A Quilty Kind of Girl

December 1, 2010

Wool Applique made easier? and a Giveaway?

Filed under: Give Away,Quilting — quiltcetera @ 11:55 am

Hello my friends!
Recently, I’ve been working on a hand stitching project, appliqueing small wool stars onto flannel background with a blanket stitch. I love having this kind of project on the go. I can toss it in my purse to pass the time while waiting for kids etc. One little thing that irks me though, is stitching around the entire shape, then discovering it isn’t quite laying flat. This leaves a wee bit of excess fabric in the center of the applique. Now, I must admit, no one else notices, but I would prefer for the fabric to lay nice and flat!
So imagine how excited I was when I received an email from a company called Lapel Stick. As defined on their website, a Lapel Stick is “A temporary non-staining adhesive to secure shirt collars, hems and most fabrics.” This kind of sounded exactly like the product I need to make my wee shapes behave themselves! Lapel Stick had offered to send me some of their product in exchange for sharing my thoughts after trying it. So, I responded with an enthusiastic “Yes PLEASE!”

Lapel stick! I'm going to give this a try for my wool applique project.
Well let me tell you, the Lapel Stick is pretty straight forward. As you can see, it is pretty much a glue stick, and it applies very easily. I took a few pictures to show you how it went….

Little wool goodies.

Supplies needed to applique one wool star to flannel background circle.

I've covered the star in lapel stick glue to adhere it to the background fabric.

The star with blanket stitch around the outer edge.
As you can see, the process is very straight forward. Not only did the adhesive firm up the fabric, but I also really liked that my shape was attached so quickly. In the past, I have used stitches or fusible web to hold shapes in place, but using the Lapel Stick was much quicker. I am looking forward to trying the lapel stick for more projects!
Now, because I heart all my readers SOOOOO much, I’ve arranged for Lapel Stick to send a sample to one of you! So, to qualify, leave me a comment, telling me what will you use your lapel stick for? Can you think of a fabulous new use for this cool product? Contest closes Sunday at midnight, and I will announce a winner early next week!
Lapel Stick info….
Lapel Stick is a Canadian company!!
Lapel Stick is a proud supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Lapel Stick can help organizations with their fundraising efforts.
Follow Lapel Stick on Twitter!
Like Lapel Stick on Facebook!
Good luck everyone!
Quilty Hugs,
Bradie 

This post has been brought to you by the generous folks at Lapel Stick.
AND THE WINNER IS ….
COMMENT #10 – REGINA!!
Congrats Regina…. send me your snail mail (to bradie at quiltcetera dot com)so you may receive your prize!

56 Comments

  1. Will it work instead of basting? Sounds like a fantastic find and will look for it in my stores. I love applique but sometimes it is a pain to get it in the right position. Thanks for the great information on a new product that I know I will use.

    Comment by Pat — December 1, 2010 @ 12:00 pm

    • I think it will work Pat, I used to baste the shapes in place, but the glue is better because its applied evenly over the shape. 🙂

      Comment by quiltcetera — December 1, 2010 @ 12:06 pm

  2. I would use it in some felt applique Christmas decorations that I’ve been doing. It seems really fabulous.

    Comment by Teresa Felgueiras — December 1, 2010 @ 12:05 pm

  3. I would definitely use it on wool applique and cotton applique too!! Thanks for the chance to win a stick!
    Paulette

    Comment by paulette doyle — December 1, 2010 @ 12:10 pm

  4. I wanted to start a spring theme quilt with appliqued butterflies using quilt cotton weight fabric in springy colors-maybe a few bugs too!

    Comment by Sharron — December 1, 2010 @ 12:16 pm

  5. Wonder how it would work with gluing down the pesky mitered corners when you are applying binding….?
    Sandy
    Headingley MB

    Comment by Sandy Spence — December 1, 2010 @ 12:16 pm

  6. Wow…sounds like it might work for a temporary hem repair. Did it leave any residue on your needle as you stitched?

    Comment by Beverly — December 1, 2010 @ 12:32 pm

    • Hi Beverly,
      I did not notice any residue at all. I noticed that you can buy lapel stick directly from their website.

      Comment by quiltcetera — December 1, 2010 @ 1:52 pm

  7. Just went on their website and yes, it will work for a hem repair or to keep up cuffs. Where do we purchase it in the US?

