Snowman or Turkey Applique

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be guest blogging over here at So Sew Easy for the Seasonal Sewing Series. I am Stephanie from The TipToe Fairy.  I blog about sewing, baking, book reviews, and general crafty stuff. I love to sew, especially for them. It's also my creative outlet.  One of my favorite things to sew is machine applique.  I love to draw out images and create them in applique.

Today, I've brought you two fun little appliques that you can make from one basic pattern.  You can have Thanksgiving and Christmas covered with both.

 



Turkey & Snowman Applique Tutorial

Materials

Several scraps of fabric including white, black, brown, red, orange, plus feather and scarf scraps

Heat n Bond Lite – Lite will not gum up your needle.

Microtex Sharp sewing machine needles – Schmetz – 80/12 or 70/10

Thread to match as closely to colors of fabric

Stabilizer – I like perforated stabilizer  but there is tearaway.  Paper towels are great, too!

Click here to find full size pattern to print.

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TIPS

1. Stabilizer, stabilizer, stabilizer. This will make or break your applique. If you attempt to applique without a stabilizer you will be extremely frustrated with the puckers, sewing, and skipping of stitches. Paper towels are the easiest thing you can use, and they work great. I have found I prefer the Walmart brand Great Value double roll paper towels — it takes only one layer to be a good stabilizer.

 

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2. Try to match your thread as closely as possible. Sometimes you can go a shade darker because it actually looks lighter once the thread is in the applique. If you use a completely different color thread, it is more likely to show flaws and look home sewn.

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3. Microtex Sharps needles. These can be found at Joann's and Hancocks. I use them for all my appliques. I've found the 70/10 work best if I'm appliqueing onto a light woven fabric, and 80/12 is good for knits or fleeces.

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4.  Another must have is a clear presser foot so you can see what you're doing.  If you use an all metal food, it makes it very difficult to see what's coming up as you applique.

5. Machine settings – I set my machine to zigzag with a stitch width of 2 and a length of about 0.4. You want a nice thin zigzag. If you use a wide zigzag, it can show flaws and look wonky. I have a Bernina sewing machine, so you might need to tweak these settings just a tad for other brands of sewing machines.

6.  Go fast around curves.  This sounds completely counter intuitive, but it's true.  The faster you go around curves, the smoother and nicer they look.

Instructions

1. Iron Heat n Bond Lite to the backs of your fabrics.

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2. Keep the paper backing on the fabrics from the Heat n Bond, and then trace your designs on the backs of each fabric.

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3. Cut out your designs, remove the paper backing and place on the clothing and lay them out to get your best placement.

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4. Make sure you like how they look before you iron.  Then, iron the appliques into place. Just set the iron on each section, do not move the iron as you applique or can move your designs. Also if your iron is dirty, use an iron clothing like a lightweight towel to cover the appliques so you don’t ruin them.

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5. Place your stabilizer behind the applique and set your machine up to applique.

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6. You will sew the appliques in a series of what will be covered by another zigzag stitch.  For example, on the snowman, you will start first with the arms, then applique the body, then the scarf and carrot nose, and finally the buttons and hat.  At the end of your very last applique stitch line (this would be on the bow), do 1 backstitch, no more is necessary.

7.  For the turkey, you will add a yellow applique square of stitches right above the hat brim for the “pilgrim hat” look.

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8.  For the eyes, there are a few things you can do.  I just turn the applique sideways, lengthen the stitch to 3 and sew a short zigzag at each eye.  Other options are hand sewing a satin stitch or adding googly eyes or even sewing tiny black buttons.

 And that's it! You're done!

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Kathleen Lambert
Kathleen Lambert

Really cute. Would use on clothing for 3 year old grand daughter. Thanks for the chance with this give away

Cecilia
Cecilia

I would use them on shirts for my granddaughters.

Tabitha Klucking
Tabitha Klucking

They’d be so cute for a holiday table runner!

mamalusco

These would make cute tea towel embellishments. Thanks!

shannonsfun
shannonsfun

On a sweatshirt.

