APPLIQUE
Sewing Symbols, Designs, & Heraldry
By Lady Armstrong
Applique - Basics
What is Applique?
Applique is a technique used in sewing that involves cutting shapes out of fabric to attach to another piece of fabric. Applique can be used to patch holes in clothing, to embellish garments, or to conserve expensive or rare fabric.
Applique Vs. Embroidery
Embroidery is the process of forming decorative designs with thread.
Applique is a cutout decoration fastened to a larger piece of material.
Hand Stitched Vs. Machine
Historically applique was stitched by hand. Hand stitched appliqué can be very beautiful.
Machine-stitched applique is faster to make and more durable. Most appliqued garb is machine stitched.
Types of Applique
Straight Stitch: Fabric designs are placed on base fabric and edge stitched. The edge is left raw. OR the design is folded under around the edge, adhered to base fabric and edge stitched. This technique is often used for quilting and decorative sewing.
Satin Stitch: Designs are adhered to base fabric and the raw ends are enclosed with a dense zig-zag stitch. This technique is very durable and is almost always used for applique on garb.
Choosing Designs to Applique
Designs with simple edges and not much detail are the easiest to appliqué, although the amount of detail that can be added to applique is up to you. For very detailed or small images, embroidery may be a more appropriate technique. For example, I might choose to appliqué this sword but embroider the knight due to the level of detail.
Applique: Tools & Materials
Please see Lady Armstrong’s TOME OF TOOLS FOR GARBERS for more information on tools and materials for applique.
Technique
Gather your appliqué fabrics. Woven fabrics are best. Coarse weaves and twills can be appliqued but are less easy to work with. The appliqué fabric should be the same weight or lighter weight than the base fabric. The fabrics should be pre-washed and ironed.
Have your design and materials ready. Sketch a plan showing colors and shapes to be used. Good planning is crucial. Fabric should be pre-washed. It is easier to apply applique garb while the garment is still in pieces (i.e. sleeves, tunic front or back).
Start with the image that you want to applique. Here, I have printed off some simple leaf drawings.
Feel free to simplify or modify the images as you work.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions to apply fusible interfacing to the back of your design fabric. Be careful to iron out any wrinkles. If you get interfacing on your iron use a fabric softener sheet to clean it off.
Transferring Images to Fabric
Other methods of transferring the image include fabric tracing paper and ink-jet transfers. You can also draw directly onto the fusible adhesive, but remember that designs drawn on the back of the fabric will be reversed when the fabric is turned over.
The most common method I use to transfer the image to the fabric is to tape the design to the applique fabric and use a pen or pencil to trace the outline of the shape, pressing firmly.
Try to place the design in such a way that the grain of the applique will run the same direction as the grain under it when it is adhered to the base fabric. ��When the paper is removed, indentations remain in the fabric.
Here, the fabric is layered with tracing paper to create the image, again by tracing with a pen or pencil……so that when the printout and tracing paper are lifted away a copy of the image remains.
Cutting the Design
Cut out the shape using small, fine-point scissors.
The back of the image is covered with adhesive and adhesive paper.
How the design is cut can have a big effect on the final appearance of the design. Here, I have chosen to cut out the veins of a leaf to use the negative space as part of the image. ��Angular shapes can be cut with a ruler and rotary cutter. ��A craft cutting machine, such as a Silhouette or Cricut, can be used to cut applique with great precision and speed.
Placing the Design
Following the adhesive manufacturer’s instructions, remove the paper from the back of the applique shapes and iron them onto the base fabric. Once adhered they are difficult to remove, so place them carefully before ironing. Check twice, iron once.
Pin a piece of embroidery/applique stabilizer to the back of the base fabric, making sure it is larger than the applique pieces on all sides.
Using regular thread in the same color as the applique fabric, and either a regular sewing foot, applique foot, or free-motion foot, edge stitch all the applique pieces to the base fabric. This creates a “sandwich” with the appliqué on top, the base fabric in the middle, and the stabilizer on the bottom.
Reverse Applique
Reverse Applique is a technique that involves cutting a design into a larger section of fabric so the fabric underneath shows through, rather than placing shapes onto a base layer of fabric. The edges of the top fabric are then stitched (see following page) to make the design durable. Some designs are more visually appealing and easier to execute when done with Reverse Applique. Examples: Left, the black stripe has shapes cut into it with white fabric showing through beneath the black. Center left, the red triangles are appliqued as usual while the centers of the triangles are cut out and backed with tan fabric to create a Reverse Applique accent. Center right, by Emily Magnuson, the black is cut out and backed with gray. Right, the design on the shield cover is cut into the black, with white fabric underneath.
Satin stitch the interior line work of each section followed by all the raw exterior edges of your appliqué. You will probably want to use a satin stitch that is between 2 and 5 mm wide, with the stitches close enough together that they just touch but do not overlap or bunch up. Lower the tension on your sewing machine to about 2.5. Do some practice runs first to make sure your settings are right. The needle should come down just to the side of the appliqué fabric.