    Comment by Beverly — December 1, 2010 @ 12:37 pm

  8. I would definately use it for hemming, appliquing, and basting. But there are times when I need to ‘tack’ up my patterns on the wall, or ‘sticky’ a recipe on a cabinet door…like a sticky note. They make a ‘sticky’ stick, but I wouldn’t use that on my good fabric…this way I could use one stick for everything! Thanks, Bradie, for the opportunity to win such a useful product ❤

    Comment by Denise Malbrough — December 1, 2010 @ 12:42 pm

  9. Bradie,
    I’ve been using this stuff for ages – it’s great isn’t it!

    Comment by Heather — December 1, 2010 @ 1:02 pm

  10. Oh that looks wonderful! I’ve been tempted to get into the realm of wool applique – it is one of my 2011 goals -so would probably use it just as you have. Great idea!

    Comment by Regina — December 1, 2010 @ 1:30 pm

  11. That looks amazing! Does it make the wool stiff and hard to put the needle through?

    I haven’t tried wool yet but I know that I need to and soon. It looks like it would be great for hand applique with fabric too.

    Comment by Robin (rsislandcrafts) — December 1, 2010 @ 1:37 pm

    • Hi Robin,
      The wool became firmer, but still pliable. The needle easily slid through the fabric. 🙂

      Comment by quiltcetera — December 1, 2010 @ 1:53 pm

  12. This is a great idea! I do wool applique as well, and have the same problem with small pieces migrating while I am stitching them.
    If I had some Lapel Stick, I’d use it for the wool, but also to stick small pieces to a quilt to be machine appliqued and as a baste for small pieces of fabric before sewing them, instead of pinning.

    Comment by Antonija Mitt — December 1, 2010 @ 1:43 pm

  13. I would to try it on applique. I hate having all those little pins in my work because I am always catching the thread.

    Comment by Patty — December 1, 2010 @ 2:02 pm

  14. I, also, have been doing some wool applique and would definitely use it for that. Thanks for sharing!

    Comment by Sandy K — December 1, 2010 @ 2:24 pm

  15. Wow this looks like it could have many uses….I would use it for applique, sticking fabbie on my design wall, holding non stick interfacing flat whilst I sew, carrying it in my bag to fix a hem in an instant….so many uses. Thank you for sharing.

    Comment by Anne — December 1, 2010 @ 2:25 pm

  16. HI Bradie, I would definately use this label glue stick to create a wonderful princess treasure box for my little girl. She’s 5 and loves to haul around all her Possessions…a little box with a handle is great, but if i could cover it with a great Moda fabric and some embellishments like felt dragonflies and fairies, that would definately put the icing on the cake…have fun!

    Comment by Rhonda — December 1, 2010 @ 3:16 pm

  17. Oh, I would be so excited to try this. I have been doing some new quilts where you “glue stick” the pieces on, sew and then wash. I am not too fond of the glue sticks I have tried so far. This sounds like just the thing. Thanks for sharing!

    Comment by Stacy — December 1, 2010 @ 3:30 pm

  18. Hmm. that’s a really cool idea. Is it any better/different than a regular glue stick though? I would definately use it to try out some applique on some quilts – never done that before…

    Comment by Andrea — December 1, 2010 @ 3:45 pm

  19. I will use it to add the lettering on my son-in-laws stocking. Sounds like great stuff!! Thank you Bradie

    Comment by Leisa Den Beste — December 1, 2010 @ 3:46 pm

  20. I would use this lapel stick to help me get my piecing points correct. I have used wash out basting tape until now, but I would love to use something that doesn’t need washing out.

    Comment by Sharon — December 1, 2010 @ 4:13 pm

  21. I think this would be a great little product to put into a bride’s emergency kit for her wedding day! One is going in my daughter’s bag for her April 30th wedding day.

    Comment by Kathi Iacovelli — December 1, 2010 @ 4:30 pm

  22. Wouldn’t the Lapel Stick work well for holding intersections together when stitching long rows, so the seams would continue to match? Hmmmm. I’d like to find out!

    Comment by Brita — December 1, 2010 @ 4:37 pm

  23. This the first that I have heard of this product.A Canadian product at that. Where can you buy it? I would use it instead of spray adhesive to hold my paper templates down to keep them from shifting.