Diane
Diane

I would use these for some holiday pillows. Thanks!

Melissa

So cute on my newborn’s 1st thanksgiving and 1st winter and Christmas shirts and pants!

Sandy A in St. Louis
Sandy A in St. Louis

I think these would be cute on a pillow for decoration.

debbie jackson
debbie jackson

i would do potholders pin as jacksondeb

Cindy
Cindy

I love these appliquess. I’m going to make one for my Grandson’s first Christmas. Thank you for posting.

cheryl
cheryl

Wish you could do a few tutorials on video for the harder projects. Thanks

Gloria
Gloria

on an apron

Sallie
Sallie

As a small banner hanging.

Barbara Norton
Barbara Norton

Awesome appliques!! Would look great on quilt blocks too! Thank you!!

Shannon
Shannon

These are so cute. I almost I would wear this applique if it were placed properly, like in the lower corner of a shirt instead of something big on the chest.

Lydia Varona Trainor
Lydia Varona Trainor

I would make Christmas stockings & add the applique

Mandie Marie
Mandie Marie

so cute. What’s the stabilizer all about? I know it talks about it but I don’t get it. Is it supposed to be like interfacing? Paper towels? AHHHH I’m confused. I usually iron interfacing to things that need to be stabilized.

Rhonda Desgranges

I would use them for some Christmas gifts: sweatshirts and kitchen towels.
Thanks for the chance to win!

Lori Smanski
Lori Smanski

these are adorable, thanks for the pattern. I don’t have little ones around anymore, but I have been on a table runner kick lately and these would be so cute. Thanks for a chance.

Laurie P.
Laurie P.

I would make Christmas shirts for a friends twins…so cute!

LauraK
LauraK

I’m working on a wall quilt that I appliqued flowers on. It was the second thing I’ve appliqued and it looks really nice. Can’t wait to finish quilting it!

mickey louth
mickey louth

Would be sweet to have all the grandkids in matching shirts during the holidays!

Jean
Jean

Good, clear instructions.

Ashley
Ashley

I would probably use them to make something cute for my 5 month old.

lorene holbrook

I have several little granddaughters. I tshirt would be perfect for them! thanks for the chance!

Katherine
Katherine

Putting them on a grocery tote for the holidays

Trinithy

Incredibly cute appliques! I’ve done designs like these on jersey tees and then attached skirts to make the cutest dresses for my daughter.

Julie
Julie

I think these would be darling on holiday aprons. I have nieces and nephews that love to help out in the kitchen with holiday baking and clean up!

Barbara Lima
Barbara Lima

On a sweat shirt

calipidgious
calipidgious

I think on some fun kitchen towels!

VickiT
VickiT

Those are super cute. I have 3 grandchildren each of these would be adorable on some holiday shirts for them. For the Granddaughters, they’d even be cute on some little skirts

Joyce Mosby
Joyce Mosby

I love snowmen! I will have to try this.

Jacklynn Grimm
Jacklynn Grimm

I like the snowman applique, and I would use it on some gift bags. Thanks for the give away!

Karen A
Karen A

These appliques would make cute shirts for some littles that my friends have. My kids are all grown up.

Kelly Tuttle

I have 3 children, 4, 2 & 1, with one on the way, so I think I see some kid t-shirts for Thanksgiving & Christmas in my future. 🙂

Heidi Teachout
Heidi Teachout

In the state of our economy, I think your generosity to help people to find such an enjoyable , lasting past time is fantastic. Thank you so much.

charlotte l
charlotte l

Love the turkey and snow man! Thanks

DJ
DJ

Very cute! My niece would look adorable in one of these!

Mimi O

I would use these patterns for some fun holiday pillows. The project is fairly easy and would work great for accent pillows. As for the future, I hope to have some grand-kids some day and these appliques work out wonderfully on apparel for children.

Becky R
Becky R

I just started my very first applique project yesterday (not done yet). I’m into mug rugs right now and these would be so cute in a mug rug!