Let your creativity blossom with this unique applique style! Each fabric petal is attached only at the flower center, creating a rustic look that springs to life on throw pillows, tote bags, and more. We'll show you step-by-step how to craft your own pretty-petaled blooms!
Supplies & Materials:
- 1/4 yard of quilter's cotton
- Embroidery thread
- Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer
- Air erase pen
- Temporary spray adhesive (such as Gunold KK100)
- Scissors
Finished Sunflower Sizes:
Y5645: 9 1/4" tall x 6 5/8" wide
Y5646: 6 3/4" tall x 4 7/8" wide
Y5647: 3 3/4" tall x 2 7/8" wide
The designs used in this tutorial include:
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.)
Then spray the back side of the printed front piece dieline with temporary adhesive, and smooth it onto the right side of the fabric.
Cut the front dieline shape out of the adhered fabric and then remove the paper dieline.
Then repeat to cut out the other pieces.
A template, or printout, of a design is an excellent tool to help with placement. Print a template of the design using embroidery software.
Center the template on the main fabric of the project. Using an air-erase pen, mark the center point and the horizontal and vertical axis lines of the design.
Spray one side of a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive. Smooth the stabilizer onto the wrong side of the main fabric piece
Once all the fabric pieces are cut to the correct shapes, it's time to embroider the design. Hoop a piece of cutaway stabilizer.
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.
After the first embroidered details have sewn, the first dieline or outline stitch will sew out. This marks the area on the fabric where the applique piece will be placed.
After the dieline has sewn, remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop.
Spray the wrong side of the first fabric piece with temporary adhesive, making sure to spray all of the petals so they do not risk getting pulled up as the design sews out.
For the first flower applique piece, place flower onto the fabric so two petals are on either side of the stem. Then place the hoop back onto the machine, and embroider the tackdown for the fabric piece. The tackdown will hold the fabric piece in place for the remainder of the design.
Repeat to remove the hoop from the machine, spray the wrong side of the next fabric piece, making sure to spray on all of the petals, and smooth it inside the original sewn dieline.
Place the applique fabric so the stem is covered by a petal.
Then embroider the tackdown step. Continue to follow the color change sheet, and sew the dieline for the center piece.
Repeat again to remove the hoop from the machine, spray the wrong side of the center fabric piece, and place it inside the sewn dieline.
Embroider the tackdown step. Once the pieces are stitched in place, embroider final satin edge around center fabric piece and any other remaining details.
Once the embroidery has finished sewing, unhoop the fabric, and trim away the excess stabilizer from around the design.
