Appliqué
Pieces of fabric sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern.
What it is
Sewing or fusing fabric shapes onto a background to make pictures and patterns.
Who it suits
Anyone who likes pictures and colour. Raw-edge fusible appliqué is quick; needle-turn suits slow hand stitchers.
What you need
Paper-backed fusible web, cotton scraps, an iron and a machine with zigzag or blanket stitch.
A first project
A single heart or simple shape on a cushion front.
The appliqué guides
Beginner's guide
What you need
Techniques and stitches
How to do raw-edge fusible appliqué
Trace, fuse, cut, place and stitch.
How to do turned-edge appliqué (fusible method)
A clean edge that will not fray: best for larger shapes with gentle curves.
First project
Mistakes and fixes
Next steps
Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.
