How To - Standard Applique - Fundamentals

How To - Standard Applique - Fundamentals

by Stephen Wilson in fundamentals




ANITA GOODESIGN | Anita’s Tutorials

Standard Appliqué

Master the appliqué technique — one layer at a time



SKILL LEVEL

Beginner Friendly

HOOPINGS

Single Hooping

TECHNIQUE

Appliqué



Standard Appliqué is a wonderful way to use fabrics for added dimension and color within your embroidery design. It is the process of adding a secondary fabric over your base material so it becomes a main or accenting element of the design.


Appliqué designs are always digitized with two key steps: a placement stitch that shows exactly where your fabric will go, and a tacking stitch that secures the added material. Once the fabric is trimmed, its edges are finished off with decorative stitching to complete the look.



MATERIALS LIST

◆ No-Show mesh stabilizer

◆ Batting

◆ Base fabric

◆ Appliqué fabric

◆ Embroidery threads

◆ Curved-tip embroidery scissors

◆ Ruler

◆ Rotary cutter and mat

◆ Embroidery hoop

◆ 75/11 embroidery needle



Step

1

Hoop Your Stabilizer

Hoop a piece of No-Show mesh stabilizer, pulling it drum-tight so there is no slack at all. This stabilizer is the foundation that every later stitch builds on. A quick tip: if your design loads in rotated (ours pulled up at a 90° turn to the left), there’s no need to rotate it back — you can simply run it as it appears, or rotate any Fundamentals design first if you prefer.




Step

2

Run the Squaring Stitch

Run the first machine step, which is the squaring stitch. This outline marks exactly where your batting will sit and acts as your guide for everything that follows.




Step

3

Place the Batting

Lay a piece of batting over the squaring stitches, making sure it completely covers them on all sides. It’s fine for the batting to extend a little past the outline — you’ll trim it down in the next step.




Step

4

Tack Down the Batting

Run the next machine step, the tacking stitch. This locks the batting firmly to the stabilizer so nothing shifts while you continue stitching.




Step

5

Trim the Batting

Using curved-tip embroidery scissors, carefully trim away the excess batting as close to the tacking stitch as you can. Take your time and avoid clipping any stitches — clean trimming here makes for a tidy finished block.




Step

6

Check Your Progress

Your block should now look something like this, with the batting neatly tacked down and trimmed inside the stitched outline, ready for your base fabric.




Step

7

Place Your Base Fabric

Place your base fabric over the batting with the right side facing up. Make sure it covers the entire area and leaves at least a 1/2” seam allowance all the way around. Smooth it out from the center to remove any wrinkles.




Step

8

Tack Down the Base Fabric

Run the tacking stitch for your base fabric, ideally in a thread color that matches the fabric. This secures the base fabric in place over the batting.




Step

9

Stitch Up to the Placement Line

Continue running the standard embroidery steps in order, following your design’s color changes, until you reach the placement stitch for the appliqué.




Step

10

Place Your Appliqué Fabric

Take a piece of your appliqué material and lay it right side up directly over the placement stitch, covering it completely.




Step

11

Tack Down the Appliqué

Run the next machine step, the tacking stitch for the appliqué. This holds the appliqué fabric firmly in position over the placement stitch.




Step

12

Trim the Appliqué

Using your scissors, carefully trim away the excess appliqué material right up to the tacking stitch, leaving a clean, crisp edge.




Step

13

Check Your Progress

Once trimmed, your design should look similar to this, with the appliqué fabric neatly secured and the edges tidied up.




Step

14

Finish the Embroidery

Run any remaining embroidery steps, following along with your design’s numbered machine steps and changing thread colors as indicated. These steps add the decorative stitching that frames and finishes the appliqué.




Step

15

Remove from Hoop & Trim

Once your design has finished stitching, remove it from the hoop. Using a ruler and rotary cutter, trim away the excess stabilizer and fabric — remember to still leave at least a 1/2” seam allowance on all sides.




Step

16

Finished Block

Your Standard Appliqué block is now complete and ready to use! The added fabric brings extra dimension, color, and texture that makes your finished piece truly stand out.




💡 PRO TIP

Appliqué isn’t limited to cotton. Try other materials such as vinyl, minky, leather, and more to add unique texture and dimension — each fabric gives the finished block a completely different look and feel.



Your Standard Appliqué Block Is Complete!

Layer, stitch, and trim — then make it yours with color and texture all your own.

