I've been creating pictorial art quilts for years.  I've found two fusible web products that really work well for me.  Here are the fusible products I choose to use.

My passion is pictorial art quilts. The first original design I created was Snapshots of Colorado. My parents weren’t wealthy so they’d take us kids on road trips literally to the four corners of the state.  As I became an adult and realized what a gift they handed me, I decided to incorporate my memories into this quilt.

I started out by piecing the background because I was a “piecer” at that time-didn’t know anything else. There was very little known at the time in the quilt world (or at least in my quilt world!) about art quilts.

The quilt looked “nice” but in my mind it needed more. I gathered favorite images, snapshots, from each part of the state of Colorado that I visited as a kid. I thought I’d try to recreate these photos in fabric. Each would be approximately 5” x 7” so that if they didn’t turn out great at least I hadn’t invested a lot of time.

   Mesa Verde (southwest corner of state)

 Aspen leaves (majority middle of state) 

 Garden of the Gods (eastern Colorado)

Wonder Under 805 by Pellon

In these first snapshots I used Pellon’s 805 Wonder Under-mainly because it was an inexpensive product and readily available in my area (pre-internet!).  I learned how to use it well and stuck with it.

Wonder Under is a fusible web (glue) with a paper backing.  

Note: If you’re in a dry part of the country (little moisture), store your product in an airtight container or zip-lock bag to keep the web and paper from separating.

I like to use this product when a pattern such as my Colorado Escape



or Mountain Escape already has the applique pieces printed in the pattern. Or patterns that you can easily copy/create pattern applique pieces.

In this new pattern in the making, I trace the pattern piece onto the paper side of the web.

Then using the manufacturer’s directions fuse it onto the back/wrong side of the fabric and cut it out.

Finally, tear off the paper and fuse the applique piece to the project according to the image or pattern directions. Done!

Now for Lite Steam a Seam2

As with WU, I store it in zip-log bag (no humidity in Colorado even with the snow!) It can also be used in the same manner as Wonder Under. This product has fusible web (glue) sandwiched in between 2 pieces of paper. One side comes away easier than the other. If you have to trace an image, I suggest using the paper side that sticks more (not the easier side) to trace on.

I use the “lite” product because less glue in the project usually means it’s easier to work with and doesn’t “gum up your needle” (little ball of glue gets stuck to the needle). If it happens just wipe off the needle with a little rubbing alcohol.

I like to use this product because it allows me to do more of an improv-style project such as my pattern Among the Trees.



It has a temporary adhesive (before putting heat to the product) that allows you to reposition the applique piece until you're happy with the placement.

As you can see, my friend Mary G. of Suffern, NY used cotton prints that represent bushes, flowers, ground cover, fern etc.  Then she fused LSAS2 to the back of a piece of the fabric (leaving the hard-to-remove-paper-side on) and then cut out the images. I'm using pictures I took of her while she was making the quilt.

Once the images of bushes, flowers, etc. were cut out, she had fun placing/repositioning them until she had a pleasing outcome.

So to recap:  I use Lite Steam a Seam2 for "improv" work and Wonder Under for projects which have applique pattern pieces.

Come back next Tuesday for another tip.  Sign up for the newsletter  (at the bottom of each web page) to get other great insights (and deals).

I will also start posting more tutorials as I find the time, especially regarding landscape or art quilts but also regular quilt related techniques soon.  Having taught quilt classes in the past, I feel a strong need to help quilters find new tools to put in the quilting toolbelt.

Do you have a favorite fusible web product?  What is it and when do you use it?

Until next time,

Happy Quilting,  Jackie