How to Applique Embroidery Designs

Use any embroidery applied to a piece of fabric for this project.

An embroidery is appliqued onto a fabric or garment when the fabric the embroidery is on is important to the design. Often in children's wear and the juniors market, a contrast or coordinating fabric will be introduced in an applique. In addition, the fabric surrounding the embroidery can be cut to an interesting shape, such as a heart, an animal or a word. The embroidery could be a design or a piece of the overall design included in the applique.

Things You'll Need

• Embroidered piece of fabric
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Garment or fabric to applique
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread

Instructions

1. Lay the embroidered piece of fabric on a table or other flat surface.

2. Use the pencil to draw the desired shape of the applique on the piece of fabric, outside the lines of the embroidery. Leave at least one-half inch of fabric between the embroidery edge and the fabric edge.

3. Follow the pencil line to cut out the shape.

4. Place the applique on your garment or fabric in the desired location, face up, and pin into place.

5. Place your sewing machine foot's left edge on the edge of the applique. The fabric edge should match up with the foot edge.

6. Sew around the applique using the machine's zig-zag stitch, keeping your foot matched up with the edge of the fabric.

7. Clip any loose threads, releasing the fabric from the machine.

8. Remove all the pins from the applique.