Mastering How To Applique With Embroidery Machine Steps

Adding fabric shapes to your projects is a fun way to make them pop. This technique is called applique. Using an embroidery machine makes applique easy and precise. It’s like having a helper sew the shapes perfectly for you. A machine embroidery applique tutorial walks you through putting layers of fabric together with stitches. This creates colorful designs on shirts, bags, quilts, and more.

How To Applique With Embroidery Machine
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The Basics of Machine Applique

Machine applique lets you add cut pieces of fabric onto a base fabric. The embroidery machine stitches these pieces down with a decorative edge. This is different from traditional applique, where you sew by hand or with a regular sewing machine. Your embroidery machine follows a digital design, placing guide stitches, holding the fabric pieces, and sewing the final border. It’s a fast and clean way to get great results.

Getting Ready: Embroidery Machine Applique Supplies

Before you start, gather everything you need. Having your embroidery machine applique supplies ready makes the process smooth.

Here is a list of common items:

Embroidery Machine: Of course, you need a machine that can do embroidery.
Applique Design File: This is a digital file made for applique. It tells your machine where to stitch.
Base Fabric: The fabric you will stitch the applique onto (like a shirt, towel, or quilt square).
Applique Fabric: The fabric you will cut into shapes and layer on top. Pick fun colors and patterns!
Stabilizer for Machine Applique: Very important! This supports your fabric during stitching.
Embroidery Thread: You’ll need thread for the placement, tack-down, and final stitches. Pick colors that match or contrast with your fabric.
Bobbin Thread: Regular bobbin thread works fine.
Sharp Scissors: Small, sharp scissors are best for trimming applique fabric closely. Curved blade scissors (like duckbill scissors) are very helpful.
Temporary Spray Adhesive or Applique Glue Stick: This helps hold the applique fabric in place before stitching.
Heat-n-Bond Lite or Other Fusible Webbing (Optional): This can make trimming easier and prevent fabric fraying with some stitch types.
Fabric Pen or Chalk: For marking if needed.
Iron and Ironing Board: To press fabric before and during the process.
Embroidery Hoop: The right size for your design.

A Look at Supplies

Using the right tools helps make your applique look professional. Don’t skip on good quality fabric, thread, and stabilizer.

Item	Purpose	Notes
Embroidery Machine	Sew the design	Needs to read the applique file format.
Applique Design	Guides the machine	Must have multiple steps (placement, tack-down, border).
Base Fabric	The foundation	Pre-wash if it might shrink.
Applique Fabric	The shapes you add	Can be cotton, felt, minky, etc. Pick fabric suitable for your design.
Stabilizer	Supports fabric during stitching	Prevents puckering and stretching. Matching stabilizer to fabric is key.
Embroidery Thread	Creates the stitches	Rayon or polyester are common. Choose appropriate weight.
Sharp Scissors	Cuts fabric close to stitches	Small, sharp tips or curved blades are best.
Spray Adhesive/Glue Stick	Holds applique fabric in place	Use sparingly to avoid gumming up needles.
Fusible Webbing	Adds structure, helps with trimming (optional)	Follow product instructions.

Fabric Preparation for Machine Embroidery

Getting your fabric ready is a key step for success. Proper fabric preparation for machine embroidery helps prevent issues like puckering or poor stitch quality.

Here’s what to do:

Pre-wash and Dry: Wash and dry both your base fabric and your applique fabric just like you will care for the finished item. This helps prevent shrinkage later.
Press Everything: Iron your base fabric and applique fabrics well. Make sure they are smooth and wrinkle-free. Wrinkles can cause stitches to go off track.
Cut Applique Fabric Generously: Don’t cut your applique fabric into the exact shape yet. Cut a piece or square that is larger than the applique design area. You will trim it later.
Consider Fusible Webbing: For cleaner edges, especially with satin stitches, you can iron a lightweight fusible webbing like Heat-n-Bond Lite onto the back of your applique fabric before cutting the large piece. This adds a bit of stiffness and helps seal the edges when stitched.

Picking Support for Applique: Stabilizer for Machine Applique

Choosing the right stabilizer for machine applique is vital. Stabilizer provides a firm base for your stitches, stopping the fabric from stretching or moving while the machine is working. Without it, your design might look wavy or distorted.