Proper hand positioning and technique while satin stitching is important. Keep your hands placed on each side of the needle to control the fabric speed and angle. Go slow. Always be aware of which direction the needle is going to go next. Pivot around turns with the needle down. Try not to push or pull on the fabric, but guide it gently around curves. Practice making smooth, even stitches. Backstitch or otherwise secure all thread ends.
Satin Stitching
This is linen on linen, standard applique, except for the details on the monicle lens and chain which are done with a decorative machine stitch. Pay attention to levels when stitching applique - here the lower part of the eye is stitched before the upper part to convey depth. The monacle chain was stitched first, since it is behind the skull and the monacle itself, and so on. Stitch width is varied to create detail and a sense of scale and relative depth. The eye and the nose are Reverse Applique (the fabric underneath shows through).
Applique Example #1
This is metallic quilting cotton on linen. The vines are about 1/3" wide. The stitching is narrow (about 2.5 mm) so that the borders and interiors are clearly defined. Since the stitching is narrow and there are no very fine points I kept the stitch width the same throughout. Corners and points are done by stitching to the turn, pivoting, and stitching over the previous stitches at an angle.
Applique Example #2
Black linen on faded black linen - this was an addition to an existing tunic. The corners are done by stitching one or two stitches shy of the corner, pivoting with needle down and presser foot up, and stitching over the previous stitches down the next edge. The points are done by narrowing stitch width down to a very small width (1 mm or so) as the point is reached, and then back up again to the standard width along the next edge.
Applique Example #3
Linen on linen applique with thread stitched details. The corners are done by stitching one or two stitches shy of the corner, pivoting with the needle down and the presser foot up, and then stitching over the previous stitches down the next edge.
The interior circle, which is about 1 1/4 inches in diameter, is done by slowly stitching around the circle, keeping the stitches as perpendicular to the edge of the circle as possible. By slowly, I mean do 3 stitches, stop, lift presser foot with needle down, pivot a tiny bit, stitch 3 more stitches, pivot, and so on.
The center of the circle was done using a decorative stitch on my machine. I traced the design and carefully stitched over it.
Applique Example #4
This is cotton/polyester appliqued onto linen. Since there is such a stark contrast between the thread and the fabric I went over the stitching 2 or sometimes three times to try and prevent any white from showing through the stitching. Here pay attention to levels again - the tuft on the head was stitched first because it is behind the head. Then the eye and the lower part of the beak, then the forehead, then finally the upper part of the beak. The corners are done by stitching one or two stitches shy of the corner, pivoting, and stitching over the previous stitches down the next edge. Fine points are accomplished by narrowing stitch width down to the end of the point and then widening again on the way back up.
Applique Example #5
This is linen appliqued onto linen using regular embroidery thread and metallic embroidery thread for the thread. The thread wrapped around the spool was stitched first using a very narrow 1.5 mm satin stitch. Then the spool was stitched with about a 3 mm satin stitch. The corners are done by stitching one or two stitches shy of the corner, pivoting, and stitching over the previous stitches down the next edge. Then I stitched the needle, using multiple layers of thread to create a solid raised effect. The stitches narrow down to the point of the needle. Lastly I stitched the curved thread that is on top to create a 3D effect where it goes from behind the spool, across the spool, and through the eye of the needle.
Applique Example #6
This is brown linen appliqued onto identical brown linen with brown thread. Stitch width is varied between the veins, stem and exterior of the leaf to create a sense of scale and visual interest. The curves were satin stitched much like a circle, with the intent of keeping the stitches as close to perpendicular to the edge as possible (no need to go as slowly as with a circle, however, as a varied shape is a little more forgiving.)
Applique Example #7
This is cotton/polyester appliqued onto linen. You can see a bit of decorative machine stitching in both the black applique. I used charcoal gray thread to outline both the black and white applique to pull them together visually and to create some subtlety in the design. The circle, which is 4 inches in diameter, is done by slowly stitching around the circle, keeping the stitches as perpendicular to the edge of the circle as possible. By slowly, I mean do 3 stitches, stop, lift presser foot with needle down, pivot a tiny bit, stitch 3 more stitches, pivot, and so on. The design in the circle is tiny applique that has been stitched over very densely to create a solid, raised effect. The stitches narrow down to the points. Great care was taken to try and keep the stitching even and smooth despite the changing width.
Applique Example #8
Finishing
Have fun experimenting with fabrics, thread type and color, stitch width, contrasting stitching, interior stitching, and so on.
When you are finished stitching the design, trim up any loose threads or fabric bits. Make sure all loose threads are knotted, woven into the back of the project, or glued down. Remove the stabilizer from the back of the project per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Done properly, your work should be machine washable, stand up to tough use, and last for many years.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Revell Armstrong, aka Ellie Apland. ��Lady Armstrong Designs on Facebook.