Thursday, January 13, 2011

Squiggly Leaves Tutorial

Oh how I love leaves! I love appliqueing them - short, long, skinny, fat, straight, curly, and like today, squiggly!

These are fun to add just a little something different to your applique piece, and are actually quite easy to do.

1) Cut your leaf shape, and a another leaf shape the same size but a different color, in my case, purple. This will be the squiggly bit that shows through, so pick something you think will contrast nicely with your leaf.2) The green leaf sits on top of the purple one.
But first, you need to cut a squiggly shape down the middle of your green leaf as such...Draw your seam allowance line so you know where to turn it under, and attach it to the purple leaf. I used glue baste-it but you could pin it if you prefer.

3) Applique one side and then the other. It is kind of like doing reverse applique but not really. Yes I know how technical my description is getting :D4) Lift up your green leaf section and cut away the excess fabric of the purple leaf. This helps eliminate bulk when you applique the leaf in its entirety. Doesn't this one look like a cute pea pod?!

5) You are now ready to use your squiggly leaf. It wasn't that hard, was it?!I am still going strong in my sewing every day goal. Today I finished the applique on my bag and tomorrow I'll finally get that darn bag finished! I should have added some squiggly leaves to it, don't you think?!

5 comments:

Oops-Lah said...

Very clever; great effect! Will try it out. Thanks for sharing.

em's scrapbag said...

This is great thanks for sharing how you do it. You are so amazing when it comes to appluque.

Janet said...

I love leaves as much as you, these are awesome, thanks for sharing the method.

Crazypatch said...

Thank you for tutorial....

Joanne said...

So cute! Will have to teach this to my grand daughter on her next quilt.