More Applipops Circles and Gadgets

 Raise your hand if you have more than one quilting gadget or tool you have never used.  Me? ✋✋ To be honest I'm not a gadget person.  But every once in a blue moon something comes over me to purchase a tool with the intentions of "someday" designing a quilt around using the impulse buy gadget.  These days I try to stifle the excitement of a new quilting gadget.  The urge to purchase the Applipops was intense.  They have a great marketing strategy of put them in your face nonstop on Facebook and Instagram.  About a year of watching the videos, I could not scroll by them...mesmerized and drooling.  Sometimes I would click over to their website put them in the cart, add all my information....and then my finger would hover over the Enter key.   

Click it!  Do it!  You need these!

I'm proud of myself for holding out so long but at the same time regret the decision.  It was a test of patience and control that in past I had failed.

Just to name a few.  Remember the big Hexie craze a few years ago?  As soon as I saw the Hex -N- More ruler and the amazing patterns it could make....CLICK... was on her way.  Never made a thing with it.  Then there's my obsession with dresdens.   One must have every size available...never used them either.  But there's plans....someday.

The reason why I was so reluctant to purchase the Applipops is more than just the fear of them being overrated and expensive.  You see I have many tools for making circles.  From the simplest drafting circle templates to some high priced die cutting.  This drafting circle template was the first circle maker I purchased.  Cheap and very effect if you have a steady strong hand for cutting.  Time consuming and really great for making calluses.  Sounds awful but I used it for years.  It's a multipurpose tool if you draft your own applique patterns by hand.  Now that I use EQ8 these are not used nearly as much.

Then I upgraded to the Karen Kay Buckley Perfect Circles.  The best things since the rotary cutter in my opinion.  Time consuming to use but they make perfect circles every time.  These have been used so much I was considering purchasing a new set.  Mine have gotten a little warped due to my attention to heat settings or my lack of attention.  I've shown how to use these but Karen has a video that is much better.  Click here.

Now lets talk about the most expensive impulsive circle making purchase....THE DIE CUTTER.  Die cutters are great.  The Sizzix is cheap compared to the other brand which I will leave unnamed.  If I were a rich woman I'm sure I would own the other brand.  This was an impulse buy when I found it it for $49.95 for the machine only.  That's a pretty good price.  And I can use other brands of dies in this machine.  I haven't but I can.  In two years I've used it three times.  I could see where this might get more use as I get older.  But that's story for another day.  Today we are focusing on circles.  I have two different dies for making circles.  As soon as they arrived from Amazon I tested them and they work great with and with out Heat -N- Bond fusible but I haven't actually used them in a quilt.  I'm sure they would be great for cutting out circles to use with the Applipops!  Yes my friends I'm in love with the Applipops.

Everyday I try to make a few.  Even if it's just one, progress is progress.  There's no real plan for them but I'm playing around with a couple of ideas in my mind.  It will morph into something eventually.  For now I'm just enjoying a little mindless circle making.  It's very relaxing.

I'm cutting the circles from scraps only.  My self imposed rule is I can not pull fabric from my F8's or FQ's, only small scraps.

I'm producing little niblets of scraps that can actually be tossed.  And you all know that's hard for me to toss out fabric.  But if the smallest Applipop won't fit on the scrap I'm letting it go.  There's still a little devil in me saying those could be used for tiny fusible raw edge applique but at some point it becomes hoarding and unrealistic to keep them.

It's a process, learning to let go.  Have those tiny scraps actually made it out of the house?  NO.  I'm saving them for Khaleesi a new dog bed.(insert shifty eyes here).🙄  That's the plan.  She's a big dog in need of a big bed.  Translated.....Gives me time to actually let go.

Maybe someday I'll be able to let go of some slightly bigger scraps.  Not that I'm feeling it necessary.  I mean just look at these small scraps.  Cute as can be and not taking up much space.  Gems!  A quilter never knows when she just might decided to make her master piece from dime sized applique. It's totally doable and reasonable.  Waste not want not.  One man's trash is another mans treasure.  

Let's get real....excuses are just that....excuses.  But it is what it is...Passion.  I know some of you understand. 

They say "enjoy the little things in life" and that's exactly what I'm doing.  It feels good to use up every last little bit of fabric.   It also feels good when you find a new gadget that does all that it claims to do and more.  The more part is it's making me love to make circle applique.

My word of the year Move.  Staying busy both physically and mentally.

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Playing and Reviewing Applipops ~ Nifty Notions #9

For about a year now I've been eyeing this new gadget called Applipops.  They seem to be all the rage in the applique world.  Since I do a little applique from time to time I was eager to try them out but wanted to wait to see what others were saying about them.  Well I couldn't wait any longer.  A couple of weeks ago I finally click on BUY.

