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Crafty Cut Applique Trivet (In-the-Hoop)

Crafty Cut Applique Trivet (In-the-Hoop)

Add a three-dimensional look to your projects with embossed machine embroidery. These designs tamp down the fabric nap, and the negative space allows the design element to stand out for an eye-catching and textural look. These project instructions will show you how to tackle your own embossed machine embroidery project step by step.

Supplies & Materials:

- Large piece of quilter's cotton (for back fabric piece)
- Three pieces of quilter's cotton (for three background squares)

- Ribbon for hanger

- Scissors

- Small pieces of quilter's cotton in various colors (for applique pieces)
- Insul-Bright insulated lining
- Tear-away stabilizer
- Temporary spray adhesive (such as Gunold KK100)
- Embroidery thread

The designs used in this tutorial include:

-  X15012, Winter Favorites Trivet (In-the-Hoop)

When you download the design, you will find multiple files. Some are embroidery files, and others are dieline files marked with the letters "DL". Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the correct shape and size. Open and print each dieline file using an embroidery software. If you do not have an embroidery software, take a look at our helpful video on using dielines.


We also recommend Wilcom's Hatch software which comes in different levels depending on what you'd like to use the software for. Hatch Organizer works well to view your designs, print dielines and templates, change design colors, and create basic design layouts. (This is an affiliate link. We may earn commission on purchases made with this link.)

Eight folded fabric pieces in shades of green, blue, purple, and white are arranged on a gray surface. Two printed paper templates with rectangular line drawings rest on top.

First, spray one side of a piece of Insul-Bright with temporary adhesive. Smooth the Insul-Bright onto the wrong side of the back piece fabric.

Hand holding the corner of a square white fabric piece layered over a textured white fabric, both on a gray background.

Then spray the back side of the printed back piece dieline with temporary adhesive, and smooth it onto the right side of the back fabric.

Hand holding peeled corner of white adhesive-backed fabric with black sewing lines, placed on white towel on dark gray surface.

Cut the back dieline shape out of the adhered fabric and Insul-Bright. Then remove the paper dieline.

White fabric square with faint pencil guidelines is layered on a textured white cloth, with gray-handled scissors resting on top, all against a gray background.

Next, spray the back of all of the remaining paper dielines with temporary adhesive. Smooth the dielines onto the right side of the appropriate fabrics.

Three fabric pieces in blue, purple, and light gray shades, each with a white rectangular paper template pinned or placed atop, all set on a gray surface.

Cut out all the remaining dieline pieces. These should only be fabric, and should not have Insul-Bright on the back.

Two small rectangular fabric pieces, one light blue, one dark blue, and a smaller white rectangle are arranged on a gray surface with a pair of gray scissors placed partly on top.

All the remaining applique pieces seen in the design do not have paper dielines. Instead the specific shapes are cut out after the embroidery has sewn.

To create these applique pieces, follow the tutorial below, and place fabric rectangles over the applique dielines before sewing the corresponding tackdowns. Then the fabric will be trimmed to shape.

Small fabric trivet with applique designs of a pine tree, snowman, and snowflakes in green, white, blue, and purple tones, with a loop for hanging.

Once the fabric pieces are cut to the correct shapes, its time to embroider the design.

Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer. Madeira E-Zee 1.5 oz. or Floriani Tearaway Medium are good choices. Those brands are more fibrous, less like paper, and will tear more cleanly.

Embroidery hoop with white stabilizer fabric stretched and secured inside, laid on a dark gray background.

Attach the hoop onto the machine, and load the embroidery file (not the dieline files).

Use a 75/11 sharp sewing needle instead of an embroidery needle. The sharp sewing needle has a finer point, and it will make smaller perforations in the stabilizer.

Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be the first dieline (or outline stitch). This marks the are on the stabilizer where the first front fabric piece will be placed.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching blue outline marks on white fabric held in an embroidery hoop, with the needle and presser foot engaged.

After the dieline has sewn, remove the hoop from the machine but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the wrong side of the first front fabric piece with temporary adhesive. Place the fabric on the stabilizer inside of the sewn dieline.


Hand removing blue adhesive stabilizer from white tear-away stabilizer hooped in embroidery frame on gray fabric background.

Then place the hoop back onto the machine, and embroider the tackdown for the first front fabric piece. A tackdown holds the fabric piece in the place for the remainder of the design.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a dark zigzag border on a light blue rectangular fabric piece secured in a hoop with white stabilizer beneath.

Next embroider the second front piece dieline.

