How to Do an Appliqué on a T-Shirt
You can give your wardrobe a makeover -- without having to spend money on buying new clothes -- when you add an appliqué on an old garment. "Appliquéing" is the process of adding fabric on top of fabric. The first thing you need to do is select the fabric you'd like to sew on top of the original garment to create the new design. A T-shirt is a good candidate for appliquéing because its unadorned front and back leave plenty of room to be creative.
Things You'll Need
- Template (optional)
- Fabric
- Fabric pen
- Scissors
- Pins
- Sewing machine
- Thread
Instructions
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1
Design the appliqué you want to use. You can make one that's personal and unique, or use a template that you trace.
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2
Draw the appliqué design on the fabric you're going to use on top of the T-shirt. Use a fabric pen when you draw on the fabric; they're specially designed not to run or bleed on material.
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3
Cut out the fabric design with scissors. Place the design on top of the T-shirt. Position the design in various locations until you find a spot you like.
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4
Pin the design on the T-shirt. Turn the edge of the design under based on the seam allowance you want to use on the sewing machine. A small seam would be 1/8 inch, while a larger seam would be 1/2 inch. Select the seam allowance and fold the fabric edges under, keeping them in place with the pins.
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Load the thread into the sewing machine and set the machine to your seam allowance. Place the T-shirt and appliqué under the needle of the sewing machine. Make sure you don't sew the front and back of the T-shirt together. The bottom of the sewing machine should be sandwiched between the front and back sides of the T-shirt.
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Sew around the edges, tracing the design of the appliqué using a zigzag stitch, which is an effective stitch for appliquéing. Make a knot when the appliqué is sewn onto the shirt and cut off any excess thread.
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References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
