Add some excitement to your embroidery projects by adding some crafty cut applique with exposed fabric edges.

These instructions will show you how to work with crafty cut applique.

Read below for these free project instructions!
 

When you download a crafty cut applique design you will see two files. One starts with a "Y" followed by 4 numbers - this is the embroidery file. The other file ends with "_DL" and that stands for dieline. Print the dieline files at full size using embroidery software (some crafty cut applique designs have more than one dieline).

If you don't have embroidery software, keep reading! Alternative instructions will be shown later.
 

You may also use pinking shears to cut out the applique fabric. This gives the fabric a fun, textured edge and works great with woven fabrics such as quilter's cotton. Simply cut along the line of the template as we demonstrated earlier

If you do not have embroidery software or cannot print from it, you can embroider the dieline file directly onto the fabric. To do this, hoop the fabric tightly in the hoop - no need for stabilizer.

Load the dieline file (the file that endss with "_DL") and attach the hoop to the machine. Embroider the dielines directly onto the fabric.

Unhoop the fabric and cut out the shapes. Another option for creating paper templates is to embroider the dieline files directly onto paper. Hoop a piece of paper, embroider the dielines directly onto the paper, and then cut out the shapes.

Now that the applique pieces are cut and ready, we will embroider the design. Hoop the fabric to be embroidered with cutaway stabilizer that has been sprayed with a bit of temporary adhesive. Attach the hoop to the machine and load the embroidery design (the file that is named with only "Y" followed by 4 numbers). Embroider the design. The first thing that sews is another dieline. After the dieline has sewn, stop the machine.

Spray the back of the corresponding fabric shape with a bit of adhesive and lay the fabric right inside the shape. The dielines have small "tabs" wherever there is a point or corner on the shape. Align the points or corners of the fabric piece with the tabs on the dieline.

Continue with the design. The next thing that sews is a tack down stitch that sews about 1/4 inch from the outer edge of the fabric piece - this binds the fabric piece to the hooped fabric.

Continue with the design. Some crafty cut applique designs have more than one applique piece. Watch for a note on the color change sheet that says "dieline". After each dieline sews, stop the machine. Add the fabric pieces as you did earlier - spray the backside of the fabric piece, align it with the dieline, and continue sewing.  Finally, other elements of the design will sew such as the detail in the center of the flowers.

After the design has sewn, carefully trim away the excess stabilizer on the back of the embroidery.