How to Use Foil as Appliqué Fabric
I am so obsessed with the Crazy Plant Lady Embroidery and SVG Collection from Hope Yoder. This CD is all about plants and sunshine. The design are adorable, and this week I'm going to be making a wall decoration with a wooden embroidery hoop from this design:
I think the appliqué is the fun part of this design. But, instead of using traditional fabric as appliqué, I am going to be using some left over Embellish® Heat Transfer Foil. Save your scraps whenever you use your foil! This is such a great way to reuse and produce less waste.
Make sure the clear carrier sheet and foil are separated. We will need both for this project. I love that this foil is truly a one-step process! You'll see what I mean as we get started.
To start, I am fusing my fabric with Embellish® Fusible Dissolvable Tearaway. Since the final design will be sandwiched inside a wooden embroidery hoop, make sure you iron the heck out of your fabric and stabilizer so it will be fused together strongly and will not separate. We want the stabilizer to stay intact so the final design will not appear wrinkly. Go ahead and start embroidering your design. Of course, I am using my trusted and well loved Embellish® Matte Threads. For this design, I have included the color name that corresponds with the Matte Thread name that I used for each color
For the Cactus -
color 1 EMT 2014
color 2 EMT 2021
colors 3-9 EMT 5011
color 10 EMT 7041
For the Bird -
color 11 EMT 3031
color 12 EMT 3032
color 13 EMT 7020
color 14 EMT 5011
For the Text -
color 15 EMT I7020
Make sure to place Embellish® Iron-Away Topper on your fabric before you embroider the top of the cactus.
NOTE: Make sure to RIP AWAY THE TOPPER before continuing on to the next step once the plant is finished stitching out.
Embroider as normal until the first appliqué stitch shows up. Stitch out the first color as a guide for where to place your foil. Remove from the hoop and carefully place the foil, pretty side up, over the placeholder stitches. Secure with RNK Embroidery Perfection Tape on the corners making sure the tape does not overlap the stitch guides. Place the hoop back on your machine and embroider like normal. Once the first appliqué shape is done, remove the pink tape and rip away the excess foil. When you sewed over the foil, it created little perforations that make ripping off the foil so easy.
Transfer the fabric to an ironing board and use that clear carrier sheet as a press cloth to iron over the foil to set it with heat. You can do this with your fabric still in the hoop. Make sure the clear carrier sheet is COMPLETELY covering the foil and be sure to use a LOW TEMP on your iron if you want a smooth finish. If you want a more textured and distressed finish, heat with medium heat. I did one of both to show you for comparison:
This is why I love Embellish®'s Heat Transfer Foil! The foil is thick and holds up so well so that you can use it in place of appliqué fabric. Other foils out there are very thin and will NOT hold up like the Embellish® Foil does. Plus, it's very satisfying and fun to perfectly rip off the excess every time. Continue on to the next appliqué and repeat the steps listed above.
Once your two appliqué shapes are finished, embroider the rest of the design. Don't forget to use your topper as you go! I always save excess topper when I am embroidering that gets ripped off in the end to use for my next design.
Once your design is finished stitching out, remove from the hoop and trim the threads. Make sure all topper is removed. The Embellish® Vinyl Weeding Tool and Appliqué Scissors are my best friends for this part. Sandwich the fabric in between a 6" wooden embroidery hoop and trim the fabric to 1" around the perimeter before you hoop it closed. Once hooped, turn the hoop around to the back side and use a hot glue gun around the inner portion of the wooden hoop, fold over the excess fabric and stabilizer, and press firmly to secure.
I added some ribbon on the top of my wooden hoop so I could hang it on the wall. You can omit the ribbon and use this hoop to prop up on a table next to some picture frames or art prints if you like.
Click here to find an Embellish® Dealer near you!
I think the appliqué is the fun part of this design. But, instead of using traditional fabric as appliqué, I am going to be using some left over Embellish® Heat Transfer Foil. Save your scraps whenever you use your foil! This is such a great way to reuse and produce less waste.
Make sure the clear carrier sheet and foil are separated. We will need both for this project. I love that this foil is truly a one-step process! You'll see what I mean as we get started.
To start, I am fusing my fabric with Embellish® Fusible Dissolvable Tearaway. Since the final design will be sandwiched inside a wooden embroidery hoop, make sure you iron the heck out of your fabric and stabilizer so it will be fused together strongly and will not separate. We want the stabilizer to stay intact so the final design will not appear wrinkly. Go ahead and start embroidering your design. Of course, I am using my trusted and well loved Embellish® Matte Threads. For this design, I have included the color name that corresponds with the Matte Thread name that I used for each color
For the Cactus -
color 1 EMT 2014
color 2 EMT 2021
colors 3-9 EMT 5011
color 10 EMT 7041
For the Bird -
color 11 EMT 3031
color 12 EMT 3032
color 13 EMT 7020
color 14 EMT 5011
For the Text -
color 15 EMT I7020
Make sure to place Embellish® Iron-Away Topper on your fabric before you embroider the top of the cactus.
NOTE: Make sure to RIP AWAY THE TOPPER before continuing on to the next step once the plant is finished stitching out.
Embroider as normal until the first appliqué stitch shows up. Stitch out the first color as a guide for where to place your foil. Remove from the hoop and carefully place the foil, pretty side up, over the placeholder stitches. Secure with RNK Embroidery Perfection Tape on the corners making sure the tape does not overlap the stitch guides. Place the hoop back on your machine and embroider like normal. Once the first appliqué shape is done, remove the pink tape and rip away the excess foil. When you sewed over the foil, it created little perforations that make ripping off the foil so easy.
Transfer the fabric to an ironing board and use that clear carrier sheet as a press cloth to iron over the foil to set it with heat. You can do this with your fabric still in the hoop. Make sure the clear carrier sheet is COMPLETELY covering the foil and be sure to use a LOW TEMP on your iron if you want a smooth finish. If you want a more textured and distressed finish, heat with medium heat. I did one of both to show you for comparison:
This is why I love Embellish®'s Heat Transfer Foil! The foil is thick and holds up so well so that you can use it in place of appliqué fabric. Other foils out there are very thin and will NOT hold up like the Embellish® Foil does. Plus, it's very satisfying and fun to perfectly rip off the excess every time. Continue on to the next appliqué and repeat the steps listed above.
Once your two appliqué shapes are finished, embroider the rest of the design. Don't forget to use your topper as you go! I always save excess topper when I am embroidering that gets ripped off in the end to use for my next design.
Once your design is finished stitching out, remove from the hoop and trim the threads. Make sure all topper is removed. The Embellish® Vinyl Weeding Tool and Appliqué Scissors are my best friends for this part. Sandwich the fabric in between a 6" wooden embroidery hoop and trim the fabric to 1" around the perimeter before you hoop it closed. Once hooped, turn the hoop around to the back side and use a hot glue gun around the inner portion of the wooden hoop, fold over the excess fabric and stabilizer, and press firmly to secure.
I added some ribbon on the top of my wooden hoop so I could hang it on the wall. You can omit the ribbon and use this hoop to prop up on a table next to some picture frames or art prints if you like.
Click here to find an Embellish® Dealer near you!
Comments