If this is your first time learning how to design a simple quilt appliqu, keep the design simple. As you become more advanced in creating appliqu designs and patterns then you may wish to make future drawings or tracings more complex for other quilting styles.
How to design a simple quilt appliqu is rather simple. It is the sewing techniques, choice of fabrics, cutting techniques, choice of threads and needles, gluing and pasting, and other sewing or no sewing aids or quilting tools which will needed to be kept in mind as you do your drawings for a simple appliqu.
As you learn traditional hand quilting, modern machinery quilting, and other skills used in quilting then you will be able to choose a niche of specialty or do a combination of techniques depending on the quilting project at hand. It is these methods that craft and enhance the simple appliqu as well as the quilting.
Here is how to design a simple quilt appliqu:
Look about your environment
Select a simple favorite item
For example, I have chosen to draw an orange. The state of Florida is known for its oranges. Many people like to drink orange juice. And many of us recognize citrus fruit especially oranges as being a good source of Vitamin C.
Oranges are a common fruit which everyone recognizes and it is a simple fruit to draw. It is a slightly irregular circle with a stem and a couple of leaves. Here are some ideas as to how you may bring attention and to make this orange appliqu unique.
Ideas:
Use orange colored quilting fabric which has the texture of the rind, use satin ribbon for the leaves and cord for the stem.
Add cotton stuffing to the orange image to give it a three-dimensional appearance.
Use a favorite photo in the middle of the orange appliqu to start assembling a family tree for a memory quilt.
One more idea is to present to you is titled Share. I call it Share because whenever I take a break to have a snack, a family member or a friend enters and I need to cut my orange in half and share it.
Directions:
Draw an orange on freezer paper to any size you wish. Note: Before cutting on freezer paper you may wish to draw on regular paper to be certain you have the desired size of the appliqu.
Cut a second orange about inch smaller.
Cut a third orange about inch smaller than the second cut.
Cut one stem to the length which will be attractive to the large orange drawing.
Cut two leaves to attach to the stem.
We have three oranges, one stem, and two leaves, a total of six templates.
You will need three different colors of quilting fabric for the orange cuttings. Green colored fabric or green satin ribbon for the leaves and black cord or rolled fabric for the stem.
Designing original appliqus allows you freedom to use materials or notions which will be suitable for the quilt you are sewing.
Fabric colors for my orange will be orange for the large cutting, yellow for the second cutting, and white for the third cutting.
Draw and cut a second set of the orange pattern. This time I choose to cut the large orange in a yellow color, the second cutting in white, and the third cutting in orange.
Cut both sets of orange templates into vertical halves.
How would you like to experience a bit of magic?
Attach one half of the first orange to the second half of the second orange. In other words, one half of set one is attached to one half of set two.
I will describe the dual attachment another way. One half of the orange is orange, yellow, and white attached to the second orange of yellow, white, and orange. This will give you an interesting dual symmetry appliqu which looks much more complex and interesting.
Do have fun arranging the outside of the orange or the inside of the orange as you wish. There will be many combination choices. Enjoy using this simple quilt appliqu suggestion.
Learn more about quilting. Visit the hobbies section of Tricia Deed at http://www.infotrish.com/ and review Quilting Gems. Do not forget to download your free quilting pattern.
