How to Applique
The first appliques I ever made were on stockings “Mrs. Claus” made for College Boy, Princess and Angel Face. I didn’t know anything about applique, but I stumbled along and managed to do a fairly decent job.
Since then I’ve ahem… “Mrs. Claus” has made stockings for Jo-Bear, Z-Man, Little Guy, and Teacher. And grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins, you name it. I think the only ones in our family who don’t have an appliqued stocking yet are Great Grandma and me – go figure!
I loved applique so much that I started making appliqued diapers… but that’s a story for another time. The point is that over the years I’ve made a LOT of appliques and learned a LOT about how to applique. Now I’d like to share that knowledge with all of you. Don’t be scared – if you can sew, you can applique! Besides, I’ll be with you every step of the way and if you run into problems you can contact me. So grab your fabric scraps and put on your creativity hat – you’ll be surprised how easy and addicting applique is!
Supplies
Obviously you’ll need basic sewing necessities like a sewing machine, scissors, thread, needles, pins, etc. In addition, you will also need:
- A regular pencil
- Plain or tracing paper
- An iron
- A water or air soluble marking pen or pencil
- Paper backed iron-on adhesive, like Heat n Bond™
- Tear away stabilizer, standard type
- Fabrics for the applique, prelaundered as the finished product will be laundered.
How to Applique – Step by Step
I did my best to explain each step thoroughly, but feel free to contact me if you’re confused about something.
1. Draw Your Applique Design
The first you need is a design to applique. A simple design with straight sides is easiest for beginners, so consider starting with a block, kite or star. If you’re an experienced seamstress you may want to try a design with curves, like a heart or balloon. I’m working on one of my elephant designs in the examples.
Either draw your design on the plain paper, or trace the design onto the tracing paper. Keep in mind that the finished applique will be a mirror image of your tracing.
2. Trace onto the Iron-On Adhesive
Place the iron-on adhesive on top of your design, paper side up, and trace your design onto the adhesive. If your design is made up of more than one element, like the elephant and heart, you will need to trace each section separately.
If there are sections next to each other, you need to decide which will go on top of the other. When tracing, extend the line of the bottom section about 1/4 inch where it touches the top one. This will allow you to layer the sections so there won’t be any gaps in between them.
3. Rough Cut the Design
After your design pieces are traced, you need to separate them from the rest of the adhesive. Cut around your tracing lines, about 1/2 to 1 inch away from the lines.
4. Choose Your Fabrics
This is one of my favorite steps – choose the fabric for each section. To make selecting easier I separate my fabrics into color families. Cotton woven fabrics are the easiest to work with, although you may want to experiment with other fabrics as you gain experience. Beware of fabrics that fray because they often shred when laundered, and thicker fabrics like corduroy or velvet may be too difficult for some machines to handle smoothly.
5. Fuse the Fabric to the Adhesive
Heat your iron according to the directions that came with the adhesive. When the iron is hot, place the preshrunk fabric right (front) side down on your ironing surface and press to remove any wrinkles. Be sure to put the side you want to use face down so you’re looking at the back of the fabric. Double and triple check before ironing – I can’t tell you how many times I wasn’t paying attention and fused the adhesive to the front of my fabric! Place the adhesive, paper side up, on the wrong (back) side of your fabric. Fuse according to the directions that came with your adhesive.
6. Cut out the Sections
Cut out each section, following the tracing lines carefully.
7. Remove the Adhesive Backing
Carefully peel the paper backing from the iron-on adhesive. If the backing is difficult to separate from the adhesive, tear the edge of the paper a little to get things started, or use a fingernail to separate the paper from the fabric.
8. Iron the Applique to Your Item
Place the applique, adhesive side down, on the item you’re going to apply it to and arrange the sections to match your pattern. If you have several pieces you may need to look at the pattern to remember how the sections fit together. When the applique looks the way you want it to, iron it down according to the directions that came with the adhesive.
9. Add Some Details
Using the water soluble pen or pencil, draw in any details you wish to add to the applique.
