Clip Art Appliqué

Project Cost: $10-$15

Project Time: 1-3 hours

Ever since I married the son of Art to Heart’s Nancy Halvorsen, I have been in love with fuseable appliqué. Essentially, this product allows creative people like us to make fabric stickers we can put on anything. There are plenty of appliqué patterns for sale out there, but if you are willing to do some looking on your own, there are tons of ideas for free online. Fuseable appliqué is available at any fabric store–just ask an employee where to find it. 

The first thing you need to do is choose a design. I look to clip art because it is often simple, free, and easy to find. For a first project, it’s a good idea to choose a design that has a strong silhouette. You should be able to tell what the object is just by looking at it’s outline. Here are some examples of clip art with strong silhouettes that I found for free online.

Originally, these designs were in color and had details inside the shapes. By flooding them with black, I was able to see if it was easy to tell what they were based on their outlines. Once you find some clip art that you like, try coloring it in with a marker to be sure it reads well. For my sample project, I chose this picture of a cat.

 

 

Once you have your clip art chosen, you’ll need something to put it on. The possibilities are endless. Pillows, t-shirts, tote bags, baby clothes, recieving blankets. and linens are all good choices. I’ve chosen a king-size pillow case that I use as a cover for the pad on my changing table.  

 

 

 

 

 

You should be able to see through the paper just fine, but if you are having trouble, tape your clip art to a window and use it as a lightbox.

Step 1:

Trace the outline of your clip art onto the paper backing of the fuseable appliqué. Keep in mind that your final product will be a mirror image of what you trace, so if you want your design facing a specific direction, you may need to use your computer to flip your design horizontally. The more carefully you trace the design, the better the final results will be. Take your time and capture all the little details.

Step 2: Trim around your design, leaving at least an inch around the edges. Heat an iron to the cotton setting. Iron any wrinkles out of the fabric you’ll be using for the appliqué. Place your design paper side up on the wrong side of the fabric. Iron over the design for 30-60 seconds, moving the iron smoothly over the fusable appliqué the whole time. 

Be sure to iron the fuseable web to the wrong side of the fabric.

Step 3: Carefully cut out your design on the pencil line you traced earlier. As with the tracing, the more carefully you cut, the better the final product will look. For the best results, use a sharp pair of fabric scissors. Once you are done, peel away the paper backing from the fuseable web. You’ll be left with a fabric “sticker.”

 

Step 4: Place your fabric “sticker” onto the material you have chosen as a base (t-shirt, pillow, etc.) Repeat the ironing process just as before, moving smoothly and slowly over the appliqué with the iron for 30-60 seconds. If you are making an item that will not be laundered, you can end here, but if you are making something that will be worn, carried around, or washed, you’ll need to reinforce the appliqué design with stitching (see next step). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 5: If you are comfortable using a sewing machine, use a zig-zag stitch to attach your appliqué to the base fabric. If you prefer to sew by hand, use a blanket stitch and sew around all edges. Once you are finished, iron over the final product to smooth out any wrinkles.  

Tips

• Choose fabric with a small to medium print. If your “sticker” is large, it allows for use of a larger print.
• Pre-wash all fabrics before using, especially if you are making a garment or type of linen that will be washed in the future.
• Experiment with embellishments! Add button eyes, embroidered whiskers, seed beads, or use contrasting thread to make your design pop.
• Try fusing multiple fabrics on top of each other to create a layered effect.

Here is a baby onsie I blanket stitched by hand.

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