How to Make a Leaf Applique

Use a real leaf as reference for making a fabric applique.

An applique is a decorative layer of fabric that you attach to the top of another piece of fabric as a way of embellishing a garment or home decor item. Create your own leaf applique by choosing a leaf design or by creating a freehand drawing of a leaf. With just a few materials and basic sewing machine stitching, you will create an original applique to add to your sewing or craft projects.

Things You'll Need

• Leaf pattern
• Cardboard
• Fabric
• Water-soluble fabric stabilizer
• Fine-tipped permanent marker
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Point turner (optional)
• Iron

Instructions

1. Create a pattern for the leaf you want to turn into an applique. Choose from coloring books, magazine or book illustrations or real leaves. Trace the outline of a leaf, or copy an image onto cardboard for a reusable pattern. Include vein lines on the pattern as a guide for topstitching later.

2. Place the cardboard pattern on water-soluble fabric stabilizer and trace the design with the permanent marker. Allow the permanent ink to dry.

3. Place the stabilizer with the design on the right side of your applique fabric.

4. Pin the two pieces together with straight pins. Cut out the applique fabric and stabilizer. Cut roughly around the shape of the applique, without cutting intricate details.

5. Thread your sewing machine with coordinating thread.

6. Place the fabric and stabilizer under the needle of the sewing machine, with the drawn pattern on the stabilizer facing you.

7. Stitch the entire seam line 1/8 inch outside the pattern lines. Cut the thread and remove the fabric and stabilizer from the machine. Trim the excess fabric around the seam and snip into any curves and around points in the design.

8. Turn the applique with the stabilizer facing you and snip a small opening in the design. Make this cut on the inside of the design, not along the seam line. Turn the fabric and stabilizer inside out so the right side of the fabric shows.

9. Push out the curves and points of the design with a blunt-tip point turner. As an alternative, use a small crochet hook or other blunt item to push out the points.

10. Press the fabric side of the applique with an iron set for the fabric type. Do not press the stabilizer side of the applique.

11. Apply the applique to your project by hand or machine sewing. When you wash the project, the water-soluble stabilizer will wash away. If you do not wash the project, the stabilizer will remain on the back of the applique, out of sight and enclosed in the stitching to the project.

Tips & Warnings

• Fabric stabilizer is a paper that washes off with cool water, and provides a stable backing for stitching small items. This will make it easy to see the pattern and prevent ink or pencil marks from bleeding through onto your fabric.

• As an alternative to water-soluble stabilizer, stitch a used fabric softener sheet to the applique fabric in the same manner. The sheet will remain attached to the back of the finished applique after applying it to the project. Be sure the sheet does not contain any dyes from previous use. Those dyes could stain your applique fabric.

References

• Quilt.com: Applique Basics