10. Stabilize with Interfacing
Cut a piece of tear-away interfacing large enough to cover the entire applique with a border of about 1/2 – 1 inch. Place the interfacing on the wrong side of the item you’re appliquing, under the applique. Now this part is a little tricky – holding the interfacing tightly, flip the item over and pin the interfacing on from the front. (You can see a pin in my next photo) If the item you’re appliquing is thin enough, you hold it up to a light to make sure the entire applique has interfacing behind it. If the item is too thick to see through you’ll have to check by feel.
11. Stitch Your Applique
Now comes the fun – stitching! Use a Satin stitch if your machine has it, otherwise use a Zig Zag stitch and decrease stitch length until the threads are sewn right next to each other. Most sewing machine manuals recommend loosening the top thread tension for applique work, but be sure to check your own machine’s manual for directions. Using a scrap piece of fabric, experiment with stitch width and length until you find an effect you like. You want the thread to go into the applique fabric on one side and into the background fabric on the other, so the raw (unstitched) edge of the applique is completely encased in thread. On my Viking I generally use a stitch length of .3 and a width of 3.5, but each machine is different so these numbers may not work for you. Once you find the stitch length and width you like, write them down somewhere so you don’t forget – the owner’s manual is a good place. Unless you tend to lose them like I do.
Line the applique up so the raw (unstitched) edge is in the middle of your presser foot and start stitching. Go slowly at first, until you gain some confidence. Slow down as you approach a curve or corner so you don’t overshoot the edge. There are several ways to turn corners; try different ways until you find one that works for you. The way I round a corner is by stitching to the end of the fabric until the thread is even with the bottom edge of the fabric. Then I sink the needle in the very outermost point of the corner, where the two sides meet. Raise the presser foot, leaving the needle sunk into the fabric, and pivot the fabric to the right so the raw edge is lined up in the middle of the presser foot. Lower the presser foot and continue sewing.
Curves are easier than corners, and wide curves may not require any pivoting. Stitch wide curves slowly so the stitches remain even. Sharp curves may require a pivot to keep the raw edge in the middle of the presser foot. When stitching an outer corner, like the outside of an O, stop with the needle down on the background fabric, then pivot just enough to line the raw edge up. When stitching an inner corner, like the inside of an O, stop with the needle down in the applique fabric and pivot just enough to keep the raw edge in the center of the presser foot.
Remember to stitch the details you marked earlier. I generally narrow my stitch width by one setting for inner details. Remember to backstitch whenever you begin and end stitching so your stitching doesn’t come out later. I realize this photo doesn’t show the raw edge in the center of the presser foot – I was about to pivot around the curve when I took the photo. See the pin holding the interfacing to the background fabric? Since taking this photo I’ve moved my pins to the edge of the applique so there aren’t any holes in the PUL.
12. Trim the Threads
Wen you’re all done stitching carefully trim the loose threads as close to the fabric as you can without cutting the fabric or stitching. I trim the font first because any tiny ends are usually pulled to the back when I grab those threads to trim them. Using a small, sharp scissors makes it easier to trim closely.
13. Remove the Interfacing
Remove the interfacing by tearing along the stitching. Your needle will have perforated the interfacing so it should come away fairly easily. Use a fingernail along the stitching to get things started, but do not use your scissors or anything sharp as it might poke through the applique. Don’t ask how I know this, it’s a tragic memory.
Congratulations – you’ve made your first applique! Now go show everyone what a fantastic applique you made, then send me a picture so I can see too. I hope you had as much fun doing applique work as I do!
77 Responses to “How to Applique”
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On November 29th, 2007 at 10:14 am
cursor_mortis said:
Is “Mrs. Claus” going to make Erin a stocking, too?
On November 29th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Amy Sue said:
Depends, is she on Santa’s Nice list or Naughty list?
On November 29th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
cursor_mortis said:
I dunno. I’d have to ask the big guy myself.
BTW, I love that the button to leave comments says “Press me now.”
On January 20th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Loanna said:
Do you have any problem with your needle gumming up and breaking the thread? If so whats the trick. Its really annoying.
On January 20th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Amy Sue said:
Sometimes it collects a bunch of “goop” toward the top of the needle. When I see a gob collecting I pause and pull it off. Where does yours collect, by the eye or the top? (There’s probably a term for the end opposite the eye, but I dunno what it is.)
