Essential Applique Tips & Techniques

The following appliqué tips and techniques I have learnt over time from either experience or other people. Each one below has made quite a difference to the end product - even those clip-on eye glasses at the bottom! This list is by no means exhaustive and is my personal view when doing appliqué.

1: Stabilize your background fabric

2: Cut background fabric larger than required (1" all sides) as the appliqué draws it in

4: Use the best quality fabric you can afford

5: Use an open-toed foot - this gives you very good visibility of your stitching

6: Use a slow machine speed when sewing

7: Having a sewing machine which ends with the needle always in the down position is important for turning

8: Use a finer machine needle - I like size 11



9: Use a finer thread on the bobbin

10: Practice your preferred stitch on calico or similar first

11: Dry iron only. Some of the iron-on stabilizers work best with a steam iron. Just remember that if you don't pre-wash your fabrics you run the risk of shrinking them with your steam iron. I've done this recently and was surprised! This is only a problem if you are making a group quilt.

12: NOW Foods Organic Eucalyptus Oil, 1 ounce for cleaning your needle

13: Do not use a nylon thread - it cuts the fabric

14: How to wash your finished appliqué block

15: Carson Optical Clip-and-Flip 2x Power Magnifying Lens +4.00 Diopters - for those of us needing a little extra help seeing exactly where the needle is going

I hope the above applique tips help you as much as they have helped me while adding appliques to my quilts!

My Amazon ads are my affiliate links. Thank you.

Sign up for my newsletter below!

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.
Share this page:
Enjoy this page? Please let others know. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.