How to Make Your Own Appliques Out of Licensed Fabric
Sometimes it is hard to find an applique that is exactly what you want, especially if you want an applique of a licensed character. You can make your own appliques by using the pictures and logos printed on licensed fabric. Preshrink the fabric by washing and drying it; then iron it to remove wrinkles. You need a sewing machine that makes a tight zigzag stitch to finish the raw edges of the appliques.
Things You'll Need
- Embroidery hoop
- Fusible facing
- Embroidery hand sewing needle
- Embroidery floss in colors matching the character
- Scissors
- Zigzag sewing machine
Instructions
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1
Place the inner ring of the embroidery hoop on the table. Put a piece of fusible facing on top of the embroidery hoop. Center the decorated portion, or character, of the licensed fabric on top of the fusible facing. Make sure both layers are smooth and wrinkle free, then push the outer ring of the embroidery hoop straight down over the fabric and inner ring.
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2
Thread the hand sewing needle with a piece of embroidery floss about 18 inches long. Tie a small knot in the end of one strand, and pull the knotted strand until it is twice as long as the other strand.
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3
Select the lines you would like to highlight in the image. You could use the outline of a character's face, nose, hair or eyes or the words written under the character.
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4
Make a line of 1/16-inch-long running stitches along the accent lines.
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5
Remove the fabric and fusible facing from the embroidery hoop by lifting the top hoop off.
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6
Cut around the licensed image, 1/4 inch beyond the image's outer edge.
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7
Set the sewing machine to make a wide, tight zigzag stitch. Sew all the way around the image so the excess fabric around the edge is completely covered by zigzag stitches.
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Tips & Warnings
When you are ready to use the applique, iron it in place and then sew around the edges, either using a zigzag stitch on your machine or hand sew using a hemming stitch.
References
- Photo Credit sewing machine image by Peter Baxter from Fotolia.com