~Amy Sue
On August 12th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Lori Lane said:
Wow!!!! I’m wanting to start learning how to do this and this is by far the most explanatory and easy to understand instructions I have found. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this!
On October 20th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Jane said:
thanks!!! easiest method ive found yett
On November 24th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Melissa said:
I’m doing applique with double sided fusible web and then stitching around the edges with embroidery floss by hand. Do you have any suggestions for a way to cover the back of the applique so that the stitches and knots don’t irritate a baby’s skin? I was looking for a way to do interfacing on the back, but tear away wouldn’t really cover the knots. I was wodering what you thought about an iron on interfacing? Would it be even more rough feeling?
On November 24th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Amy Sue said:
You could try an iron-on interfacing; most of them are pretty soft on the back, but it’s a toss-up whether it will stay on or not. I’ve had both commercial and hand-made items with iron-on interfacing and sometimes it stays on sometimes it doesn’t. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern as to which stays and which doesn’t.
It’s worth a try though, and if it falls off you can always iron another piece on.
~Amy Sue
On November 29th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Autumn said:
OK question~I made a shirt with my school’s name but I didn’t use interfacing should I? it was just a practice shirt so I’m not too worried about it~it’s at my blog if you want to check it out! Also, is there a way to embrodier appliques? I keep seeing this on sites and was wondering if I was missing something~thanks for the instructions!
On November 29th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Amy Sue said:
Autumn, Do you mean interfacing behind the finished applique, like Melissa was talking about? If so, it shouldn’t make a difference as long as your stitching ends aren’t loose.
If you mean the tear-away interfacing from step 10 above, it could make a difference. The interfacing keeps the fabric from puckering as you’re stitching. If your shirt fabric has enough “body” you may be OK without it, but using it will give you a smoother-looking applique.
Embroidered applique is done with an embroidery machine, instead of by hand with a sewing machine. You can see a tutorial here.
Although embroidered applique is very pretty, I prefer the personal touch of hand-guided applique to machine-guided embroidered applique.
~Amy Sue
On January 12th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Debbie said:
I don’t have a machine; can I finish the edges by hand? If so, what’s the name of the stitch I should use?
On January 16th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Amy Sue said:
Yes, you can finish the edges by hand! If your applique is made from woven fabric it will ravel unless you turn the edges under. Some people like the shabby chic look of a slightly ragged edge, but if you don’t here’s what to do:
- Apply Wonder Under as above.
- Cut your applique piece about 1/4″ larger all the way around. This is easier to do with larger pieces and simple shapes.
- Leave the paper on the Wonder Under and carefully fold the 1/4″ allowance to the back.
- Press the edges with an iron so they’ll stay.
- Remove the paper backing from the Wonder Under, refold the allowance, and proceed as above.
- Instead of machine stitching, use an invisible stitch
Good luck!
~Amy Sue
On January 26th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Debbie said:
Thanks, Amy Sue! What a big help! I’ll try the Shabby Chic look first, and if I don’t like it I’ll try the other method. If I use the Shabby Chic approach, I guess it doesn’t matter what stitch I use? It could be invisible, whipstitch, or blanket stitch?
On January 26th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Amy Sue said:
You’re welcome Debbie! If you’re going for the shabby chic look I’d do either a blanket stitch or a plain “running” stitch. You know – up/down up/down along the edge. Be sure to show off pics when you’re done!
~Amy Sue
On January 27th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Cynthia said:
Can I iron on an applique onto an already finished AIO or pocket diaper? The material would be PUL. Want to make sure that the heat of the iron won’t warp or damage the PUL on the diaper. Thanks! -Cynthia
On January 27th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Amy Sue said:
I haven’t ever tried ironing an applique on a finished diaper, but I do iron mine on PUL diaper cuts. You need to keep the iron moving and try not to iron over any more of the PUL than you have to. An iron that is too hot or left in one place too long can cause the PUL to shrink slightly and wrinkle up, or even to melt.
I wouldn’t advise ironing an applique onto a finished diaper unless you have some way to sew it on also. Appliques that are only ironed on won’t stand up to the vigorous washing that most diapers receive.
