Many have started machine embroidery and gotten confused as to how to apply applique which is different than your basic machine embroidery.
EMBROIDERY is a method of sewing where colorful thread is used to create pictures. APPLIQUE is another sewing technique where a fabric shape is sewn onto another piece of fabric.
Some ask if an Embroidery Machine can do appliques. Yes, there are several different steps to creating an applique on an embroidery machine. First there needs to be a placement line, so you know where to place the applique fabric. Then there needs to be a tack down line that stitches the applique fabric to the background. By using a unique applique process, stitches can be decreased by replacing stitches with the fabric you would place there. It saves costs and production time, and your finished project could show clearer and more distant.
Simplified guide to using appliqué with machine embroidery for beginners
1. Choose Fabric: Select the fabric for your appliqué, ensuring it complements
your project. Cotton works well for beginners.
2. Pick Design: Find a simple embroidery design that includes an appliqué element.
Many designs will indicate where the appliqué fabric should be placed.
3. Stabilize Your Fabric: Use stabilizer on the back of the fabric where you’ll be
placing the appliqué. This helps prevent puckering during embroidery.
4. Hoop the stabilizer and fabric together. Make sure it’s taut but not overly
stretched.
5. Appliqué Fabric: Cut the appliqué fabric slightly larger than the design’s
outline. Secure it to the hooped fabric using temporary adhesive or pins.
6. Embroidery Settings: Load the design into your embroidery machine. Follow the
machine’s instructions for thread colors and order. Start the machine, and it will
first stitch the appliqué outline.
7. Trim and Finish: After the outline is stitched, stop the machine. Trim excess
appliqué fabric close to the stitching. Resume the machine, and it will complete
the design, securing the appliqué in place.
Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t be afraid to experiment and refine
your technique!
Below is a clear example of what an applique looks like in a heart form.
