How to Applique with An Embroidery Machine

how to applique with an embroidery machine

As embroidery is becoming trendy and trendy, an increasing number of people chooses to own their embroidery machine. Whether you get your first embroidery machine or not? Although many people have their own embroidery machine, they never try to applique with it. As they think it’s too difficult and complex to applique with an embroidery machine. Don’t worry; today we prepare a step-by-step tutorial about how to applique with an embroidery machine. After reading this article, you will know the accurate method of applique with an embroidery machine.

Today, as an example, we will applique an apple pattern on a piece of fabric with an embroidery machine.


Preparing

Now we should prepare plenty of clothing, accessories, and so on to achieve applique.

Ingredients needed:

  • Temporary spray adhesive
  • Applique fabric (good-quality and tightly-woven quilter’s cotton, denim, felt, canvas, twill, etc.)
  • Base fabric (in this example, a kitchen towel)
  • Medium-weight (2.5 ounces) cutaway stabilizer

Step-by-step Tutorial

Step1: Choose the pattern you will use to decal

Whether it is applique or embroidery, choosing designs in advance is a necessary step. You need to select a pattern you like and adjust its size. Then you can print it and compare its size with your fabric’s size. In this step, you can get a design matching your fabric.

appliques

Step2: Preparing your applique piece

In this step, we need to prepare the decals. First, you need to spray a medium-weight cutting stabilizer with a temporary adhesive to make the fabric that will be used for the applique smooth. Next, you need to put the printed paper on it and then cut the shape according to the pattern.

applique design

Step3: Prepare a stabilizer

In the above steps, the decal fabric backing has a cutaway stabilizer. In general, towels always require stabilizers, and the softer the fabric, the more stabilizer is needed. For our current web design, the chamfer stabilizer is the best choice. We need to hoop this kitchen towel with a medium weight (2.5 ounces) cutting stabilizer.

machine embroidery applique

Step4: Start to applique

We sprayed the back of the decal and stabilizer with a little temporary adhesive. And then place the applique design on the center of the embroidery hoop.

applique fonts

Then, open the embroidery function of the embroidery machine and embroider the design. After achieving decorating the design,  we need to start to sew tight-fitting stitches, also known as zigzag stitches. It can combine the decal fabric with the fabric to be decaled. In this decal example, the leaves and stems of the apple are stitched with threads.

appliques for sale

machine embroidery applique designs

 

Step5: Finishing applique

Finally, we need to cut the extra stabilizer from the back of the towel. But you should pay attention to leaving about 1/2 inch around the design.

embroidery and applique machine

Step6: Finished work show

Look, is it beautiful? As an essential branch of embroidery, decal design is an excellent way to use exclusive designs to make your fabric look different.

machine applique patterns


Tips:

  1. Before applique, it is crucial to have a pair of scissors you like. Everyone has different preferences for scissors. Some people like curve scissors, and some people like straight scissors. But no matter what kind of scissors you like, it is helpful to have one in the applique.
  2. Even if you don’t have embroidered fabrics, it’s always a good idea to try to stitch design in advance before you start decaled, so that you can see how the stitches actually line up on the placement stitch. This will be a great help in your subsequent stickers.
  3. When trimming the fabric, we need to use the right tools and be especially careful. The material should be cut close enough so that the thread does not peep from beneath the outside of the satin stitch, but it should not be too close. Otherwise, the satin stitch will not cover it securely.

Conclusion

After reading today’s article, whether you get the skill of applique with an embroidery machine or not.

I hope that you can achieve your first applique work soon.

By the way, we prepared a small video about the applique tutorial with an embroidery machine, and you can get more straightforward guidance.

Keep Reading:

  How to Embroider Letters with A Sewing Machine

 Best Embroidery Machine for Quilting