 

Download Files 

Standard Appliqué | Anita’s Tutorials | Anita Goodesign

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How To - Folded Fabric - Fundamentals

How To - Folded Fabric - Fundamentals

ANITA GOODESIGN | Anita's Tutorials Folded Fabric Crisp edges and a seamless finish — one fold at a time SKILL LEVEL Intermediate HOOPINGS Single Hooping TECHNIQUE Folded Fabric Folded fabric is a technique we love for the stunning visual effects it creates. With very little effort you can achieve clean, crisp edges and a seamless, professional-looking finish. The technique is wonderfully versatile — use it inside appliqués the way you would traditional paper piecing, as borders in your quilting collections, or even as the main design element of a block. Every folded fabric design is digitized around three key machine steps: a placement stitch that shows exactly where the fabric will sit, a folding stitch that creates the clean folded edge, and a tacking stitch that locks the fabric securely in place. Follow along with the tutorial below and you'll always know which direction your fabric needs to be placed. 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Step 3 Place the Batting Place a piece of batting over the squaring stitches, making sure you completely cover the stitched outline on all four sides. It is fine for the batting to extend a little past the line — you will trim it precisely in a later step. Step 4 Run the Batting Tacking Stitch Your next machine step is the tacking stitch for the batting. This step stitches the batting down and locks it firmly to the stabilizer underneath. Step 5 Trim the Excess Batting Using a sharp pair of curved-tip embroidery scissors, carefully trim away any excess batting outside the tacking stitch. Cut as close to the stitch line as you comfortably can, taking care not to clip the stitches themselves. Step 6 Run the Base Fabric Placement Stitch Once trimmed, your batting block should look like this — neat and tacked inside the outline. Now proceed to run the next machine step, which is the placement stitch for your block's base fabric. 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How To - Tile Scene - Fundamentals

How To - Tile Scene - Fundamentals

ANITA GOODESIGN | Anita’s Tutorials Tile Scene Build a stunning multi-block scene — one block at a time SKILL LEVEL Beginner Friendly HOOPINGS Single Hooping TECHNIQUE Appliqué & Piecing A Tile Scene is a single piece of original artwork that has been divided up and digitized across several quilt blocks. You stitch each block on its own, then piece them back together so the separate panels reunite into one complete picture — in this tutorial, a charming bumblebee. Anita Goodesign has crafted many tile scenes over the years, from quaint cottages and gentle nods to nature to more ornate scenes. Whatever theme you choose, the technique is the same, and the payoff is a beautiful stitched scene you will be proud to display. 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How To - Cutwork - Fundamentals

ANITA GOODESIGN | Anita’s Tutorials Cutwork Fundamentals Master the art of cutwork embroidery — one window at a time SKILL LEVEL Beginner Friendly HOOPINGS Single Hooping TECHNIQUE Cutwork Cutwork embroidery is a technique where certain areas of your project’s base fabric are removed, or cut out, to create a striking negative-space effect. Cutwork designs include a special marking stitch, so you always know exactly which areas need to be trimmed. The key is leaving your Wash-Away stabilizer intact beneath the fabric you trim, giving the open windows a surface to stabilize against until the design is finished. A quick rinse in hot water then dissolves the remaining stabilizer, leaving a stunning series of “windows” peeking through your fabric — a wonderful, low-density way to add detail to clothing and linens alike. 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Cut through the top fabric only, taking care not to nick or puncture the Wash-Away stabilizer underneath, since it needs to stay intact to support the window. Step 4 Cut Out the Fabric Once you have an opening, use your scissors to carefully cut away all of the base fabric that sits inside the marking stitches. Trim close to the stitched line for clean edges, again leaving the stabilizer below untouched. Step 5 Check Your Window Once trimmed, your cutwork window should look like this. Notice that the Wash-Away stabilizer is still fully intact inside the opening — that intact layer is what holds the window stable while the rest of the design stitches out. Step 6 Stitch the Cutwork Edges Run the next machine step. This is the specially digitized stitching that wraps and secures the raw fabric edges around each window, finishing them neatly and creating the signature cutwork look. Step 7 Run the Appliqué Placement Stitch Continue to the next machine step, which stitches a placement outline for your first standard appliqué. This light outline shows you exactly where to lay your appliqué fabric in the following step. Step 8 Place the Appliqué Fabric Place your appliqué fabric right side up over the placement outline, making sure it extends past the stitched line on all sides so the entire outline is covered. Smooth it flat before moving on. Step 9 Tack Down the Appliqué Run the next machine step — a tacking stitch that holds the appliqué fabric firmly in place against the design. This locks the fabric down so it won’t shift when you trim it. Step 10 Trim the Appliqué Now carefully trim away the excess appliqué fabric, cutting close to the tacking stitches without clipping them. Once trimmed, the design will look like this, with the appliqué shape neatly revealed. Step 11 Stitch the Decorative Details Continue on to run the decorative embroidery steps. 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The crisp open windows and layered appliqué are ready to show off on a garment, pillow, or linen of your choice. 💡 PRO TIP The secret to clean cutwork is to leave your Wash-Away stabilizer completely intact beneath the areas you trim. Always cut the base fabric only, never the stabilizer below — it supports the open windows while you stitch, then rinses away at the end to reveal crisp, professional edges. Your Cutwork Design Is Complete! Rinse, press, and admire the windows you’ve created — then add elegant cutwork detail to garments and linens alike. Download Files Cutwork Fundamentals | Anita’s Tutorials | Anita Goodesign

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