It depends on how you are going to applique, and on what. If you're machine stitching on a wall hanging, a fusible is fine. You would either do a tight satin stitch over the edge, which will hide the fraying, or in the case of raw-edge applique you straight stitch near the edge and the fraying is part of the look.

If you're machine stitching on a garment, you may want to baste the piece in place or use pins so you don't have the stiffness from the fusible.

For hand applique you can either use straight pins or baste the piece in place.

Donna

I have tried several different fusible products including Wonder Under, Steam-a-Seam and Heat-n- Bond. I actually prefer Heat-n-Bond Lite. I don't like to "over fuse" or use too hot of an iron on my applique pieces which result in a grid-like pattern showing through your applique fabric. Heat-n-bond Lite minimizes this for me and it rarely gums up my needle. I usually use a blanket stitch on raw edges, but sometimes I will employ a decorative or satin stitch or a simple small zigzag stitch depending on what thread I use and whether or not I am looking for contrast or color matching. I absolutely love to do applique, especially with all of the thread choices out there to play with.

With regard to spray adhesives, I am sold on Sulky kk 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive. It allows you to move applique pieces around and re-stick until you find the right placement for your project. I also use it for machine embroidery, to re-stick fabric to reused sticky back stabilizer when the "sticky" starts to wane, and also to affix cutaway to the back side of the project. It never gums my needle. Hope this gives you some options...

Use school glue.......it washes out.

I usually use the window method.

But I have also been known to use school glue.

Thank you for all the suggestions in telling me what some of you use. I ended up completing the project using a combination of three products. Wonder Under, Roxanne Glue-Baste-It, and Odif Temporary Adhesive spray. I'm not sure I would recommend the Odif spray, because you can't move the applique pieces around. Char says you can with the Sulky spray, so when the Odif can is empty I'll try that spray next.

I don't do applique, but use Dritz basting spray to sandwich a quilt. You can easily reposition the fabric. It's easy to clean up and works well. I used to get it at Walmart, but they are now carrying Dritz spray adhesive. The spray adhesive is more expensive. I didn't care for it, either. It's been a while since I sandwiched a quilt, so I don't remember what I didn't like about it. I didn't like it enough that I will order from Amazon if I don't find the basting spray locally.

Stay away from June Tailor spray. It's horrible. We used it when I was volunteering at school. It works, but we couldn't get it off the tables. I finally brought acetone nail polish remover to get the overspray off those tables.

bkay