How to Attach an Applique to a Quilt

Use your sewing machine for quick and easy appliqued quilts.

Appliqued quilts offer the quilt maker techniques to portray more elaborate designs than traditional pattern piecing, due to the ability to layer the pieces of the design. The technique involves sewing cutout design pieces onto a base fabric, then quilting the finished project. However, you may want to add an applique design to a finished quilt for additional embellishment, or to hide a stain or tear. Machine applique is quick and easy for either use. It's also durable, making it perfect for items you'll use or wash often.

Things You'll Need

• Background fabric square
• Applique design fabrics
• Fusible webbing
• Tracing paper
• Pencil
• Sewing machine
• Sewing thread
• Machine applique presser foot

Instructions

Machine Applique Technique

1. Trace the pattern pieces for the applique design onto the paper side of the fusible webbing.

2. Lay design fabrics wrong side up. Put fusible webbing sticky side down and iron as directed on the webbing instructions.

3. Cut out pattern pieces from the webbing-backed fabric.

4. Lay all the cutout pieces onto the background fabric to determine placement and the order in which they must be applied. Remove and number each piece in reverse order.

5. Peel off the paper backing from the first (bottom) pattern piece and iron to the background fabric. Continue to place all pieces in the correct order.

6. Attach the applique presser foot to your sewing machine. Use tightly spaced zigzag stitch (satin stitch) about 1/8 inch wide to sew the raw edges of the applique design to the background fabric. Sew around the design, keeping most of the width of the stitch on the design rather than the background. The applique foot has a channel that allows the raised satin stitch to feed through evenly without jamming.

7. Backstitch at the end and cut the threads.

Attaching Applique to a Finished Quilt

1. Trace the design onto the paper side of the fusible webbing.

2. Iron the webbing to the fabric according to the directions. Peel off the paper backing and place over the desired area of the finished quilt.

3. Iron the pattern piece onto the surface of the quilt. Work from the center outward, smoothing carefully, since the underlying quilt may be uneven.

4. Attach the applique presser foot to your sewing machine. Use a tight zigzag stitch around the edges of the applique pattern piece, keeping most of the width of the stitch on the design rather than the background fabric. Backstitch when you get back to the beginning. Trim threads.

Tips & Warnings

• When appliqueing tapered points or tight curves, stop stitching and pivot with the machine needle inserted in the fabric so you can satin stitch mainly in straight sections. This is particularly helpful when appliqueing on a finished quilt, which may be difficult to maneuver on your sewing machine.

• Applique is usually done with a thread color that matches the applique pieces. For a fun alternative, choose a contrasting color.

• Machine embroidery thread has a finer texture than regular sewing thread and will give a smoother finished look to your applique.

References

• Quilter's Complete Guide; Marianne Fons and Liz Porter