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Appliqué Embroidery |
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Read
Please: These tips are original and exclusive to OPW Mall.
Feel free to use them for your personal embroidering and quilting
needs, however, it is strictly prohibited to publish them without
permission. |
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LINKS TO PDF
INSTRUCTIONS |
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- Appliqué: For a
complete instructional pdf of basic
appliqué techniques, sign in
(HERE)
or sign up (HERE)
for the Members Only area and click "Applique" in the FREE
TUTORIALS section.
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- Layered Appliqué: For
a complete instructional pdf of the layered appliqué
technique, sign in (HERE)
or sign up (HERE)
for the Members Only area and click "Layered Appliqué" in
the FREE TUTORIALS section.
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- Reversible Appliqué:
For a complete instructional pdf on reversible appliqué,
sign in (HERE)
or sign up (HERE)
for the Members Only area and click "Reversible Appliqué"
in the FREE TUTORIALS section.
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Watch for new tips
as they are added to the top of this list. |
- A
healthy stock of fabric scraps is a great resource for appliqué on
your embroidery machine. Keep an eye out at thrift stores and
yard sales for packaged scraps. You only need a couple of inches
to make all the difference in getting just the look you want to
fill in that appliqué space. Organize your scraps by color
groupings as you get them to help make a quick choice - mine even
get arranged within the color groups into prints and solids.
(Editor's Note: small, clear boxes and Ziploc bags are perfect
for sorting scrap fabrics.)
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Have you ever wanted to cry because
you thought your machine "ate" your project? See the problem in a
new light and think of fixing it with appliqué. Re-hoop the
damaged garment with fresh stabilizer and run your outline color
stop once. Very carefully trim away the fabric with the damaged
design without cutting into the new stabilizer. Stitch the
outline color stop again, add fabric, and proceed with the final
appliqué step. Then, stitch a full design within the appliqué
space. It's better than tossing out the project completely
and you may be quite pleased with the new look!
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- Appliqué
doesn't always mean you have to use cotton quilting fabrics.
There are plenty of fun fabrics available that can add texture and
dimension to your design. Take a stroll through the fake furs and
plush fabrics at your local fabric store and start to imagine
sheep and monster designs that touch you back. The price of these
fabrics can be high, but if you only need ⅛- to ¼-yard pieces for
appliqué, then it becomes quite affordable to play with. Take a
friend, or group of friends, shopping to split and share those ⅛-
to ¼-yard pieces into workable appliqué squares. You'll end up
with a nice stash assortment for everyone for very little money.
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- The next
time you are fabric shopping and dreaming about what to do with all those quilt fabrics
and you just can't choose from a whole wall, purchase ⅛- to ¼-yard pieces of
several of your favorites to add to your
appliqué stash. Also, be sure to think of appliqué when sewing
friends are de-cluttering their sewing rooms. It only takes a
couple of inches to cover an appliqué area. Great appliqué
projects start with a variety of fabrics to choose from so that
you are sure to get just the color and texture you desire.
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You may have seen those scissors in
your local store with one blade that resembles a pelican's beak.
What in the world could that be for? They are a great example of
the right tool for the job. These funny looking scissors are
designed for the unique need of trimming close to appliqué edges
without cutting the stitches you want to remain. The large blade
lifts the fabric slightly, while the razor sharp edge of the
regular blade trims it away. If you plan on doing appliqué, these
scissors are highly recommended for your tool box.
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