~Amy Sue
On March 7th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Chantelle said:
Thanks for a wonderful tutorial, this is just what I was looking for! My PUL melted on the first try, but I’ll keep working to perfect it. Thanks again!
On March 7th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Chantelle said:
Ok, I didn’t melt the PUL! And instead of using the tear away stabilizer, I used a piece of PUL in an effort to keep it from leaking (plus I didn’t have the stabilizer on hand either
P). I put the wrong sides of the PUL together. It worked great for doing the applique, but it leaks. Any tips?
Perhaps my leak test wasn’t “true to life” (I pressed a wet cloth against the back of the applique, lightly, and there was a perfect wet outline of my applique on my cloth underneath
( ).
Well, I’m having fun doing appliques though, something I’ve always meant to try, and your tute made it simple! Thanks again!
On March 7th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Amy Sue said:
Chantelle,
Using a second layer of PUL will only prevent leaking if you don’t sew through it – if you sew through both layers it’ll still leak because the needle holes will go through both layers. Keep trying until you find the technique that works best for you!
~Amy Sue
On March 24th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Audi said:
What is the difference between applique and embroidery?
On March 29th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Amy Sue said:
Audi,
That’s a great question! There are several major differences between applique and embroidery. Embroidery designs are usually stitched by an embroidery machine using threads in different colors. As I understand it, once the design and threads are selected and the machine is all set up you just need to start the machine and keep an eye on it – it sews the design pretty much by itself. Applique designs are made from fabric pieces that are stitched around the edges with thread, and can be done on a regular machine. Applique is generally more “handcrafted” because even though a sewing machine is used, the machine must be guided by hand.
I hope this helps,
~Amy Sue
On June 11th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Kari said:
Amy Sue,
Thanks so much for your instructions. I have been doing applique for several years, myself. I am experiencing problems with the edges coming lose after several washing. I really can’t figure out what I am doing wrong. Maybe I am using the wrong brand of fusible. I think one time I might not have used any fusible on the squares I was placing on a purse but I do use a stabilizer on the back (tear away) and front (dissolved with water) and the squares still came loose. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Kari
On June 12th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
natalie said:
These are the most easy and well illustrated instructions I’ve found online. Thanks!
On June 16th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Amy Sue said:
Kari,
I use the heavy duty “no-sew” fusible and sew through it. I’ve found that their idea of no-sew and my idea of no-sew aren’t the same; I want my item to stay on no matter what and if I don’t sew it won’t.
How are you sewing your applique – straight or satin stitch? If you’re doing a straight stitch the edges probably will come loose over time and use. That’s why I prefer to use a satin stitch, unless you’re going for a shabby chic look.
Stabilizer won’t help the applique stay on the item; it just makes the sewing easier and keeps the stitches smoother.
I hope that helps! Feel free to post any other questions!
~Amy Sue
On June 28th, 2009 at 12:28 am
Christina said:
I was wondering if sewing the appliques on PUL makes YOUR diapers leak? I’m only asking because I want to make an appliqued diaper, but I don’t want it to leak either. Thanks!
On July 6th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Amy Sue said:
Christina,
Any stitching through PUL can cause it to leak: applique, embroidery, elastic casings, etc. I put an extra layer of PUL behind all of my appliques so they don’t leak. Some WAHMs iron an extra piece to the inside, shiny sides together, but I haven’t had consistent results with this so I cut my PUL big enough to catch in the seams.
Be sure to post a link showing off your appliqued diaper when it’s done, I’d love to see it!
~Amy Sue
On July 23rd, 2009 at 2:05 am
Christina said:
Hi Amy…I finally got around to making my appliqued diaper! I think it turned out great for my first one. I got a litle over-zealous and decided I wanted to do 8 mo old DS’s handprints…I messed up a little on the left hand but the right one turned out much better. I think it turned out super-cute overall!
I also borrowed your idea of using another piece of PUL to back the applique…it worked great!!!
Here’s the link so you cam see my completed diaper http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b85/AteManager/Diapers/newPicture130.jpg
Thanks for the WONDERFUL tutorial…you made it super easy to learn!
