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