Applique is a technique where a piece of fabric is cut to shape and attached to a base fabric, then secured with machine embroidery stitches around the edge. It's popular because it creates bold, solid areas of color that would take thousands of stitches to fill with thread alone — making it faster to stitch and lighter on the finished garment.
How Applique Embroidery Works
- 1The machine stitches a placement line showing where to position the applique fabric.
- 2The machine pauses. You place the fabric piece on the placement line.
- 3The machine stitches a tack-down stitch to hold the applique fabric in place.
- 4The machine pauses again. You trim the excess fabric close to the tack-down stitch.
- 5The machine completes the design with a satin or blanket stitch border around the applique edge.
Types of Applique Stitch Borders
- •Satin stitch border — smooth, shiny edge, 2–5 mm wide. Classic and professional finish.
- •Blanket stitch border — mimics hand-sewn applique with an open loop pattern.
- •Zigzag border — rougher edge, good for raw-edge or intentional distressed looks.
- •Running stitch border — subtle outline, often used for a handmade aesthetic.
Digitizing Applique with SewFlow
To use SewFlow for applique, upload your design shape as a clean, high-contrast image. SewFlow will convert the outline into stitch data. For applique purposes, you'll typically want a simple outline shape with minimal internal detail — the fabric itself provides the fill color. Use the layer controls to isolate the outline layer and download it as a JEF, DST, or PES file.
Create applique outlines from images:
Open Image Converter →Best Fabrics for Applique
- •Felt — no fraying, easiest to work with, great for children's designs.
- •Cotton quilting fabric — frays slightly, so use a tight satin border or pre-treat with fray stop.
- •Fleece — stretchy, use a cutaway stabilizer on the base fabric.
- •Vinyl or faux leather — no fraying, striking look for patches and bag designs.
- •Denim — sturdy and frays artistically for raw-edge looks.
Stabilizer for Applique
Use a cutaway stabilizer beneath the base fabric for applique work — the multiple stitch passes and the weight of the applique fabric require extra support. Tear-away is not recommended for applique as it may pull out from under the tack-down stitches. On the top, a water-soluble topping can help stitches sit above fluffy or textured applique fabrics.
Pre-Cut Fabric Tip
Cut your applique fabric pieces slightly larger than the placement line (about 5 mm overhang all around). Trim after the tack-down stitch for a cleaner edge. Cutting to exact size beforehand makes placement difficult.