On September 4th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Michelle said:
Thank you for a GREAT tutorial!!! I was told by my MIL that tissue paper works just as well as tear-away stabilizer. Has anyone tried tissue paper? I’d like to try appliqueing this weekend but I don’t feel like driving an hour to Joanns for stabilizer.
On September 8th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Syl said:
Fantastic instructions and have attemtped to do some but am having problems with the needle holes left around the edge of the applique!!!! I am using a Sharps # 8 needle and have changed from a loose thread count to a denser thread count but still have the needle holes!!!! What am I doing wrong?
Cheers
Syl
On December 15th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Ruth said:
Freezer paper works well. Just iron it on, sew, then tear it away.
On January 24th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Julie said:
Thank you so much … That’s exactly what I wanted to do but wasn’t sure how to …
Just to be sure I understand …
If I do not use interfacing, I must put a second layer of pul. If I put the interfacing, I do not need to put another layer of pul … Is that correct? I’m afraid of leaks.
Julie
On January 24th, 2010 at 11:19 am
Julie said:
Ok, I think I understand … I need to put a second layer of pul … so it would not leak … thank you again!
On February 5th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Debbie said:
When you applique do you use embroidery thread as if you are embroidering.
Thanks Debbie
On February 7th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Amy Sue said:
Debbie,
I use plain old Guttermann poly thread, like I’d use for sewing clothing. Embroidery thread may work for some projects, but I’m usually working with children’s clothing which needs a thread that will hold up to lots of laundering.
~Amy Sue
On February 15th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Cindy said:
Hi Amy Sue,
My name is Cindy and I have been trying to teach myself how to applique. I googled how to applique and found your website. You don’t know it, but you have taught me a lot. Several things I was trying unsuccessfully to figure out you explained to me. However, I am making the ugliest corners you have ever seen and I wondered if maybe some how you could teach me. I am using a zig zag stitch and my pivoting leaves a lot to be desired. I have been sitting at my machine for two days trying to make a pretty rounded corner. I promise I have been trying your suggestions with the fabric in the middle of my pressure foot and I have tried over and over, but ugliness prevails. Is it really this difficult? I refuse to give up and I am hoping my
e-mentor can help me. Thanks for all your help. I appreciate all the time you have put into your website, it is beautiful and informative!
On February 15th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Cindy said:
I just reread my post and I think I sound confusing. In your example you used an O. That is exactly what I am trying to zig zag around. You already helped me master a square corner!!!
On February 16th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Amy Sue said:
Cindy,
Sewing curves is hard! It takes lots and lots of practice – you should’ve seen some of my first attempts. (Or maybe not!)
Go very s-l-o-w-l-y; I sometimes do one stitch at a time in really tough places to make sure the thread is going where I want it to. Try to keep the stitches on the outer curves evenly spaced, even if it means the inner curve stitches are closer together or overlapping.
If it’s a really tight curve you can try to have two or three inner stitches meet in the same place.Imagine sewing an asterisk (*) the outer stitches would be evenly spaced out but the inner ones would all meet in the same place in the center. I hope that makes sense – it’s much easier to do than to explain, LOL!
I hope that helps! Feel free to ask again if something wasn’t clear!
~Amy Sue
On February 24th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
lori said:
i was wondering if you can show a link to applique a tulip i figured out your technique but my pastel colors are backwards how do i do it to make them show on the front side of a dark color thanks fustrated email me plzzzzzzzzzzzz
On February 24th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Amy Sue said:
Lori,
What do you mean your pastel colors are backward? The wrong side of the fabric is showing, or the left colors are on the right?
If it’s a problem that the background color is showing through you may need to add a layer of white fabric in between. To do this, trace the outline of your entire applique – not each piece, the whole thing – on fusible webbing. Fuse it to white fabric, cut it out, then fuse it to the background fabric where you want your applique to be. Then fuse your applique on top of the white fabric.
Let me know if that’s not what you meant, or if it didn’t make sense.
~Amy Sue
On February 26th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Marsha Clapp said:
How do I applique on a heavy sweatshirt? I’m having trouble with the stitching.
