Fusibles are your friend!

Zoë MacDonald is E-Commerce and Social Media Manager at Canada’s largest manufacturer and wholesale distributor of quality sewing, quilting, and knitting supplies. Crafty lady and recent quilting convert, she is keen to share her love for the latest in notions.

As someone who’s new to the wonderful world of quilting, I only recently learned that fusibles sometimes get a bad reputation.

Having received most of my tutelage at a garment sewing studio with a bustling tween and teen class and camp schedule, I proudly come from the school of “Make it work”. I've come to see this attitude as being results oriented. If the finished item looks how you’d imagined then that is a win; whether that trim is invisibly hand stitched or ironed on is less relevant.

A different way of looking at project creation is to focus on the process, with less of a sense of urgency. Your meticulous efforts change the nature of the thing: infusing extra TLC, a sense of tradition, or the simple satisfaction of doing things the (call it right or the hard) way. Of course, for discerning eyeballs, there is a visual element too.

Most of the creative people I know value both of these things in different measures, which shift depending on circumstance and mood.  While you might classify fusibles on the more results-oriented end of the spectrum, for anyone with a fabric stash and stacks of scraps they can be tremendously useful for all kinds of appliqué - and attitudes.

The first step is to get stocked up. To find out what you need, consult this flow chart:

The use of fusibles in quilt appliqué are well known, but here are some other ways to work them into your everyday quilt or quilt-inspired sewing and crafting.

HeatnBond Ultra

For a quick (no-sew) pillow makeover inspired by a quilt pattern or complimentary fabrics:

For craft quickies or party décor, it works too:

Peel n’ Stick

For Halloween costumes or kids’ crafts you can even eliminate the iron: 

For stick-anywhere labels:

Or for when ironing’s not an option:

SpraynBond

For lace, light fabrics and needle-free quilt embellishments:

You can find HeatnBond products at your local quilt store.

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