Let your creativity leap into action when you create this unique applique wall hanging.
Applique embroidery is a fantastic way to add your favorite fabrics, colors, textures and character to your projects. Mix and match designs, colors or fabrics to create a wall hanging that works best with your style!
Read below for these free project instructions!
Supplies & Materials:
- 3/4 yard sturdy fabric for squares (3 different colors - 1/4 yard each, we used twill and lightweight canvas)
- Small scraps of fabric for applique pieces (we used cotton fabric)
- Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer
- Temporary spray adhesive
- Air-erase pen (or other marking tool)
- 1/4 inch wide ribbon - in three colors
- Sharp chenille or tapestry needle (for sewing ribbon)
- Two 33 inch pieces of bamboo (or other rods for hanging)
- Small handsaw (if needed to cut hanging rods)
- Optional - hot glue and faux flowers
The designs used in this tutorial include:
-Â Tropical Tree Frog (Applique)
This design is also available in the following design packs:
- A Pieces of Paradise (Applique) Design Pack
Finished size:
33 inches wide by 9 inches hi
First we will prepare the fabric for the squares. Cut a piece of sturdy fabric (we used twill and lightweight canvas) a bit larger than your hoop.
Decide how big you want the squares to be. We made our squares about 3 inches larger than the design. Our design is approximately 6 inches wide by 6 inches tall, so we sized them at 9 inches wide by 9 inches tall. Draw a square in the center of the fabric.
Using an air-erase pen (or other marking tool), measure and mark the center of each side of the square by measuring and dividing by two. Then, draw lines to connect the marks, where the lines meet is the center of the square.
Spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.
Now, let's prepare the applique pieces! Print the dieline file at full size using embroidery software. For more information on how to embroider multiple piece applique click here.  Layer the cutaway stabilizer, fabric, and paper template together and cut out the outer square shape of this design.
Sandwich the template with another piece of stabilizer and fabric and cut out the inner shape.
Now that the applique pieces are cut and ready, it is time to embroider the design! Attach the hoop to the machine and load the embroidery file (applique embroidery designs begin with "Y" followed by 4 numbers). Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design. The first thing to sew will be a dieline for the square shape. After the dieline has sewn, spray the backside of the applique piece with adhesive and lay it right inside the shape.
Continue embroidering the design. A zig-zag tack down stitch sews next, then another dieline. After the dieline has sewn, spray the backside of the second applique piece with adhesive and lay it right inside the shape. Continue with the design; another zig-zag tack down stitch will sew around the inner shape, then the remainder of the design will sew.
After the design has finished, unhoop the fabric and cut out the shape. We are leaving the stabilizer on the back of the embroidery to make the squares stiff and help them retain their shape. Repeat the hooping and embroidering process for two more squares (there will be a total of three embroidered squares).
To prepare the fabric for the back of the squares cut pieces of the sturdy fabric to the same size as the embroidered front pieces. Align the front and back pieces, right sides facing, and pin in place.
Sew a 1/2 inch seam along the side and top edges. Be sure to leave the bottom edge open for turning.
Trim the top corners, be careful to not cut the seam stitching.
Turn the square right side out and press the seams.
Turn the bottom opening in 1/2 inch and press in place. Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the entire outer edge of each square.
Now that the squares are complete, it is time to assemble the wall hanging! We will sew the top of the squares around the top piece of bamboo (or hanging rod). On the backside of each square on the top and bottom edge, mark 1/2 inch intervals all the way across the edge.
Lay the bamboo pieces (or hanging rods) on a flat surface and arrange the squares how you want them. We spaced our squares about one inch apart with the ends of the bamboo extending out about three inches on the top right corner and on the bottom left corner (to allow space for the faux flowers). You may cut the bamboo to size using a small hand saw (if needed). Now that your squares are positioned, thread the ribbon through the chenille or tapestry needle and sew the square in place by starting through one corner of the square and looping around and over the bamboo. Leave the ribbon free on the corners that are next to another square and tie off the ribbon on the corners on the ends. Repeat this for the top of each square.
Tie the free ends of the ribbons in a bow (between the squares) and sew the bottom corners in place with ribbon (we tied knots on the bottom ribbon and let the ends hang down).
If you would like, add embellishments like faux flowers! To do this, simply add a couple of drops of hot glue to the flower and press it in place on the ends of the bamboo.
Your project is now complete!