Close-up of a sewing machine needle stitching a light blue fabric rectangle onto a white stabilizer inside an embroidery hoop. The fabric has a zigzag stitch border.

Repeat to remove the hoop from the machine, spray the wrong side of the second front piece with temporary adhesive, and place it inside the sewn dieline. Then embroider the tackdown step.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a zigzag border around a purple fabric square on a white stabilizer, with part of the machine's foot and needle visible.

Embroider the third front piece dieline. Then repeat again to remove the hoop from the machine, spray the wrong side of the third front piece with temporary adhesive, and place it inside the sewn dieline. Then embroider the tackdown step.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a zigzag border on a silver square fabric piece, next to blue and light blue fabric patches.

After the three front pieces are in place, the inner borders of the trivet will embroider.


Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a zigzag seam between three fabric squares in light blue, dark blue, and lavender with subtle sparkles.

Follow the color change sheet to embroider all the details that sit under the applique pieces. Not all squares will have these details in them.

Stop before sewing the next "dieline" step.

Embroidery machine stitching a trivet with three rectangular fabric patches in light blue, dark blue, and glittery pale pink, decorated with blue snowflakes.

After all the embroidered details under the embroidery have finished sewing out, the first applique piece dieline will sew.

This sewn dieline shows exactly where the tackdown for this fabric piece will sew.

Embroidery machine stitching designs on three fabric squares: light blue with an outlined tree trunk and branches, dark blue with scattered white snowflakes, and pale pink with snowflakes.

Cut a piece of fabric that is at least 3/4" taller and wider than the sewn dieline. This way, there will be enough fabric left around the tackdown for a raw edge fabric border.

Spray the back side of this fabric piece with temporary adhesive, and smooth it on top of the sewn dieline. Make sure it covers the dieline completely, and for best results, try and center it over the dieline as best as possible.

Hand holds a green fabric square with pine tree pattern, over blue fabric with appliqued tree trunk and outline, next to embroidered blue and purple squares in hoop.

Then embroider the tackdown step for the first applique piece.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a fabric piece with green leafy patterns next to blue and light pink fabric squares, the blue square has white stars embroidered.

After the tackdown has sewn, carefully trim the fabric, leaving a loose border of fabric around the tackdown. You do not need to cut this border perfectly to shape right now as it is easier to cut after the trivet is no longer hooped.

Simply trim away the excess fabric to make sure it will not get sewn over by any other embroidered detail or the final finishing seam which will sew all around the outer edge.


Embroidery hoop with fabric square featuring a green Christmas tree applique, a smaller blue square with white stars, and a pair of gray-handled scissors on top.

For some applique pieces (like the tree) all the details sew with the tackdown stitch. For other applique pieces on other trivets (such as the flower seen here) there are additional details that sew across multiple color stops.

Follow the color change sheet, and embroider all the details until you reach the next dieline.

Close-up of a fabric trivet with three embroidered panels: a bee with a blue floral background, pink flowers on a yellow pattern, and three butterflies in pink, yellow, and blue, all outlined with green stitching.

Once the first applique piece is in place and the details are sewn, embroider the second applique piece dieline.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a blue fabric square with a bunny outline next to an appliqued green fabric tree on light blue fabric, all held in place by an embroidery hoop.

As before, cut a piece of fabric 3/4" larger than the applique dieline, spray the back with temporary adhesive, and smooth it in place over the dieline.

Hand lifting the corner of a blue fabric square with an outlined mitten shape, attached by blue zigzag stitching to a quilted fabric panel with a tree design on the left.

Some of the second applique pieces have details that embroider over the edge of the applique piece.

For these applique pieces, trim the excess fabric away to leave a perfect, finished border around the tackdown like you would want on the final trivet. If you do not trim it nicely now, the unfinished shape of the applique will get sewn over, and make it difficult to cut nicely later.

Embroidery hoop with partially completed applique of a green Christmas tree on blue fabric next to an outlined pear shape on purple fabric; small silver scissors rest on the purple fabric.

Return the hoop to the machine, and embroider all the details for the second applique piece.

Follow the color change sheet, and stop before you get to the next dieline step.


Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a fabric square with an applique snowman wearing a green scarf and black top hat on a royal blue background with white snowflakes.

The final square will have multiple applique pieces (2 or 3 depending on the trivet). Embroider the first dieline in this square.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a circular design with star-like shapes on a lavender fabric square, bordered with blue zigzag stitches. Background shows green and white fabric.

Remove the hoop from the machine, cut a piece of fabric 3/4" bigger than the dieline, spray the back of the fabric with temporary adhesive, and smooth the fabric in place over the dieline.

