted House with fussy cut trick-or-treaters. Fun!

That’s how I made these adorable trick-or-treaters!

It’s Haunted House Week here at Shiny Happy World. The Shiny Happy People group on Facebook is already on board – I’ve seen two awesome haunted houses over there already!

Happy Monday!

Best,
Wendi
Wendi Gratz from Shiny Happy World

How to Add Fake Trapunto Applique Pieces to Your Quilts

August 3, 2016
How to Do Fake Trapunto Applique - a video tutorial from Shiny Happy World

See the tree in that quilt block?

It’s puffy and fat – like traditional trapunto applique.

You can read more about traditional trapunto here. It’s. . . a lot of work. Seriously. A lot.

So I didn’t use the (crazy labor-intensive) traditional trapunto technique. I used a fun and easy fake trapunto applique technique I developed to give the monsters in this quilt googly eyes, like this. . .

Calling them "faux trapunto eyes with needle sculpted pupils" makes them sound really hard to make - and they're not - so I just call them googly eyes. :-)

So much fun!

(It’s the button pupils dimpling the eyes in that really make them extra cute.)

Here’s the video tutorial showing how to do it.

You can use this technique for clouds and trees, like I show in the video, but also for any relatively simple shape. Just choose something big enough to be able to turn it right side out after sewing, with an outline that’s primarily gentle curves or wide points.

You can also use this technique without the puffy stuffing. It’s not really trapunto applique anymore, but it’s a great way to get easy turned edges for applique into shaggy or fluffy fabric – like cuddle fleece.

You can see that on the bunny face on this lovie.

cute bunny face and ears on a cuddly soft blankie made with a pattern from Shiny Happy World

I used the same technique on this bear lovie face – again without the stuffing.

By the way – the houses shown in the video and in the very top photo are all made with the Shiny Happy Houses quilt pattern.

Here are links to all the posts showing how to applique with fusible adhesive – my favorite method. It’s fast and easy and (with the right materials) it holds up beautifully to rough use and repeated washing.

Here are links to special posts about eyes.

Here are links to some extra fun things you can do with your applique.

Other Applique Methods

Finished with this topic?

Return to the Let’s Make a Quilt main Table of Contents.

Move on to the lessons about outline stitching.

Have fun with it!

A Peek at My Shiny Happy Neighborhood-in-Progress

March 28, 2016

Shiny Happy Houses Quilt Club - the blocks so far

I’m putting the finishing touches on the new house block patterns going out this weekend and I thought I’d share a look at all my house blocks so far. Remember – I’m working on three different house quilts in three different styles and color palettes. Most people in the club are only making one. 🙂

Up top is my whimsical neighborhood – with houses in colors that most people don’t use in real life. I love them! There’s an extra house in this group because it’s what I used to make the video demo showing how to put everything together. 🙂

Shiny Happy Houses Quilt Club - the blocks so far

This is my more conventional neighborhood. The houses are still wonky and fun, but the colors are more like what you’d see driving down the streets of an actual neighborhood.

Shiny Happy Houses Quilt Club - the blocks so far

And this is my gingerbread quilt. 🙂 All the houses are gingerbread color with candy trim and lots of extras – like beading, extra stitching, buttons, and rickrack “snow” on the roof.

I’m having so much fun with these blocks! And it’s been absolutely fantastic to see the houses that members are making! Pop into the Shiny Happy People group on Facebook to see! Here’s just one fabulous example – this one from Terri.

Terri's awesome houses from the Shiny Happy Houses quilt club

Want to join the club? It’s never too late! If you sign up now you get instant access to all the pattern pieces and all the emails that have gone out so far. The next mailing goes out this Sunday 4/3.

Updated – The club has finished, so if you order the pattern now you get it all in one big download.

Get the Shiny Happy Houses pattern here.

Happy quilting!

Best,
Wendi
Wendi Gratz from Shiny Happy World