    Comment by Doris — December 1, 2010 @ 4:50 pm

  24. Wow! This is perfect timing! I have a beautiful wool quilt (all applique) in my UFO pile, slated for the New Year! I’d love to try this product; it sounds great!

    Comment by Skye — December 1, 2010 @ 4:55 pm

  25. OH, my, this can be used to keep my bra straps inside the dress/blouse – not trying to be the star. It would be wonderful tto keep applique pieces in place while embroidering, and as you say, for applique while in the car or plane. I already love it just thinking about it.
    Thanks for the discovery
    sharon

    Comment by sharon — December 1, 2010 @ 4:58 pm

  26. Oh this stuff looks amazing!! I would use it for applique, quick hem jobs, keep it in my bag for emergency repairs. Oh there are so many things you can do with this product!! Think I need to try this out!!!

    Comment by Christine — December 1, 2010 @ 5:41 pm

  27. I use a fabric glue stick for my wool applique and only just enough to adhere the middle of an item. I don’t do it around the edges as it gets too stiff if you use too much. I would love to try a Lapel stick and see if it would work better than a fabric glue stick. 🙂 I do a lot of wool applique so any product that I could recommend to students and quilty friends would be great in my book!!

    Comment by Sandi A. — December 1, 2010 @ 5:47 pm

  28. Yes I would love to use this, This looks GREAT, and would love to use it, Thank you so much fro bringing it to all our attention, Wishing you well and have a great day, HUGS Jeanne

    Comment by Jeanne Marie Johnson — December 1, 2010 @ 6:57 pm

  29. Can I tell you how exciting it is to hear that it is a Canadian product? Woo Hoo. I would give it a try on appliqué as well as other projects.

    Comment by Jan — December 1, 2010 @ 7:25 pm

  30. OH – This looks like exactly what I have been looking for! I really hate to use fusible on my quilts since it leaves them to stiff.

    Comment by Tiffaney — December 1, 2010 @ 8:06 pm

  31. I’m sure lots of people have mentioned glueing down quilt binding so you can use a decorative stitch on the front and not worry where the binding is going. Or how about, putting an applique in place and Herky Jerky stitching it on your long or short arm……or any arm? : ) What about matching plaids……or matching tricky seams quilty or not….The list could go on….

    Comment by LeAnn — December 1, 2010 @ 8:26 pm

  32. So often I get frustrated with the little pieces of wool going astray while sewing them down. In fact, I was working on my kids’ Christmas ornaments today and had that very problem. I never thought of using a glue stick, but this sounds as though it would work very well. I’d love to try it.

    Comment by Leslie Schmidt — December 1, 2010 @ 10:36 pm

  33. I just finished a little wool candle mat and had the same frustration you talk about – things not quite flat. No one else will likely notice, but I do. I have several goat projects to work on for the Sisterhood of the Travelling Goats. I could use this lapel stick for them.

    Comment by Janet — December 1, 2010 @ 11:44 pm

  34. I would use it to hold things in place when appliqueing. Thanks for the chance to win!

    Comment by LouAnn — December 2, 2010 @ 5:51 am

  35. And again, I am cut off. I Can not get it in Germany, but would love too. As you said, small pieces tend to get away!!

    Comment by Antonia — December 2, 2010 @ 6:05 am

  36. I have an applique quilt I have been procrastinating for some time and VOW to finish in 2011. This would be a big help for working with all those little pieces. I have tried basting spray but don’t like the rubbery feeling. This looks more promising.

    Comment by weddingdressblue — December 2, 2010 @ 7:16 am

  37. sounds like a winning idea….now does ir wash out?

    Comment by Linda Bott — December 2, 2010 @ 7:58 am

  38. I love how it seems to adhere shapes so well. I would us it to baste the applique shapes on a baby quilt for my “first” baby granddaughter born just 4 wks ago. Can’t wait to start!

    Comment by Cathy — December 2, 2010 @ 8:19 am

  39. A Canadian product, eh?!! It must be extra-good then. LOL
    How absolutely brilliant is this product! I love anything that makes quilting easier! I haven’t done a lot of applique but when I have, I’ve had to struggle to keep the fabric straight/flat. Next time I will try this lapel stick, so hopefully I can win the sample!

