Uncle Block's Advice

Hi, I am going to do a Sunbonnet Sue baby quilt for my best friend who is due in January. I need advice on whether to use fusible web on the appliques or just sew them on without it. I want the quilt to be soft.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Booba Moorimba

Uncle Block Replies

Dear Booba,

This is a complex issue the answer to which is not immediately obvious, even to experienced quilters such as myself. Several factors need to be taken into account.

First of all is cost. If you just sew on the appliques without using fusuble web you can save money. On the other hand, using fusible appliques may be the answer if, and only if, the bonnet is a true Sunbonnet as distinct from a binnet. If you have any intention of using a binnet consider the application of a fisile Moroccan web with Mohican bindings.

Also worth considering is how much you really care about your best friend. Do you have many best friends? If you have a lot of best friends then the value of each best friend will be slightly less to you than would be the case if you had only one or two best friends.

If your friend is due in January and you need more time try to convince him or her to delay the arrival.

To make the quilt soft consider washing it with a commercial fabric softener. I remember a commercial on the television once showing babies wearing burlap sacks instead of nappies. These babies were quite young since they had been born only recently.

A more thorough technique would be to chew the quilt after application of the filleted web appliques. Chewing will break down some of the fibres and the saliva will add additional softness.

The final step, should you wish a truly professional outcome would be to find a beach somewhere or, if not close to a beach, locate a sandbox. Place the quilt in the sandbox, cover it in sand and stomp all over it for about one or two hours. Care must be taken to ensure the sand has not already been used by neighbourhood cats.

Following the steps outlined above will ensure a result consistent with the finest handiwork of the world's most renowned quilters.