Types of Stabilizer:

Tear-Away: Good for stable fabrics like cotton. You can tear it away easily after stitching. Use one or two layers depending on the fabric weight.
Cut-Away: Best for stretchy fabrics like knits, or for designs with heavy stitch density. It provides permanent support and is trimmed close to the design when finished.
Wash-Away (or Water Soluble): Used for delicate fabrics or when you want no stabilizer residue left behind. Some types are thin film, others are fibrous.
Sticky Back: Has a sticky surface on one side (covered with paper). Great for items that are hard to hoop, like collars or cuffs, or for placing multiple applique pieces accurately.

Choosing the Right One:

Fabric Type: Stretchy needs cut-away. Stable can use tear-away. Delicate might need wash-away.
Design Density: Heavy designs need stronger support, often cut-away.
Item Use: Will the item be washed a lot? Cut-away offers long-term support.

For most simple cotton applique projects, a medium-weight tear-away stabilizer works well. If you are hooping the fabric and stabilizer together, make sure the stabilizer is smooth in the hoop.

Securing Your Fabric: How to Hoop for Applique

Hooping correctly is just as important as choosing the right stabilizer. How to hoop for applique depends on your project and stabilizer choice. The goal is to hold the fabric and stabilizer taut and flat without stretching them.

Here are common hooping methods:

Hooping Fabric and Stabilizer Together:
- Lay your stabilizer smooth on a flat surface.
- Center your base fabric on top of the stabilizer.
- Place the inner hoop on the fabric where your design will go. Make sure the design area is centered within the inner hoop.
- Gently push the outer hoop down over the inner hoop and fabric/stabilizer layers.
- Pull gently on the edges of the fabric and stabilizer around the hoop to make them taut like a drum. Tighten the hoop screw. Be careful not to distort the fabric weave.
Using Sticky Back Stabilizer:
- Hoop a piece of sticky back stabilizer with the paper side up. Hoop it tightly.
- Score the paper inside the hoop with a pin or sharp tool, making an “X” shape.
- Peel away the paper inside the hoop to expose the sticky surface.
- Carefully place your base fabric onto the sticky stabilizer. Smooth it down with your hands. This method is great for thick items or things that are hard to fit in a hoop.

Important Tips for Hooping:

Always hoop both the base fabric and the stabilizer (or use sticky stabilizer).
Make sure there are no wrinkles in the fabric or stabilizer inside the hoop.
The fabric should be snug, but not overly stretched.
Check that the hoop is seated properly in your machine.

Proper hooping ensures your machine can stitch accurately, keeping your applique shape clean and crisp.

The Machine Embroidery Applique Tutorial – Steps for Machine Applique

Now that your fabric is ready and hooped, it’s time to sew! This is where you follow the steps for machine applique guided by your design file. Every machine is a little different, so always check your machine’s manual.

Here is a general step-by-step process for a machine embroidery applique tutorial:

Step 1: Set Up Your Machine and Design

Load the applique design file into your embroidery machine.
Make sure your hooped fabric is attached to the machine.
Thread the machine with the thread color for the first step of the design (usually the placement line). This thread color doesn’t really matter as it will be covered. Some people match it to the applique fabric or base fabric.

Step 2: Stitch the Placement Line

Start the machine. It will sew an outline stitch directly onto your base fabric. This is the “placement line.” It shows you exactly where to place your applique fabric.

Step 3: Place the Applique Fabric

Take the hoop off the machine but do not unhoop the fabric.
Take the piece of applique fabric you prepared (the piece larger than the shape).
Place this fabric piece over the placement line you just stitched. Make sure it completely covers the outline, extending past it on all sides.
You can use a small amount of temporary spray adhesive or an applique glue stick on the back of the applique fabric to hold it in place. Or just carefully hold it with your fingers for the next step.

Step 4: Stitch the Tack-Down Line

Put the hoop back onto the machine.
Change your thread if you want the tack-down stitch to be a specific color (though it’s often covered by the final stitch).
Start the machine. It will sew a stitch right on top of the placement line, stitching your applique fabric down to the base fabric. This is the “tack-down line.”