On February 26th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Amy Sue said:
Marsha,
What kind of trouble are you having with the stitching? Do you have a heavy tear-away interfacing in back? Maybe try lengthening your stitch, so they’re not so close together. If you’re able to change the pressure of your pressure foot you may need to raise it a little so it’s not pressing so hard on the thick fabric.
I hope this helps!
~Amy Sue
On March 2nd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Kim Vasquez said:
i am appliqueing pillow cases I have used the light heat and bond and my machine skips stitches and the thread breaks, I’m trying wonder under, I don’t like it as much my stitching seems to pull away from the side?
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong
any suggestions
On March 2nd, 2010 at 10:39 am
Elizabeth said:
Hi Amy Sue! I love making appliques, but when I try to make letter shaped appliques, for example, a “B”, its hard to stitch the edges because it looks meesed up going around sharp curves. i dont know if it is because my sewing machine isnt that fancy and only has one stitch that sews close enough together to use for the edging of my appliques… I have no idea. Can you please help?
On March 2nd, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Amy Sue said:
Elizabeth,
Sharp curves are really difficult. The best thing to do is go really, really, really slow. Like even 1-2 stitches at a time, and move the fabric just a bit in between. If the curve is sharp enough you can have the needle use the same hole for the inside stitch while the outside stitch fans out. I hope that makes sense!
~Amy Sue
On March 2nd, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Kim said:
Hi Amy I asked the question above about the pillow case just wanted to add that I also used a tear away stabilizer, I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, I’m using a zigzag stitch on 1
thanks Amy just wanted to give you more info
On March 3rd, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Amy Sue said:
Kim,
The first thing I do when my machine skips stitches is to put in a new needle. If that doesn’t help take the thread and bobbin out and rethread them. If it’s still skipping stitches your tension might be messed up. Check out your owner’s manual to see what number your machine’s tension should be on – it may give a different setting for applique. Often I’ll loosen the top thread tension a little so the top thread is pulled underneath the fabric a little; it makes a smoother stitch.
I hope that helped!
~Amy Sue
On March 3rd, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Amy Sue said:
Kim,
What kind of fabrics are you using for the background and the applique? Are any heavy ones like denim or corduroy? Does your machine sew fine otherwise? Maybe it just needs a tune up.
I don’t know how wide “1″ is on your machine – does it make a difference to make the stitch wider or narrower? Sometimes a machine just doesn’t like a particular setting for no reason. Mine cops a ‘tude sometimes, then I threaten to trade it in if it doesn’t shape up.
~Amy Sue
On March 3rd, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Kim said:
My machine is new I just took back one last week because I thought maybe it wasn’t strong enough to sew through the heat and bond, so I’m not sure about the tension they told me to keep it on 4 so how do I know if I should make it looser or not. Both machines were skipping stitches, the zigzag stitch is close but not like a satin stitch, so I’m thinking it’s the heat and bond gooping up my needle, today I cleaned it after every letter I did, and it didn’t skip, but I haven’t tried adjusting the tension do i need to move it down. Sorry if this is confusing
oh and I use cotton on cotton
thanks kim
On March 4th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Amy Sue said:
Hmmm… what does the owner’s manual say about applique? Does it give any special settings or hints?
It could be the heat and bond gooping up the needle. I often get a big fusible webbing/lint booger on my needle but it just collects toward the top and when it gets too big I pull it off. Could you try different needles in your machine? I use Schmetz Universal 70/10 for applique on cotton. I use the 70s because they’re a little smaller and leave smaller holes.
~Amy Sue
On March 4th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Kim said:
Hi Amy Sue
My book just says turn stitch and length dial to desired length, it does say tie top and bottom thread under the applique(how do you do this)?,I’ve just been trimming them closely like you say. I use an 80/12 I have a 70/10 that came with it I will try that today. I’ll let you know how it goes, I am going to try and make a soccer ball today wish me luck
thanks for your help
On March 6th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Amy Sue said:
Kim,
If you backstitch and trim closely you don’t have to tie the ends on back. You could if you wanted to though… On the back give the thread end a gentle tug and look closely at the thread where it enters the fabric. Hopefully you’ll see the top thread coming through a little. Use a pin to coax the top thread to the bottom then tie the ends in a knot.
