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Edgy Applique

Edgy Applique

This fabulous type of applique will have you on the "edge" of your seat! Fun patterned fabrics and beautiful embroidery give these edgy applique designs a captivating look. The scalloped border of the applique designs hang off the edge of the towel, creating beautiful dimension and eye-catching interest. Simply choose your favorite fabrics and follow these instructions to stitch these edgy applique designs!

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies:

- Kitchen towels (the towels used in this tutorial are from Target; other sources include Home Goods, TJ Maxx, and Amazon)

- Applique fabric (good-quality and tightly-woven quilter's cotton, denim, felt, canvas, twill, etc.)

- Medium-weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer

- Tear-away stabilizer

- Temporary spray adhesive (like Gunold KK100)

Instructions for Embroidering an Edgy Applique Border:

When you download an edgy applique design, you will find multiple files. Some are the embroidery files, and the 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.

Three white pattern sheets with light dotted line drawings of a scalloped edge and a pumpkin shape lay fanned out on a wood surface. Each sheet includes labeled sections and areas for measurements or notes.

Spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Spray the backside of the front piece dieline with temporary spray adhesive and smooth onto the fabric. Repeat this process for the second applique piece, and the back piece.

Fabric piece with teal and white patterned fabric cut to shape and pinned under a paper pattern with a scalloped edge, next to metal scissors on a wooden surface.

Cut out the shapes and remove the paper.

Three fabric applique pieces on a wood surface: one white chicken shape and two teal scalloped shapes with white dots.

Cut a piece of tear-away stabilizer slightly larger than your hoop. (Note: Fibrous tear-away stabilizers give better-quality results for in-the-hoop projects. Stay away from tear-away stabilizers that feel too much like paper).

Embroidery hoop with a rectangular inner frame and clamp on a piece of white stabilizer fabric, next to a pair of shiny metal scissors, all on a wooden surface.

Spray the back side of your kitchen towel with temporary spray adhesive.

Hand spraying adhesive from a GUNOLD KISS spray can onto a white piece of fabric on a wooden surface, yellow can lid nearby.

Arrange the towel so the edge lines up near the center of the piece of tear-away stabilizer.

Two rectangular fabric pieces, one cream with a stitched pattern folded over a larger flat gray felt piece, against a wooden surface.

A template, or printout of a design, is an excellent tool to help with placement. Print a template of the design from your embroidery software. Arrange the template so the edge of the towel runs through the center of the design along the horizontal axis line. Mark the center point and the vertical and horizontal axis lines on your towel and stabilizer.

White towel with quilted diamond pattern, black and white applique design of a chicken with red comb and beak and pink flowers, beige fabric beneath, blue marker pen.

Hoop the towel and the tearaway stabilizer together, aligning the towel edge close to the center of your embroidery hoop.

Embroidery hoop holding layers of fabric and stabilizer on a wooden surface, with a gray plastic hoop clamp attached on the left side.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly aligned with the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching white fabric secured in a hoop, showing the machine's needle and foot in action with some loose fabric edges.

The first thing to embroider will be a dieline, or outline stitch. This marks the area on the towel and stabilizer for the first front fabric piece. Spray the back of the front fabric piece with adhesive. Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the towel and stabilizer. Place the fabric right inside the sewn dieline.

Embroidery hoop with fabric stretched inside showing a green scalloped applique piece with white polka dots on a beige background, on a soft textured surface.

Reattach the hoop onto the machine and continue with the design -- a zigzag stitch tackdown will sew next. This holds the front fabric in place for the remainder of the design. The dieline for the second applique piece will stitch next.

Embroidery hoop holding fabric with a teal scalloped applique featuring small white flowers and black stitched edges, placed on a beige towel and brown fabric background.

Place the second fabric piece directly in the dieline shape. Another zigzag tackdown stitch will sew, fixing the second fabric piece in place.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching scalloped turquoise fabric with polka dots and a beige oval piece with a tan pattern on white fabric, showing detailed edges.

All of the inner elements will sew next. On the color change sheet, look for the note that says "back piece tackdown". When you get to this section, stop the machine and remove the hoop from the machine. Do not unhoop the towel and stabilizer.

Embroidery hoop holding fabric with a completed applique of a cream-colored chicken with red comb, surrounded by two pink flowers and teal scalloped leaves.

Turn the hoop over. Spray the backside of the back fabric piece with temporary adhesive. Place the back piece right inside the shape of the embroidery.

Green fabric with white dots cut in a bat shape is hooped in an embroidery frame over white stabilizer on a wooden table.

Since both sides of the towel will be seen, wind a bobbin with the same thread being used in the needle. Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue with the design. A zigzag stitch tackdown will sew next, followed by a satin stitch border to finish off the design.

Close-up of a hand holding a small black sewing machine bobbin in front of a white sewing machine with a clear plastic bobbin cover.

When the design has finished, unhoop the towel and stabilizer and gently tear the stabilizer away.

Hand peeling away paper backing from an embroidered applique of a beige chicken with a red comb, standing on a teal scalloped edge decorated with pink flowers and green leaves.

Instructions for Embroidering an Edgy Applique Corner:

Following the instructions above, cut out the fabric shapes for the corner design.

Appliqué pieces on a wood surface: two irregular turquoise fabric shapes with white polka dots and one beige fabric chicken shape with subtle swirling pattern.

Cut a piece of tear-away stabilizer slightly larger than your hoop. Spray the backside of your towel with temporary spray adhesive. Arrange the towel on the stabilizer, aligning the corner of the towel with the center of the stabilizer.

White quilted fabric with an embroidered chicken design surrounded by turquoise scalloped edge and pink flowers on a wooden surface. A piece of brown stabilizer is underneath.

Clip the corner hem of your towel, to reduce fabric layers under your applique piece.

Close-up of metallic scissors next to a small white fabric triangle on a brown textured fabric, with a white quilted fabric corner and a partial colorful appliqué on a wooden surface.

Arrange a template of the design as shown. Mark the center point and vertical and horizontal axis lines.

Hand holding a purple marker tracing around a black and white applique design of a hen with flowers onto a white quilted fabric, on a brown surface.

Hoop your towel and the tearaway stabilizer, aligning the towel edge in the center of your embroidery hoop. Attach the hoop to the machine and embroider the design following the instructions above.

Embroidery hoop with stabilizer fabric hooped on a wooden surface. Part of quilted white fabric with purple marks and a colorful applique piece with a butterfly and flowers are visible.

When the design has finished, unhoop the towel and stabilizer and gently tear the stabilizer away.

Close-up of a hand peeling away stabilizer from a white quilted fabric with a corner embroidered applique of a cream chicken with a red comb, black outline, and turquoise background with pink flowers.

Use a ruler to align the center points of each corner design, using a template as your guide for the second corner. Mark the center point, horizontal and vertical axis lines of the template.

A white quilted fabric with scalloped blue applique edges featuring robin birds with red breasts. A clear plastic ruler measures about 19 inches along the edge on a wooden surface. A piece of brown paper is partially visible on the right side.

Repeat the above steps to embroider the second corner design.

White fabric piece with three applique chicken designs in corners and center edge, featuring flowers and teal scalloped borders, on dark wood surface.

These edgy applique towels are a fabulous way to showcase embroidery in your kitchen. Whip up several for your own home, or give as gifts to friends and family.

Two white quilted fabric pieces with appliqué designs of a beige chicken with a red comb, pink flower, and teal scalloped background on dark wood.