Close-up of a hand lifting a translucent blue heat-resistant fabric square from a stitched square panel with embroidered blue snowflakes and a partially visible snowman applique on purple fabric.

Return the hoop back to the machine and embroider the tackdown. Then trim away the excess fabric around the outer edges. If this applique piece will get overlapped by another applique piece, make sure to cut the border around the tackdown perfectly, so it looks finished. If you do not trim it nicely now, the unfinished shape of the applique will get trapped under the other fabric piece, and make it difficult to cut nicely later.

Embroidery hoop with fabric showing a green tree and a snowman with a black hat and green scarf on blue backgrounds, stitched edges, and small scissors placed on fabric.

Then embroider any remaining details for this applique piece.

Stop before the next dieline.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a light purple fabric square with embroidered blue and white snowflakes next to a green fabric tree applique.

Embroider the dieline for the second applique piece in this square.


Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a blue and light purple fabric square with embroidered white snowflakes and small navy stars, on a white and dark blue fabric background.

Remove the hoop from the machine, cut a piece of fabric 3/4" bigger than the dieline, spray the back of the fabric with temporary adhesive, and smooth the fabric in place over the dieline.

Close-up of a hand peeling off a blue protective layer from an embroidered square patch with snowflake designs on light purple fabric, next to a blue fabric section with a stitched snowman applique.

Then trim away the excess fabric, so it will not get sewn over by any of the remaining embroidered details or the finishing seam.

Two embroidered fabric panels, one with a green pine tree on light blue and the other a snowman with scarf on dark blue, both with stitched edges and snowflakes.

Look at the color change sheet and embroider any remaining details that need to sew on this applique piece. Some trivets will not have any details besides the tackdown.

Square fabric trivet with three colorful appliqué designs: a pink ice cream cone, a blue and white pinwheel on pink polka dots, and a watermelon slice on a yellow patterned background.

If embroidering a design that only has two applique pieces in the final square skip ahead to the hanger and back piece steps.

Square fabric trivet divided into three sections: orange pumpkins on red, yellow sunflower on red with dots, and red maple leaf on yellow floral background, all stitched.

If the design has a third applique piece, embroider the dieline.

Remove the hoop from the machine, cut a piece of fabric 3/4" bigger than the dieline, spray the back of the fabric with temporary adhesive, and smooth the fabric in place over the dieline. Then embroider the tackdown, and trim away the excess fabric.


Two fabric squares show embroidery: a green Christmas tree on blue, a white snowman with green scarf on blue; silver scissors rest on purple patch.

Then embroider any remaining details on the applique pieces.

Stop before sewing the "back piece tackdown."

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching snowflake designs on blue and green fabric circles appliqued to a lavender square with zigzag edging.

Before sewing the "back piece tackdown" step, remove the hoop from the machine, and turn it over so the back side of the embroidery is facing up.

To add a hanger onto the trivet, cut a length of ribbon 7" long, and make it into a loop. Then tape the loop into place along the top center edge of the trivet.

Embroidery hoop with light gray fabric shows two stitched panels: a snowman with a red hat and scarf on purple, and a decorated Christmas tree on light blue, taped at top edges.

Then spray the Insul-Bright side of the back piece with temporary adhesive and smooth it into place on the back side of the embroidery with the Insul-Bright against the stabilizer.

Hand lifts a white fabric square revealing a textured silver backing and a light blue fabric section with stitched tree and trunk design underneath on a gray background.

As the embroidery from here on out will be seen from both sides, wind a bobbin to match the remaining thread colors used in the design.

Two sewing thread spools on a gray fabric background, one large spool of shiny periwinkle blue thread and one very small spool of the same color thread.

Place the matching bobbin into the machine, and follow the color change sheet to embroider the rest of the design. The "back piece tackdown" will sew first, followed by the "finishing seam".

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching two fabric panels: one with a green Christmas tree on blue, the other with a snowman on purple, both with snowflakes.

Once the embroidery is finished, carefully tear the excess stabilizer away from the outside edges of the trivet.

Square fabric trivet with a green pine tree applique, embroidered snowman with black hat and green scarf, and three blue and white snowflakes on blue background.

Now that the trivet is free of the stabilizer and hoop, it is easier to cut around the applique pieces.

Use a pair of scissors to clean up and cut all your finished borders on each of the raw edge applique pieces.

Fabric square divided into three sections with embroidered applique: a green pine tree, a smiling snowman with a black hat and green scarf, and three snowflakes. Scissors nearby on gray surface.