Applique Tips And Techniques For Sewing Beginners

When you have had your design, it’s time to sew it onto the garment. Here are three of the most common stitches for this task:

-Satin stitch.

-Straight stitch, is the easiest but it allows fraying.

-Zigzag stitch.

Satin stitches

You don’t need a special machine to apply appliques I use my best rated sewing machines for beginners and I still have a fabulous result.

There are some purists who insist on sewing appliques with satin stitches, which is basically a zigzag stitch with a high density.

The choice is yours. If you like the look of satin stitches, feel free to apply them. However, the zig-zag option also has its distinct advantages.

I personally love the way satin stitches look but there are appliques that are kelp in place by simple straight stitches.

This method is easier than anything you can think of and far less time-consuming. On the flip side, straight stitches are not as durable as satin stitches but on make garments, a little fraying tends to add more character to the piece.

If you want your garment to look a bit different, straight or zigzag stitches can be used instead of satin.

Straight Stitches

Straight stitches for appliques

This is arguably the easiest way to apply appliques. Even your good sewing machine for beginners can handle this task well.

In case you haven’t found a good beginner sewing machine to start yet, here are best sewing machine for beginners reviews to help you choose the right machine quickly.

If the applique has curves and you find it hard to follow the edges, leave the needle in the fabric and lift the presser foot. Pivot the piece and lower the foot down, sew a few stitches and repeat the process until you finish all the curves.

You want to use medium-length stitches for this task. Remember to backstitch at the end and the beginning of the project to make sure they don’t work themselves out later on.

Satin And Zig Zag Stitches

If you decide to use the satin or zig zag stitches, go around the perimeter of the applique like you would do with straight stitches. Ensure that the “zig” is on the design and the “zag” just passes the edge and lands on the garment.

For satin stitches, I highly recommend rayon thread, the good-quality variety. Some people like to use 100% cotton but I think the rayon makes the applique look more shiny and appealing.

About the thread color, for beginners, it’s best to use a color that matches the hue of the applique.

Even for experienced sewists, making use of thread that has a contrasting color with the background is extremely difficult if they want to make a polish-looked piece.

You can create satin stitches on your home machine by adjusting zigzag stitch length to a minimum. This will make the spikes stand so close together that they leave almost no space between them.

This feature can easily be changed even on a simple sewing machine for beginners. If you haven’t had one yet, read this helpful guide on best entry level sewing machine for some suggestions.