Applique Tutorial!

I told you yesterday about a hat I am creating for a custom order.  She requested a bat applique, so this is my test version to see how she likes this particular size and shape.  While making it, I thought, "Hey, everyone should know how to do this!".  My mom used to patch our jeans with appliques when we were little, and I think it's a technique everyone should know.

I used plain crafting felt, in black, to trace the bat shape (in this case, yet another cookie cutter - I have a surprising amount of cookie cutters...) onto the felt.  I used a white fabric pencil so I would see the lines more easily.  Whatever shape you want to use, you can print an outline off the internet and use embroidery tracing paper to transfer to your fabric.

After I got that cut out, I got out my adhesives - I used a liquid one to add on small features, like eyes

...and this iron-on adhesive to attach the bat to the hat.

Notice how it has two different sides?  The plastic-y textured side is what you are ironing onto the back of your applique fabric.  The paper side is what you use to connect the applique to the project.

Lay your fabric down (in this case black felt), and lay the whole sheet of adhesive on top of it, with the paper part facing up.  You might lay a piece of paper under all of this, since any extra adhesive will stick to your ironing board.  You know, tips from experience and all.  Also, if you have a good idea of the size of your applique, you can cut the adhesive before you iron it, to save space.  I followed the manufacturer's instructions and ironed for about 2 seconds on each part of the felt until I covered the whole area.

Let it cool, the cut out your shape.

Can you can see the shiny adhesive on the bottom of your applique now? That's what the adhesive looks like on the pre-made appliques.  That's the side that will melt to your project to attach the two.  Peel the paper off.

Position the applique where you want it on the project, and iron for a few seconds in each place until you cover the area (manufacturer says 8 seconds, but mine needed more since it's a thick fabric).

There you have it! It's now attached.  If you want to add the small details, you just put a small bead of glue where you want to add them on the applique and lightly push the pieces onto it.  That'll need to dry a couple of hours.  I did this part differently my first time, and added the small pieces before I ironed it to the project. The liquid glue smelled terrible. Don't do that. Learn from me.  :)  Alternatively, you can embroider details onto the applique before you add the iron on adhesive.  Then you can give it more detail than the additional felt pieces can.