| Make your letter applique quilt patterns as simple or as | | | | market to help control fabric fraying. Check with your |
| intricate as you want! | | | | favorite craft or fabric shop and pick one. Adding an |
| There are thousands of fonts available free of charge | | | | anti-fray product helps to insure a long-lasting |
| on the Internet. Starting your letter appliqué quilt | | | | professional finish to your letter appliqué quilt |
| pattern search on a free font website is a good idea. | | | | pattern! |
| Most font websites have their styles broken down into | | | | Once your fray inhibitor has been given sufficient time |
| categories, which will make your search for your letter | | | | to dry (usually 15 to 30 minutes), you will be ready to |
| appliqué much easier. Are you making a quilt for | | | | move on to stitching. |
| your granddaughter? Look in the "curly" or "cute" | | | | You may hand stitch, using a blanket stitch to complete |
| category. | | | | your letter appliqué quilt pattern. With a sewing |
| Looking for a boy-themed font? Be sure to check out | | | | machine, you made decide to either zig-zag or run a |
| the "old school" or "athletic" fonts. There are also | | | | satin stitch around the border of your letter |
| western fonts that would be great for a cowboy or | | | | appliqué quilt pattern. |
| cowgirl themed quilt, movie fonts that would allow you | | | | Machine embroiderers who also digitize have another |
| to replicate a favorite movie theme, etc. | | | | option available. Upon sizing the letter to use for the |
| Once you find the font you'd like to use for your letter | | | | appliqué, highlight the letter and choose to add an |
| appliqué quilt pattern, download it according to | | | | outline around it. A four to eight point outline generally |
| your computer's instructions. If you've never | | | | works best. While the letter is highlighted, change the |
| downloaded a font, most computers have instructions | | | | inside color to "none." This will leave only an outline of |
| on how to do so. It's usually as simple as clicking on the | | | | the letter. |
| "download now" button on the font website. A popup | | | | Complete the digitizing process and the embroidery |
| window will ask if you want to "open" or "save" -- | | | | machine will do most of the work. Machine |
| choose open. | | | | embroiderers won't need to use fusible webbing or cut |
| After opening the font file, you'll need to select "extract | | | | the letter out of their selected fabric. Instead, they'll |
| all files." The next popup window will ask you where to | | | | simply lay their fabric on top and the embroidery |
| save the file. You'll need to put it in your font folder in | | | | machine will stitch an outline that will attach the fabric |
| order to access the font later. That's all there is to it. | | | | to the quilt. When they remove the fabric from the |
| Once you've downloaded your font, you can get back | | | | machine (but not from the embroidery hoop!), thim |
| to your letter appliqué quilt pattern. Using | | | | away excess fabric, then add a fray prevention |
| whatever program you generally use on your | | | | product. Leave it to the embroidery machine to |
| computer, type the letter you want to use for your | | | | complete the applique with the stitching the machine |
| appliqué quilt. | | | | embroiderer selected during digitizing. |
| Select the letter by highlighting it and change the font | | | | Whether you create your letter quilt by hand, sewing |
| to your downloaded choice. Alter the size to fit your | | | | machine or embroidery machine, letter appliqué |
| needs for the letter appliqué quilt pattern and print | | | | quilt patterns are one of the best ways to give a |
| out the letter. That's your pattern. | | | | unique, personal gift. Don't forget to observe copyright |
| Iron on a fusible webbing to the back of your selected | | | | laws when using free fonts. Some font authors don't |
| fabric. Use your print out to cut the letter from the | | | | mind and others will allow you do to sell products |
| fabric. Now the letter can be iron onto your quilt top. | | | | featuring their fonts if you contact them to ask |
| There are a number of wonderful products on the | | | | permission. |