What kept me from clicking BUY was the price.  It seemed a little steep. After much arguing with me, myself and I, we decided to get the best deal and order 2 double sets. In the image below the two sets on the left are the same and the two on the right are the same.  

One set is one of set of circles on one clip for $24.99 + $5.00 shipping.  

One of each size is two sets of circles on 2 clips for $39.99, free shipping.  

Two sets with the 2 different sizes on 4 clips is $59.99, free shipping 

....and I had a promo code for 10% off.  So it made sense to me to buy the biggest set.

I made every size circle in the sets and was not impressed.  I had trouble getting the circles to nest without pushing them all the way through.   So I took a break from them for a day or two.  Then came back and made a few more.  And like magic they were working great.  What was difference?  It took me a few more circles to figure out that there is a dull side and a shiny side to the Applipops.  They seem to nest better when I used dull side up.

With the problem solved I started making oodles of circles.  Before I show you how to use them I wanted to share with you my Applique kit.  Notice the little flower made of circles on the front.

Inside the kit is several different glues that I use when making applique, any applique templates I may be using for the current project, paint brush and bowl for starch and water paint pens for starch, fabric scraps, and a ziplock bag for current shapes being made.

I also pulled out my bin of small scraps for making smaller circles.  I knew this bin of itsy bitsy scraps would come in handy some day!

To test out the Applipops I pulled out a water color paint pen, and a paint brush and a bowl for the starch.  Of course an iron, scissors, fabric and the Applipops.

So lets make a circle.

  Place the larger of two nesting circles shiny side down on the pressing surface.  

Lay the fabric right side down on top of the larger circle.

Pop the smaller circle into the center, being careful not to push it all the way through.  I found it harder to push the circle through with the dull sides up,

It should look like this on the other side.  You don't want the center circle sticking out passed the larger circle.  This will make your applique thicker.

Next cut around the circle leaving a 1/8 " to 1/4" seam.

I let my scissors ride on the outside of the larger circle to make the cut.

 The water color paint pen was filled with starch to make applying the starch a little easier.

But the paint brush works just as well if that's what you have on hand.  And in a pinch a Q-Tip works too.

After applying the starch around the edge, push up the fabric to make it easier to press the seam inward.

Because my iron is about 40 or 50 years old it is a little hotter than the newer irons so I've turned the heat down to wool to prevent scorching of my circles and pressing mat.  It's a steam setting but I never use water in my iron.  

Press all the way around the circle until the seam is dry or close to dry.  I used a pair of tweezers to help me rotate the circle while pressing.  Those metal templates get super hot!  Be careful!

Of course you can use any thing to help.  I tried out using a pencil with an eraser and it worked great.

Give it one last press.

After allowing the template to cool remove the circle template.  While waiting for it to cool you can make another circle with the other set of circles.  Or if you are like me use the tweezers to pull out the hot circle template.  I'm so impatient...HAHA!

This is the part that concerned me the most...the thickness.  Look how thick the circle is after removing the template.  This isn't good for applique.  The applique edge needs to be fairly thin.  Leaving like this would not be good.

Will pressing it cause the circle to go wonky, more like an oval or egg?

Pressing it flattened it pretty nicely!

Look how much flatter it is now.  I've stacked one pressed circle on top of one that has not been pressed after removing the template.

They turned out great.  I can honestly say I'm very pleased with the Applipops.  They really do make perfect circles every time.

1. Cost

$59 - They are a little high priced but I think worth the money to make perfectly round circles quickly.  I don't regret my purchase and would buy it again should I lose them or think I need more.  

EDITED 5/5/21  

I just saw on Facebook an ad for Applipops.  Use code SPRING at checkout on their website for 10% off.  It does not say when it expires. 

2. Ease of Use

Yes, very easy to use once you get the hang of using them.  Purchasing more than one set allows you to assembly line make circles without burning your fingers.  One can cool while you make another.

3.Efficiency

The Applipops definitely speed up the process of making turned edge applique circles.   And they are perfect every time.

You can find Applipops at this link.  

https://www.applipops.com/shop

You might be able to find a discount code for them on the Applipops Instagram or Facebook.  I found a code for 10% off on Facebook.

I also made a video review for YouTube.  As usual it's corny and I ramble on and on but that's me, corny and I talk way to much all the time.

For more Nifty Notions Reviews Click on the image below or in the sidebar of this blog.  This will take you to all reviews in order from oldest to newest.

As always, Thanks for stopping by my little spot in Podunk!

 

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