Step 5: Trimming Applique Fabric

Take the hoop off the machine again, but do not unhoop.
Now you need to trim away the extra applique fabric that is outside the tack-down line. This is Trimming applique fabric.
Use your sharp, small scissors. Carefully cut close to the tack-down stitch line, but be very careful not to cut the stitch line itself or the base fabric underneath.
Curved blade (duckbill) scissors are excellent for this step. The wider blade helps keep the base fabric away from your cutting blade.
Trim all the way around the shape. Get as close as you can without cutting the stitches. For raw edge applique, you might leave a little more fabric; for satin stitch, trim very close.

Step 6: Sew the Final Border Stitch

Put the hoop back onto the machine.
Change your thread to the color you want for the final border around the applique shape. This is often a Satin stitch applique embroidery or another decorative stitch.
Start the machine. It will sew the final stitches that cover the raw edge of the applique fabric and give the shape a finished look.
The machine will stitch the border, often multiple times depending on the stitch type, creating a dense edge.

Once the final stitch is done, the machine will stop. Your applique is complete!

Finishing Up

Take the hoop off the machine and unhoop your fabric.
Remove the stabilizer from the back. Tear away tear-away, trim cut-away, or wash away wash-away.
Gently press your design from the back.

Following these steps helps ensure your applique is stitched correctly and looks great.

Exploring Applique Styles: Applique Stitch Types Embroidery Machine

The final stitch around your applique fabric edge makes a big difference in the look. Different applique stitch types embroidery machine offer varied finishes. The two main styles relate to how the fabric edge is treated: raw edge or finished edge.

1. Satin Stitch Applique Embroidery (Finished Edge)

This is perhaps the most popular method for a clean, finished look. Satin stitch applique embroidery uses a dense, wide zigzag stitch placed very close together.

Look: Creates a smooth, raised border that completely covers the raw edge of the applique fabric. It looks like a solid band of thread.
Process: Requires trimming the applique fabric very close to the tack-down line. The dense satin stitch covers the trimmed edge entirely.
Best For: Clothing, items that will be washed often, designs where you want a very tidy, professional look. Can be used with or without fusible webbing on the applique fabric.

2. Raw Edge Applique Embroidery Machine

With raw edge applique embroidery machine, the fabric edge is not fully covered. The machine uses stitches that hold the fabric down but allow the edge to show, and sometimes fray slightly over time for a rustic look.

Look: The fabric edge is visible. The stitching is decorative and holds the fabric flat.
Process: When trimming applique fabric for raw edge styles, you might leave a tiny bit more fabric outside the tack-down line compared to satin stitch. Or, you can trim right at the tack-down stitch.
Stitch Types: Common raw edge stitches include:
- Straight Stitch: Simply sews one or more lines close to the edge. The edge will fray.
- Zigzag Stitch: A wider zigzag than a satin stitch, with more space between stitches, showing the fabric edge between the stitches.
- Blanket Stitch: Looks like hand-sewn blanket stitches around the edge. Very popular for a crafty or folk-art look.
- Decorative Stitches: Some machines have special stitches that can be used around the applique edge.
Best For: Quilts, home decor items, designs where a slightly frayed or visible fabric edge is desired. Sometimes a fabric sealer is used on the edge to control fraying.

Choosing the right stitch type depends on the overall style you want for your project and how it will be used. Satin stitch is durable and clean; raw edge offers different textures and looks.

Tips for a Perfect Applique

Getting great results takes a little practice. Here are some tips to help you master machine applique:

Test First: Always do a test stitch-out on scrap fabric with the same layers (base fabric, applique fabric, stabilizer) before stitching on your final project. This helps you check thread tension, stitch quality, and fabric behavior.
Needle Choice: Use a sharp needle (like a 75/11 or 80/12 embroidery needle). Make sure your needle is not bent or dull. Change your needle often, especially after working with fusible webbing which can gum up needles.
Thread Tension: Good tension is key. The bobbin thread should appear as small dots on the back, and the top thread should look smooth on the front. Adjust tension if needed.
Slow Down: For dense stitches like satin stitch, running your machine at a slightly slower speed can improve stitch quality.
Fabric Choice:
- For applique fabric, tightly woven cottons work well, especially with fusible webbing.
- Avoid fabrics that fray excessively unless you specifically want that look for raw edge applique.
- Consider using non-fraying materials like felt, vinyl, or leather for applique shapes – these don’t require edge finishing stitches if you don’t want them.
Layering: If your design has multiple applique layers, the design file will guide you. You’ll follow the same steps (placement, tack-down, trim, final stitch) for each layer, usually starting with the layer that is lowest or furthest back in the design.
Trimming Patience: Take your time when trimming applique fabric. This step is crucial for a good-looking final stitch, especially satin stitch. Good, sharp scissors make a huge difference.
Pressing: Pressing between steps isn’t always necessary but can help. Always press at the end to set the stitches and flatten the fabric.

Caring for Appliqued Items

Once your beautiful machine applique project is finished, proper care will help it last.

Washing: If you used washable materials, follow the washing instructions for your base fabric. For satin stitch applique, turn the item inside out before washing to protect the stitches. Use a gentle cycle and mild detergent. Cold water is often best.
Drying: Air drying is recommended for items with detailed applique. If using a dryer, use low heat or a delicate setting.
Ironing: Iron from the back of the design if possible. If ironing the front, use a pressing cloth and avoid pressing directly on dense stitches like satin stitch which can flatten them.
Avoid Bleach: Bleach can damage threads and fabric colors.

By taking care of your finished items, your machine applique designs will stay looking fresh for a long time.

Practice Makes Perfect

Learning to machine applique is a skill that improves with practice. Start with simple shapes and designs. Use scrap fabric to get comfortable with the steps, especially trimming applique fabric closely and achieving nice satin stitch quality.

As you gain confidence, you can try more complex designs, multiple layers, and different applique stitch types embroidery machine. Experiment with various fabrics and stabilizers. Join online groups or watch more machine embroidery applique tutorial videos for tips and inspiration.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. They are part of the learning process! Just unpick carefully and try again. Soon, you’ll be adding custom applique designs to everything.

Conclusion

Machine applique opens up a world of creative possibilities for your embroidery projects. From gathering your embroidery machine applique supplies, preparing your fabric, and choosing the right stabilizer for machine applique, each step builds towards a successful outcome. Following the steps for machine applique – stitching placement, placing fabric, tacking down, trimming applique fabric, and sewing the final border with your chosen applique stitch types embroidery machine like satin stitch applique embroidery or raw edge applique embroidery machine methods – allows you to add vibrant fabric shapes with ease and precision. With a bit of practice and attention to detail, you can master this fun technique and create personalized items that stand out.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the difference between applique and embroidery?

A: Embroidery uses stitches to create designs directly on fabric. Applique adds cut pieces of fabric onto the base fabric and then stitches around the edges of the added fabric piece. Applique adds texture and dimension with different fabrics.

Q: Can I use any fabric for applique?

A: You can use many fabrics. Cotton is common because it’s easy to work with. Felt, fleece, minky, vinyl, and even leather can be used. Consider how the fabric frays and whether you want a raw edge or a finished edge.

Q: How do I choose the right size hoop?

A: Your hoop needs to be large enough to fit the entire applique design. You cannot move the fabric and re-hoop mid-design. Choose the smallest hoop that fits the design comfortably.

Q: My satin stitch isn’t covering the edge. Why?

A: This usually means the applique fabric wasn’t trimmed close enough to the tack-down line. It could also mean your satin stitch width or density in the design file is not correct for your fabric or thread. Make sure your stabilizer is supporting the stitches well.

Q: Do I need special scissors for applique?

A: While you can start with any sharp, small scissors, specialized applique scissors (often called duckbill scissors) are very helpful. They have a wide blade that keeps the base fabric safely out of the way while you trim the applique fabric.

Q: What if my applique fabric shifts after I place it?

A: Using temporary spray adhesive or an applique glue stick on the back of the applique fabric before placing it on the base fabric helps hold it still for the tack-down stitch. Use just a little bit so it doesn’t make the needle sticky.