9/8/09

Tutorial: Appliques My Way (free applique designs)



Hang on for MY WAY TO APPLIQUE!!! (tee hee, it rhymes!)



I recently did a series of appliques for a friend and thought I'd share my designs for these and a brief How-To!!!

Ingredients:
Super thin fusible web bought off a bolt. This does NOT have a peel-able backing and is super super thin/sheer.
Elmer's Washable School Glue Stick
Iron
Object on to which applique will be applied
Colored pencil or sharpie
various rib, jersey, or interlock colors (I just dig thru my knits scrap bin)



Glue sticks, like these. MAGIC!!! I actually use these for lots of things, especially for sewing slippery fabric together. It keeps it from shifting and washes right out!


This is how thin and transparent the fusible web is. It's sold by-the-yard, and if you can't find it, ask a sales clerk to help you.


See how thin it is?? I placed it over the applique template and you can see right through it!!


Trace the designs onto the fusible web using a colored pencil (I prefer Ticonderoga Core-Lock because they are soft lead artists pencils, but they also seem to wash out pretty easily) or sharpie. Take note of how many of each piece you need! For instance, you need to trace FOUR legs for the sheep.



Cut apart the pieces by color, but leave a lot of fusible web around the edges, as below for the hooves. Smear the reverse of the fabric liberally with the glue stick, then stick the fusible web tracing right to it! Spread them in a single layer to dry (doesn't take long)



Since I was making multiple tees with different appliques, I made a cutting list according to color. It's an organizational tool I use frequently when dealing with a lot of different colors.



Once the glue has all dried, cut out each piece and assemble neatly, making sure each piece is accounted for.



use your glue stick to assemble the applique the way you would like it on the shirt (or whatever you're appliqueing) . If you mess up, peel it up, and re-glue. THIS is the beauty of the glue stick. Iron using a pressing cloth with the iron set on hot, but no steam.


Here are all the tee w/ ironed-on appliques, before sewing.



Sew close to the edge of the applique using a short stitch length. Set your machine on slow, if you can, and use a presser foot made for appliqueing if you've got one. It makes it easier if you can clearly see the edge, as you want to get as close as you can, like 1/8".

Finished birds



finished owl


One of the sheep is the first pic, shown above.

Here are the patterns for each of the ones featured today: Please use freely but do not use these for anything you will sell. :) Thanks!!

Mr. Sheepy O'Leapy page 1

Mr. Sheepy O'Leapy page 2
Three Little Birds
Tootsie the Hoot Owl

10 comments:

Dina said...

Love them all but I really love the birds :)

Goosegirl said...

That was great! I love the bird too!

Rachel said...

very cute! thanks for the great tutorial!

Jacki said...

I hope you make some great things!! The key is the planning and organization, really, because the actual work is easy enough for anyone.

Michelle said...

Fantastic, as always! I noticed the stitch for the yellow part of the owl is different. Is that a blanket stitch?

Jacki said...

It's the feather stitch. I thought about talking about it, but then I figured it was an unusual stitch to have on a regular sewing machine and decided against it.

mummy_chelle said...

Thanks for this tutorial! You explained everything so clearly that I think I will be able to do it now. And your organisation by colour is a great idea. I am more of a get-one-thing-done-at-a-time sewer and consequently spend a lot of time changing thread!

mistyeiz said...

so cute!! tq very much for the designs. if u dont mind me asking [i'm a newbie], what stitch did u use to sew the centre of the owl [the orang thread]? thanks!

Jacki said...

Mistyeiz,
the stitch I used is the featherstitch on my sewing machine. Good luck!!
Jacki8

Anonymous said...

Good work there. I signed up to your rss feed!

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