Applique Tutorial for Embroidery Machines

Applique is a great way to use up bits and pieces of fabric or give new life to old clothing. It can be used to spruce up towels and pillow cases to make wonderful handmade gifts. Many bow makers are even embroidering on ribbon before making hair bows! I have always felt it is my way to 'go green.'

Below I will walk you through step by step how to do an embroidery machine applique. Each embroidery machine operates differently and each embroiderer likes to do things just a little different. This is a general outline that should take the fear out of your first embroidery applique project.

I strongly recommend choosing a simple applique design until. You can find several free ones by searching the internet. Once you have your design chosen load it and your thread onto your embroidery machine.

Prepare your fabric you are going to sew on. I also recommend using thick muslin to practice on until you have the techniques down. It is usually inexpensive and easy to sew on and easy to see mistakes. Do use a good quality interfacing as with any other project. At this point I also prepare my fabric that is to be appliqued. My machine sews a 4 inch by 4 inch square; I cut a square of fabric that is to be appliqued. I like to cut it to fit the window that my machine will sew so I know I will not be too short on fabric. This is just a personal preference. You can easily cut your fabric to be appliques to be any size. You do need it to be bigger than is to be appliqued.

Hoop your bottom fabric and place your hoop in your embroidery machine. Load your thread in your embroidery machine. I also line up the other colors I need to use in the order in which they will be used next to my machine. It makes it easy to grab them and no time is wasted searching for thread.

Start your pattern. The first color sewn will be an outline, in a single stitch. This will show you where to place your fabric that is to be appliqued. Your pattern will have you sew several colors. Here is the secret; all the color changes are so the machine will do the stops need for each step of the applique process. While you are learning the process, I advise you to change your thread colors until you understand the process. The final thread color is the one that will 'show' on your finished project. When this color stops, your machine will stop and want you to do a color change. Before changing the color, place the fabric to be appliqued over the sewn outline. DO NOT REMOVE THE FABRIC FROM THE HOOP. You can remove the hoop from the machine to do so but DO NOT REMOVE THE FABRIC FROM THE HOOP. I like to use basting spray (used in quilting) to hold the fabric that is to be appliqued firm. The basting spray keeps the fabric from moving around as the needle is sewing; it's just a personal preference.

If you have not changed the color, do so now. Start your machine again; it will now sew another outline onto the applique fabric, directly on top of the other outline. Once the outline is done, your machine will stop and want you to do another color change. At this point you will need to change your thread color and remove your hoop from your machine. DO NOT REMOVE THE FABRIC FROM THE HOOP.

DO NOT REMOVE THE FABRIC FROM THE HOOP. Once the hoop is removed from the machine, cut around the applique fabric, close to the outline stitching. You will want to leave a little bit of the fabric so the satin stitching will catch it. If you cut it too close to the outline or cut the outline stitching, it will fray over time and will come unsown. If you leave too much, it will hang over the satin stitching and you can always trim it away. It is really best to leave too much fabric than to cut away too much in the beginning while you are learning. The more you practice you will find your preference. When cutting away the fabric, I prefer to use embroidery scissors as they are small and I can get close to the outline stitching without cutting it.

Place the hoop back in your machine and start the pattern. You are now on the final stitching. Most machines will do an outline stitching before finishing up with the satin stitch. Once the satin stitching is done remove the hoop from your machine.

Remove the fabric from the hoop and trim up any threads and/or fabric. Your first applique project has been competed! Don't be discouraged if your first project doesn't turn out perfect, this does take some practice.