Getting started with appliqué

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• Getting started with appliqué

The word appliqué comes from the French word ‘appliquer', which means ‘to apply', and is the art of applying one piece of fabric onto another piece of fabric and sewing it in place to create a decorative design. Appliqué designs vary in complexity and are often used to decorate plain everyday items and turn them into interesting and beautiful pieces. It's possible to add an appliqué design to cushions, curtains, bedding, throws, towels, bags, clothing, tablecloths and napkins. One of the best things about appliqué is that almost all the materials and equipment you will need can be found at home - the basic requirements are just a needle, thread and fabric!

You will need:

Basic materials

Fabric - you can use all kinds of fabric, depending on the desired look you want to achieve. Cotton fabrics tend to be the most commonly used because they are available in many weights and textures, are easy to cut, and stay in shape and fray very little.

Tip: Felt is also ideal for appliqué because it doesn't fray.

Tip: The type of fabric you use should be appropriate for the end use, for example use machine washable fabrics for something that will require frequent washing!

Thread - for stitching the appliqué design in place, either by hand or with a sewing machine.

Tip: With appliqué you can really play around with thread colour - sometimes contrasting stitching adds as much to the design as the appliqué itself.

Fusible fleece - a fusible adhesive fabric/web to bond the appliqué design to the background fabric to hold it in place prior to stitching which also helps prevent fraying. This is ironed onto the reverse of the fabric from which the appliqué pieces will be cut.

Card template - a full scale template of the design.

Basic tools

Needle

Scissors - sharp fabric scissors are ideal for cutting out the fabric appliqué shapes and a small pair of scissors with short pointed blades are ideal for cutting threads and trimming.

Fabric marker - use either dressmakers chalk, a specialist fabric marker or a soft lead pencil to draw around your template onto the fabric.

Pins - to hold the appliqué piece prior to stitching it in place (not required if you are using fusible fleece which will do this job instead).

All the above mentioned materials and tools should be available in your local fabric and sewing shops. You can also order all these items online.

Five easy steps to follow:

1. Decide on your design and what you are going to appliqué it onto.

2. Choose your fabric and ensure it is clean and pressed before you begin. If you choose to use fusible fleece, iron this onto the reverse of the motif fabric.

Tip: It is best to use like background fabric with like appliqué fabric because the fabric will behave in the same way.

3. Draw the outline of your appliqué design onto a piece of card and cut this out to form your template.

4. Transfer the design onto the fabric by placing the template onto the wrong side of the fabric and drawing around it with your fabric marker. Cut out the appliqué piece/s.

5. Remove the paper backing from the fusible fleece and iron (or pin) the motif to the background fabric. Stitch in place over all the edges with your desired decorative stitch.

Tip: If sewing by hand, blanket stitch always looks effective. If sewing by machine, then a close zig-zag stitch works really well for appliqué.

 Get inspiration from:

 
Books:

Appliqué by Lucinda Ganderton

Appliqué: The Basics and Beyond by Janet Pittman

Start to Appliqué by Nancy Nicholson

100 Appliqué Motifs: Cute, Creative Ways to Enjoy Applique: Projects, Techniques & Templates by Deborah Green

Classes:

You will find appliqué classes running throughout the country. To find your nearest class try these websites: www.hotcourses.com, www.craft-search.co.uk, www.careersadvice.direct.gov.uk - click on ‘find a course' or call 0800 100 900. These sites list classes and courses in your area. Alternatively, ask at your local fabric shop.

Shops:

Local fabric and sewing shops are good sources of supplies. Visit:

John Lewis tel: 020 7828 1000 - for fabric, thread, interfacing

Laura Ashley tel: 0871 983 5999 - for fabrics

Cath Kidston tel: 020 7221 4000 - for fabrics

Liberty tel: 020 743 1234 - for fabrics

Hobbycraft tel: 0800 027 2387 - for felt, thread

Websites:
There are many websites selling fabrics, threads and sewing supplies so it is definitely worth having a search around for the best prices. Try:

www.johnlewis.com - fabric, thread, interfacing

www.sewandso.co.uk - fabric, thread, interfacing

www.cottonpatch.net - fabric

www.cathkidston.co.uk - fabric

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