How did the soccer ball turn out? Tonight I’m working on the lace appliques on Princess’s wedding dress.
~ Amy Sue
On March 6th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Kim said:
Hi Amy Sue, it turned out cute, I’m not sure how to put a picture up, I’ll ask my husband. it didn’t mess up but I switched the needle and after a while it broke in half? I’m not sure why? so I went back to the 80/12, going to do a shirt next. Are you on facebook?
ok thanks for letting me know on the backstitch that is how I do it. Are you making her dress? I want to see pics.
thanks so much for all your help
On March 8th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Amy Sue said:
Kim,
I can’t wait to see a picture! If you can’t get one up, email it to me and I’ll post it – with your permission, of course.
There’s so many reasons a needle could break. I broke one on the wedding dress the other night – somehow the bobbin cover plate moved out of position and the needle hit it. If your fabric is really thick and you’re sewing fast that’ll do it, or if you pull the fabric and the needle gets caught so it goes down crookedly that can do it too. Broken needles is just a part of sewing – it happens. As long as you find all the pieces so there aren’t any left in the project it’s not a big deal.
Yes, I’m on Facebook – Twitter too; I’d love to connect either or both of those places!
Facebook: My Happy Crazy Life
Twitter: HappyCrazyLife
I’ll get a couple sneak-peeks of the wedding dress tomorrow, hopefully. I was going to do it today but Angel Face took my camera to school before I could download the photos.
~Amy Sue
On March 10th, 2010 at 9:07 am
Kim said:
I’ll send you a picture and look for you on twitter and facebook, thanks for the tips so far I haven’t had any skipping, but like you said wheni see the build up I clean the needle.
gotta run errands so I’ll send a pic later today
thanks Amy Sue
On March 10th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Amy Sue said:
Great, I can’t wait to see the picture!
You’re very welcome – I’m glad I could help.
~Amy Sue
On March 12th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Kim said:
k I emailed you a pic
need to work on the circle a bit but not too bad
thanks
kim
On March 15th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Amy Sue said:
It looks good, Kim! Circles are really hard, I still have to go really slow and concentrate on them… and still end up “unsewing” sometime
May I have your permission to post your photo for everyone to see?
~Amy Sue
On March 27th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Lori said:
Hi! I’ve been reading messages here to try to find a solution to a problem I am having with my applique. My needed is getting “gummed” up from the adhesive on the Heat and Bond. Not just a lint type that you can remove….it’s actually sticky. It causes the thread to break and the stitching looks horrible because of so many stops and starts.
When I run the stitch on a peice of fabric without the Heat and Bond it does great. But I love using the Heat and Bond because of the smootness/non fraying. Any suggestions?
Lori
On March 29th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Amy Sue said:
Hi Lori,
What size needle are you using? I use a Schmetz 70/10, I think. (I don’t have any right here to look at – it’s 70/something) It’s a finer needle than standard so it makes smaller holes than standard needles. My needle does get gummed up but I just pull the “booger” off every so often and usually the needle itself doesn’t get sticky. I replace needles after every 8-10 hours of sewing so maybe it doesn’t get a chance to get sticky?
I don’t now how large your appliques are, but maybe try cleaning the needle after each section? A warm, damp, terrycloth washcloth may do the trick, otherwise
you could try Goo Gone to remove the stickies – but be sure to clean the needle VERY WELL afterward because Goo Gone is oily and will leave a greasy stain on the fabric.
I hope this helps!
~Amy Sue
On March 29th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Lori said:
Thanks Amy Sue!!
I actually did try to goo gone and it worked well, and yeah, I even thought about cleaning the goo gone off the needle before beginning to sew again.
I’ll try a different needle…..that may be the trick.
Thanks!
On March 30th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Lori said:
Amy Sue…..you are a genius!!! You saved my Easter!! I went and got a smaller needle and had no more clumping of glue or breaking of thread when appliquing!!! My Spring shirts came out looking great!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
On April 1st, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Amy Sue said:
Lori,
Good luck – I hope using a different needle works!
