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