The Beginners Guide to Applique

The applique sewing technique is one of the easiest to learn and involves the process of sewing two pieces of fabric together. Thanks to its simple nature, applique is a great way of decorating your favourite fabric household items such as cushions, tea towels, as well as clothes should you want to put your own twist on them. 

It is really easy to get to grips with and with our beginners' guide, you will be using this wonderful technique in no time. 

How to Applique on a Sewing Machine

The first step to efficiently applique your chosen object is by deciding on the design and the layout. Ensuring that the shapes you go for are not too complicated or fiddly will mean that it will be easier to do. The easier it is to do, the more likely it will turn out to the standard you wish. 

Should you want more detail, you will need to consider how you will obtain the results you want. Decide whether it is best to do it by hand or by machine, does it require buttons or does it need an element of embroidery? 

Prepare your Fabric Ahead of Time

For the best results when you applique, we would recommend that you use fabrics that are of similar weight. Using shapes cut from lighter fabrics sewn onto a heavier material is also fine, but be wary of doing the opposite (heavy onto light).

A common issue to look out for with applique is the possibility of the fabric fraying. The way to avoid this is by using some fusible interfacing that you simply apply to the fabric and then iron onto the main fabric. 

Applique your Shapes to your Fabric

Now that your shapes are all cut out and lightly ironed onto the main fabric using fusible interfacing, it is time to begin sewing. This is the simple part, all you need to do is pin your shapes in place and sew around them.

From this point, the choice of stitch is up to you. For those new to sewing, we would recommend using a simple straight stitch. Zigzag stitches are the middle ground between the aforementioned straight stitch and the traditional satin stitch. The advantages of this are that it covers the raw edges of the shapes, giving your applique a smooth finish around the edges. 

On the large majority of sewing machines you are able to adjust the distance between stitches, whether straight or zigzag, so have a play around with your machine’s settings and work out what distance you prefer. Of course, if you need any help or guidance on how to do this, we are only a phone call away.

Get in touch for more information

If you have any questions about your machine or a specific sewing technique, we would be more than happy to help you with your query. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
For more tips and tricks on how to make your sewing experience more enjoyable, why not visit the Sewing Direct blog? Here you can find guides for all the most popular sewing techniques.