I'm super excited to show you our latest tutorial we've been working on today! Brooklyn is our amazing designer for pageant wear and today she's here to show us how to customize pageant wear, active wear, and other projects using applique! Here's Brooklyn:
Applique is a sewing technique that adds a decorative section of fabric to a clothing item. Appliques can be used on a variety of fabrics to add an infinite number of design possibilities to your wardrobe. The following technique covers the method I use to put appliques on Stretch Fabrics.
What you will need:
1. The main clothing item, with its pieces cut out but not yet constructed
2. Material to cut out the applique from (be sure to use a similar type of fabric)
3. Scissors, paper, and pen/pencil
4. Disappearing fabric marker or pencil
5. Disappearing Glue Stick or Dissolvable sewing glue stick
6. Sewing Machine, Pins, and Coordinating Thread
Instructions:
1. First, cut out your fabric pieces prior to doing the applique. This will make the placement of the design easier.
2. Draw the shapes you want to applique on paper, or print out the shapes you want to use, such as those shown below.
3. Cut out the shapes from the paper.
4. On the wrong side of your fabric, trace around your shape pieces using a disappearing fabric marker or other fabric marking tool.
5. Cut your shapes out of the fabric, as shown below.
6. Lay your shapes on the clothing pieces where you want them to be on the finished item. Take note of the seams and keep them away from the seam allowances.
7. Using a glue stick, glue the fabric shapes you are appliqueing to your clothing pieces.
8. Using a standard zig zag stitch (1.4 mm length, 2.5 mm width), stitch all the way around your design so the entire stitch is on the fabric shape and it is following the very edge of the design. Use thread in the top of your machine that matches the applique, and thread in the bobbin that matches your clothing fabric. Try not to stretch while sewing, although a little stretching is to be expected.
9. When all your applique pieces have been stitched in place, finish sewing your garment.
10. You are now ready to hit the stage, or the gym, or the pool! Try out various shapes and designs; the possibilities are endless. You can even add other embellishments as you see fit!
That's it! Thank you to Brooklyn for this fabulous tutorial! Now you know how to add applique to all kinds of projects, whether its pageant wear, active wear, pillows, shirts, and more. We can't wait to see what you make using this tutorial. Another adorable example from Brooklyn is below. So much cuteness!
Let's Create! ~ Kristen
