Using your embroidery machine to create detailed applique designs with Sarah Payne

Have you ever thought about using your embroidery machine to mimic Hawaiian applique? 

A Hawaiian quilt is a distinctive style of quilt originating in the Hawaiian Islands that uses large, radially symmetric applique patterns. Motifs often feature stylised botanical designs in bold colours on a white background, with the applique made from a single cut on folded fabric. Quilting stitches normally follow the contours of the applique design and therefore it can be a tricky technique to master. However, your Brother VR embroidery machine can make short work of this particular style.

Figure 1 - Applique designs

Figure 2 - Stitching out the applique design

The VR comes with several built-in applique designs, identified by the fact that the first 3 stitch references are stitches rather than thread colours! 

The first is a dotted line with a pair of scissors at one end, and that’s the giveaway, because they create the applique element and the placement lines for your applique (figure 1).

All the instructions for creating an applique are in the manual, but here are the basics!

First, prepare your applique fabric. All embroidery pieces need to be stabilised to prevent the design puckering under the stitch pressure. Using a bright, vibrant red fabric, I ironed a piece of Backing material for Embroidery by Brother onto the back of the applique fabric. 

Place the prepared fabric in the largest hoop and set up your design (I have chosen design 11). I am using the largest hoop because I have chosen to do the design in a 7-inch square. Start stitching onto the red fabric (Figure 2). 

I am stitching in white so you can see it, but you really want to choose a colour that blends into your fabric.

Figure 3 - Stitching the applique placement line

Remove the fabric from the hoop and cut out the design. If you are planning to attach the applique to the background fabric with an iron-on interface like HeatNBond, you should iron it on to the back of the fabric before you start cutting out the design. Cut around the outside of the stitch line.

Next, prepare your background fabric – I have chosen a traditional, white background - and remember to stabilise the background fabric. You can choose a standard stabiliser, or add wadding to give a more quilted look to your finished piece. The next line of stitches is the applique placement line. This is best stitched in the same colour as the background fabric – so you can see it, I have stitched in red (figure 3).

Figure 4 - Attach the applique to the background, lining it up with the placement stitches

Remove the hoop from the machine but do not move the fabric! Carefully line your cut applique piece on top of the stitched placement lines. 

You can use a fabric glue to attach it, or if you have used HeatNBond, a mini iron is a perfect way to make everything secure (figure 4).

Figure 5 - Stitching the applique down

Put the hoop back on the machine, making sure that you do not move any of the fabric. The third row of stitches will attach the applique figure 5). For design 11, it is a blanket stitch, while other designs may use a satin stitch. This is why the placement of the applique is so important – the stitching should firmly attach the fabric edges and will prevent any further fraying of the fabric.

Once the applique is attached, the rest of the design can be stitched in the usual manner. For pattern 11 on this machine, the design includes stitching inside and outside the applique designs. You can of course choose not to add any of these elements if you do not want them. 

With the VR, you are in control of the final piece. So stop thinking of your machine as a tool to create standard embroidery designs – it can be used for so much more!

The finished article!