~Amy Sue
On April 1st, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Amy Sue said:
Woo hoo! I’m so glad we were able to figure it out! Now I’m dying to see your Easter shirts – pretty please?
~Amy Sue
On April 1st, 2010 at 10:48 pm
erica said:
i just started doing appliques this week. was so excited until i started sewing tonight! had everything set out with the appliques “ironed” onto the onesies. why is my machine putting holes in the fabric? i’ve ruined 4 items and i’m heartbroken!!!
On April 2nd, 2010 at 10:36 am
Amy Sue said:
Oh no Erica, how heartbreaking!
Which fabric is getting holes in it – the applique or the onesie? What kind of holes are they – holes from the needle or tears? What kind of needle are you using?
With knits, like onesies and t-shirts, it’s best to use a ball point needle instead of a sharp. Sharps sometimes pierce the threads and break them, causing small holes while with ball point needles the threads slip to the side and the needle goes in between the threads. You may have to experiment to see how well the ball point needle works on the applique though – it may not be sharp enough to go through several layers of fabric and fusible. For instance, if you’re doing a frog and have the pupil, eyeball, and frog face all stacked up you may need to go really slowly so you don’t break the needle.
Let me know about the holes so I can help figure out what’s going on.
~Amy Sue
On April 2nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
erica said:
Thanks Amy Sue! It is the onesie getting the holes, but I think I might have figured it was because I didn’t cut the fusing big enough. I had only cut it to be the size of the applique itself and not large enough for a “seam” allowance for the stitching of the applique. Do you think that might have been it? These were pretty small appliques (sailboat, alligator, initials), but I think I am going to attempt to salvage the garments by putting a large square / rectangle and applique over the ruined applique, and then just put a single initial in the middle. I don’t know if that will work, but it’s worth a shot. I can’t ruin them anymore than I already have
. by the way, this is the best site with applique instructions, but I love all your other posts as well!
On April 2nd, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Amy Sue said:
Erica,
The fusing shouldn’t be bigger than the applique because if it is it’ll melt all over your iron when you iron the applique to the onesie. Usually I fuse a piece of wonder under to the back of my fabric then cut out the shape, so the fusing is the exact same size as the applique.
Your solution sounds perfect! My mantra when I’m sewing is “I can fix it, I can fix it…” It’s amazing how creative one can get when necessary.
Good luck and be sure to send me a photo!
~Amy Sue
On May 19th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Easy, Inexpensive Teacher Gift « SkyLane Designs said:
[...] machine. Here are some websites that give step by step instructions on how to applique… http://www.myhappycrazylife.com/how-to-applique/ [...]
On July 6th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
kim h said:
hi, i have to do a step by step guide on applique for textiles at school but i dont get the interface bit what is interface, do yo just turn over the edges so they dont look rough???
On July 6th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
kim h said:
oh, and can you stitch your applique to the backing,in my case a cusion cover or do you have to use the iron on stuff?
hope you can help x
On July 6th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Amy Sue said:
Kim,
Interfacing is a non-woven textile used on the back of fabrics to stiffen or strengthen an area of the fabric. For applique I use “tear away” interfacing which means that after you’re done sewing it you can tear it along the stitching lines to remove it.
You could turn over the edges if you’d like, but I prefer to satin stitch over them instead.
~Amy Sue
On July 6th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Amy Sue said:
You could simply stitch the applique to the cushion cover, but using the fusible bond helps keep the applique in place while you’re stitching, and keeps the entire applique attached to the backing – otherwise you could get “bubbles” under the applique.
~Amy Sue
On July 29th, 2010 at 7:07 am
Alison said:
Thank you so much for this tutorial! I am wanting to start to do some appliques. Love the elephant dipe. Super cute!
On July 31st, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Tracy said:
I just wanted to say thank you for the applique tutorial! It is great! I can’t wait to try it out! Thanks!!!
On August 2nd, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Amy Sue said:
Thanks for taking time to comment Alison! I hope the tutorial is helpful for you – send me a photo of your appliques, I’d love to see them!
~Amy Sue
On August 2nd, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Amy Sue said:
Thanks Tracy! I hope the tutorial is helpful for you – feel free to post or email me with any questions you have, I’m here to help!
~Amy Sue