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Steam-a-seam 2 Lite…..This is the fusible web that I love to use with my wool appliqué… It has been out of production for over a year…Well we NOW have the NEW 24″ wide by the yard …we have 18″ wide by the yard and we have the 9″x11″ 5pk sheets….all in STOCK! All STEAM-a-SEAM products will be 20% off till the end of the year. Those of you who have been living without it…I feel for you…
I know there are a lot of words in this post without a lot of pictures…but if you are interested in wool appliqué there may be some GOOD things here..
Why do you want to use the Steam-a-seam 2 Lite? I will refer to it as SAS2 and I only use the light…some use the regular and like it I like the lite.
We are talking about fusing our wools down with the fusible web…I fuse for a couple of reasons:
Wool can be a little fuzzy…the fusible helps keep the fibers intact and not fray out. I like clean neat appliqués, not fuzzy thready and unkept…I do not hide behind the “it’s primitive”…I want my things to still have exceptional workmanship. I want my “wool” appliqué to be able to be “as good as” a needle turn appliqué. I know this may not apply to you…you may not care…it’s a personal thing…and that is why I’m explaining the why. Just a little fact…Portland Rose, a flannel quilt hand stitched with wool appliqué won 1st place in the Bed quilt category in Paducah this last show…I think it was different…and Linda from thequiltedpineapple her quilting elevated it to its glorious status! We won big money and a trophy…who would have thought a flannel wool appliqué quilt would win in Paducah…the biggest and best quilt show on the planet!!!
Do not follow the directions on the fusible packaging…They are not using it for wool…Follow the directions on the pattern you are using…Yes…you HAVE to read them…especially if I have to WRITE them…SAS2 is made to be used with STEAM…WOOL and STEAM are best friends….you will not overheat it! In fact I believe most people do not get the SAS2 down correctly. I fuse to cotton, cotton flannel and wool…Use lots of STEAM always keeping the Iron moving and tiny hard presses when pressing the wools to their backgrounds…You do not need steam if you are fusing the paper to the wools like you would in the first steps…If your needle is gummy when stitching, use more steam and pressure to bind that fusible to the background. You will get the added benefit of a facial when done correctly…lol…Since you are not overheating this product the appliqués stay in place. There will be a few exceptions if your dragging a project around for years or have small tiny berries and such a few may come off with all the finagling of your fabric when stitching…but for the most part, I fuse my whole block, mat or whatever it is and start stitching.
There is a tackiness to the SAS2 that helps you position and move your appliques…this keeps them in place while deciding if you like it…or when you have a vine with lots of leaves that you have to bend, it STAYS in place…not slip sliding all around…
I know some pin, staple or glue and do some other sort of things for their wool appliqués…but if you have to trace it anyway…might as well do it on fusible than freezer paper…
My recommendation…SAS2 is sensitive to climate change…if you live where is can be hot, cold, muggy, raining…all in the same week…protect your fusible in a zip lock or twist tie the larger stuff in a kitchen garbage bag to help keep out the moisture. This NEW SAS2 is a lot nicer than the older versions…I say plural because you never knew what it would do..sometimes the paper fell right off, some the fusible was on one side and then after you traced a ways it was on the other…This NEW stuff definitely sticks to one side…but you still have to be careful and slow when you are removing the waste backing…grab the fusible and drawn paper side and pull gently knowing and looking that the fusible is with your drawings…its all about YOU being in charge of it…just in case.
Shop HERE for your 20% off all SAS2
I love to teach wool appliqué…if you ever have a chance take one of my classes…you will learn lots! If you have taken a class from me …let others know what you thought of it….I welcome your comments on wool appliqué…fusing….why you don’t use fusible web…or whatever you want to comment about relating this post…Yesterdays post was very informative with all the comments about what they used the Wonder Clips for…Let all LEARN together!!! Sorry for the wordy post!
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