Introduction to Applique II Embroidery Project

Appliqué can and should be used as an artistic tool, rather than just a stitch reduction method. In fact, the primary focus of appliqué should be in how to enhance the design. Appliqué is a great way to add dimension and texture to a design. But it should be incorporated as an integral piece of the overall design, rather than just a novelty application. Start by identifying areas of the design that would be suitable and logical for appliqué. Avoid shapes that are very detailed with lots of curves and corners. These tend to be more time-consuming to apply and difficult to tack-down properly. But more importantly, look for portions of the design that will be brought to life by the use of appliqué.

Next, begin looking into different types of fabrics. Virtually any fabric can be used for appliqué. Experiment with different ones such as corduroy, suede, silk, etc. Also consider patterns or prints. For example, we used fabric printed with exotic animals for an appliqué design targeted at zoos. The appliqué fabric was the prime focus of the design. We ended up with a very simple design (embroidery-wise) that was stunning because of the unique fabric pattern. This concept was so successful that we created other appliqué designs that featured specialty print fabrics targeted at specific subject matters.

Also consider fabrics that are a natural companion to the design. For example, if you were working with a large sailboat design, consider using appliqué for the sails. Look for a material similar to sailcloth to use in the appliqué sections. True sailcloth would probably be too heavy to use, but consider visiting a sail-maker’s shop and see if you can obtain some scraps for reference. Also take a few minutes to visually assess a sail. A common drawback of appliqué is that once the fabric is in place, it just sits there, flat and boring. It’s acceptable to embroider details on top of the fabric to add more realism and life to the design. After-all, you are trying to recreate something (in this case a sail), so pay attention to what it really looks like.

A careful examination of a real sail reveals that it has lots of seams. In addition, you will see “battens” sewn in for extra support. Apply these features to your design. After sewing in the actual appliqué material, add lines of run stitches to simulate the seams found in the real sail. Add heavier lines, using a bean stitch, to simulate the battens. This will make the sail appliqué much more lifelike and interesting, as well as textured. Otherwise you end up with just a large piece of boring fabric sewn into the design. The added detail stitching will also provide further stability to the appliqué fabric by incorporating additional tack-down points.

Another example would be a large hot-air balloon design. They are usually made of rip-stop nylon, so this would be the ideal choice for the appliqué material. Of course, since most balloons are multi-colored, it would require multiple appliqués to create the various panels, as well as a good bit of engineering during the digitizing process to bring it all together, but it can be done. A parachute is another close example, since it also is composed of rip-stop nylon.

Photo courtesy of Stahl's   Rather than just using appliqué to replace stitches in one portion of a design, it can used as the foundation for an entire design. Everyday large objects can be recreated using basic cotton fabrics with lots of detail stitches overlaying the fabric. A simple appliqué pattern can be used to form the vertical tower portion of a lighthouse. Once in place, running stitches can be used to create brick lines and age cracks. This same concept would work well for a house, or possibly an office building. Essentially the entire design is built on top of the appliqué.

There is one drawback that must be examined when using large appliqués, and that is underlay stitches. The initial underlay stitches in any design serve to “attach” the garment being sewn to the backing material, which provides stability for the garment. With large designs, it’s quite common to have extensive underlays in order to provide the needed stability. With appliqués, it’s not always possible to use underlay where the fabric will be placed. For thin appliqué fabrics, the underlay stitches might show through. Even for thicker fabrics, once they are firmly attached using adhesive, the underlay stitches might appear as raised ridges in the fabric. Obviously, this problem will require some forethought and engineering to solve.

Appliqué is certainly a viable option when faced with a large stitch-count design. But it should always be approached from the artistic point of view, so as to ensure enhancement rather than detraction for the given design. Too many creative embroidery design tools have been turned into novelty items, with little or no real purpose. If you choose to use appliqué, make it count!