Joining appliqué in machine embroidery

Original text by Marina Belova 

I find joining appliqué a rather interesting machine embroidery technique, which may be used to create an edge finish by means of joining several pieces of fabrics together. 

Join type will depend directly on the design. I can see the following types: 

• Joining edge-to-edge – the fabrics overlap just a little and the joint place is covered with a satin column. 

• The fabrics only partly overlap, like in a traditional patched appliqué. This way is better for usage than the edge-to-edge one. 

The embroidery process is simple and includes the following steps. 

1. The edges of two pieces of fabric are superimposed with their right side facing up. 
2. Then the fabrics are basted together. 
3. Hooped. 
4. A small zig-zag outline is embroidered, to which the fabrics will be trimmed. 
5. The fabric is trimmed along the zig-zag stitch. 
6. The hoop is turned the wrong side up and the extra fabric is trimmed. I think it is necessary to prevent the rest of the design being embroidered on the second layer of fabric. 
7. Put a stabilizer under the hoop. 
8. Embroider the rest of the design. 

The process of creating a joining appliqué is a bit different from that of an ordinary appliqué and consists of approximately the following steps: 

1. Creating a zig-zag outline to which the fabrics will be trimmed. 
2. Inserting a stop so that the hoop will come out for trimming. 
3. Creating a finishing column. 
4. Creating the rest of the design. 

These are the steps that constitute the whole process. Real easy. The only thing you have to do is to find a design and to play with embroidery settings.