How Do I Applique a Shirt?
Embellish a plain shirt with an applique. Applique is a method of cutting designs out of fabric to sew to other cloth items, such as a shirt, dress or quilt. Make your own applique from cotton, felt, polar fleece or microfiber fleece.
Instructions
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Draw and cut out an original design or use an applique pattern to create a template. Lay the template on top of the rough side of the fusible web and cut out the design. Put the fusible web cut-out, paper side up, on top of the wrong side of the applique fabric. Using a hot iron, with the steam off, iron the fusible web to the applique fabric. Cut around the fusible web design that is now adhered to the fabric. You now have an applique with a paper backing.
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Position the applique on your shirt. Remove the paper from the back of the applique and press it onto the shirt.
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Set your sewing machine settings to a wide zig-zag stitch. Sew around the applique perimeter, stitching the raw edge of the applique fabric to the shirt. When complete, do not back-stitch -- use a needle to pull the loose threads through to the inside of the shirt and tie them together.
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Blind stitch around the perimeter of the applique's raw edge to hand sew an applique to your shirt. Begin by tying a knot at the end of the thread and drawing it up through from the inside of the shirt to the outside, catching the edge of the applique. Insert the needle back through to the inside of the shirt, directly opposite of where the needle came out and slightly past the edge of the applique, creating a short stitch that overlaps the edge of the applique. Continue stitching all the way around, spacing the stitches about 1/16 inch apart.
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Repeat the process for designs with additional layers, such as an animal applique that has additional pieces for the eyes and nose. Start with the bottom applique piece and complete all steps, including stitching the applique to the shirt. Repeat with each additional applique piece until all pieces are in place.
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Tips & Warnings
Place a thin towel between your iron and the fusible web to protect delicate fabric from scorching.
