Putting on some glitz The Art of SFX Appliqué
BY HELEN HART MOMSEN
The process of appliqué can be traced back as many as 2,500 years—the oldest extant example of appliqué is
an Egyptian canopy quilt from 980 B.C.
Appliqué is said to have had its beginnings
in Asia and spread to Europe along the
famed Silk Road. The term itself comes to
us from the French (replete with the classy
accent aigu), where it means “to apply” or
“to put on.” It is loosely defined as a decorative technique of superimposing patches of
colored material on to a plain base. It is then
further decorated and attached with often
fancy stitching or embroidery.
Traditional appliqué is enhanced by using fun fabrics. (Image courtesy Hirsch International, Hauppauge, N. Y.)
50 • PRINTWEAR • JULY 2010
Appliqué combines embroidery and
something else. Although that something else includes fabric, it doesn’t have to stop there.
Like so many things in our world of embroidery, it’s the possibilities that make the
journey worthwhile.
Color blending
Instead of stitching around the edge of the
appliqué, how about stitching across it?
Color is affected by the colors that surround
it; the eye blends the colors it sees. With this
in mind, think about using some of the colorful metallic threads for even more zing.
Consider also using something fine and
fancy for the underlying appliqué. Many
fabrics have metallic touches or shiny
finishes. Combine that with a snazzy top
mesh of embroidery to create something
different and eye-catching for the same
amount of time.
You can also use tulle (netting), purchased by the yard at the fabric store, over
a base appliqué as a means of creating visual color-blending. Use black tulle over
any appliquéd faces and add more stitching where you want to create shadows. The
result is a much more natural skin tone.
Celtic, shadows and
reverse appliqué
Bias tape is used in Celtic appliqué to create a stained-glass effect. You can create the same look
with a filled border or, if your
software has the capability, a satin
border with a patterned design.
The colors in Celtic embroidery
are bold and very primary and
carrying this into other areas can
be dynamic.
Shadow appliqué is another
process where a piece of colored
fabric is covered with a piece of
organdy and then stitching is
added around the edge of the
shape. You can mix colors visually
by choosing a bold under fabric
and a piece of colored organdy.
Add dimensional appliqué by,
depending on the design, stitching items on the surface of the
under-fabric before covering it
with the organdy. Use extra underlay to add height to any embroidered additions and they will
show through the organdy even
better.