    Comment by Wilma — December 2, 2010 @ 10:18 am

  40. I would use it for applique, wool and fabric. Like others, I want to know if it washes out. I noticed you covered the entire back of the star. I would like to try a smaller area, especially if it stiffens the fabric. I like soft and flexible 🙂

    Comment by Barb Colvin — December 2, 2010 @ 11:57 am

  41. This does sound like interesting stuff. I have thought about doing wool embroidery but have shyed away because I didn’t know how to get everything to stay until I got it stitched down!

    Comment by Jenny K — December 2, 2010 @ 12:57 pm

  42. I took a class on Mosaic Photographs quilting from Tammie Bower at Houston Quilt Festival in early November. Software transforms your photograph into pixels, and creates a quilt-by-number pattern for you. Then you cut fabric pieces out and lay them on the quilt pattern. We used a plastic adhesive and Steam-a-Seam 2, but it didn’t stick very well. I could see putting the little pieces down with this fabric stick, until you were ready to lay down the threadwork. It would be much easier!

    Comment by Heather Rourke — December 2, 2010 @ 2:36 pm

  43. This would be good for applique on wool and cotton. It would be good for paper pieces.

    Comment by Patty — December 2, 2010 @ 6:19 pm

  44. This would be great for cotton applique or for testing your placement before final stitching.

    Comment by Jeanne Jones — December 3, 2010 @ 12:16 am

  45. Thanks for the contest! This might work for the cowlicks on my sons crown! I could have used it to stick him in his car seat – he was the original escape artist! Can I use it to stick a co-worker to her seat? lol

    Seriously, what a great thing to use for any type of applique, to keep my mouse pad in one place on my desk, for use with the paper piecing of my GFG, to stick two pieces of leather together before stitching, to stick two pieces of paper together when you don’t want them stapled, to anchor pieces of fabric onto a Styrofoam ornament, to anchor down anything and then stitch it in place like a hem, the facing on a blouse, or a button on a garment. Great find, Bradie!

    BTW, love the snow! My well pump and tank are insulated well again, we get plenty of water in the am. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

    Comment by Debi R. — December 3, 2010 @ 9:12 am

  46. Hi Bradie, what a great idea… my use for the lapel stick would be for attaching labels to the charity quilts that I help make for Blankets for Canada. Each quilt/blanket that goes out to people in need of warmth in my case (the Edmonton and surrounding area) must have a B4C label stating that this quilt/blanket has been provided by B4C and can not be sold. The lapel stick would hold the labels in place while I sew them on, especially the crochet/knit blankets. Thanks for bringing this product to my attention. Hugs to you and the newest wee one.

    Comment by Christine — December 3, 2010 @ 3:28 pm

  47. I would love to try this “stick” for all the applicating I do, I would save so much time. now my next question where can I find it to get it?! sorry to be a bother, I tried to ask two days agoa but computer was acting up I guess due to all the bad weather we are all having. a lot of snow! and ice! Hope you can anwser me back soon, by the way I love this site, take care, HUGS Jeanne (angeljeanne)

    Comment by Jeanne Marie Johnson — December 3, 2010 @ 7:47 pm

  48. I have started trying a bit of wool applique and wondered about gluing down pieces. Would love to try out your new find. I never heard of it so,it,is always nice when someone spreads news,of great products.

    Comment by Dee M — December 4, 2010 @ 6:04 am

  49. Oh that would be awesome for me to use in my machine embroidery in-the-hoop projects where I have to lay down small pieces of fabric before it stitches an outline around them. Right now I use basting spray which gums up my embroidery hoops and that’s not very pleasant at all since they are not cheap to replace plus cleaning gummy hoops is not my most favorite thing to do. I am just now learning to do hexagon and I’d think that would work fabulously on those to hold the edges down instead of pins while I did the hand stitching part.

    Comment by VickiT — December 4, 2010 @ 4:46 pm

  50. I’d like to try this product for securing fabric to diamond shaped paper pieces. Those corners can be tough. Thanks. Lisa

    Comment by Lisa S. — December 5, 2010 @ 9:41 am

  51. Wow A Canadian product, instead of from China. I would definitely use it a lot for all applique projects and I am sure I would find many more uses for it. Where can we buy it..?

    Comment by Sandra Davidson — December 5, 2010 @ 1:03 pm

  52. I’d use it in makign baby clothes for upcoming showers.

    Comment by Callie — December 7, 2010 @ 1:29 pm


RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Blog at WordPress.com.