I prepared some fabric for my machine applique class by following a technique using Mod Podge. This was shown on The Quilt Show by Kestrel Michaud in episode #3303.
You mix 1 part Mod Podge with 3 parts hot water. So, 1/4 c. mod podge with 3/4 c. hot water makes 1 cup of dilute "glue" to bind the fabric threads to each other. What it does is to keep the tiny thread edges from fraying as you stitch them down. For a lot of machine applique, it doesn't really matter. But when you're make an art piece using raw edge techniques, especially the face, it looks so much better when the threads don't ravel.
I laid the pieces out on a Teflon sheet, then mixed the Mod Podge and painted it on the pieces.
I let it dry overnight, peeled them off the Teflon sheet, and then cleaned up the Teflon sheet with a scratch pad. The pieces are pretty stiff, but the color doesn't change once it's dry. (Below is a picture of the pieces when they were still wet.)
I hope you get a chance to use this technique! And I hope my student appreciate the extra step I've taken to ensure their success.
