Appliqué is a wonderfully creative embroidery technique where pieces of fabric are stitched onto a base material to create a design with dimension, color, and texture. From personalized quilts to custom t-shirts, the possibilities are endless. However, the secret to a beautiful, flat, and professional-looking appliqué doesn’t just lie in the design—it starts with choosing the right fabric.
Using the wrong fabric can lead to puckering, fraying, and distortion. This guide will walk you through the best fabrics for appliqué, from beginner-friendly staples to exciting specialty materials, ensuring your projects are successful from the very first stitch.
The Best Fabrics for Appliqué (The Go-To Choices)
For reliable and beautiful results, you can’t go wrong with stable, woven fabrics. These are the top choices for both beginners and seasoned embroiderers.
Quilting Cotton
Quilting cotton is arguably the most popular and best fabric for machine appliqué, and for good reason. It is stable, easy to work with, and comes in a nearly infinite variety of solid colors, batiks, and small prints that are perfect for appliqué projects.
Pro-Tip: For small appliqué pieces, there is no need to pre-wash the fabric. In fact, pre-washing can cause small cuts of fabric to fray and unravel, making them more difficult to work with.
Denim, Muslin, and Linen
Like quilting cotton, other stable woven fabrics such as denim, muslin, and linen are also excellent choices for appliqué.1 They hold their shape well during the stitching process and provide a sturdy base for the finishing satin stitch.
Working with Specialty Fabrics
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you can start experimenting with specialty fabrics to add unique textures and finishes to your projects.
Soft & Napped Fabrics (Felt, Fleece, Flannel)
These fabrics are a favorite for children’s items and cozy projects because of their soft texture. Felt and fleece have the added benefit of not fraying at the edges.1
The Critical Tip: All of these fabrics have a “nap” or pile. To prevent your finishing stitches from sinking into the fabric and disappearing, you must use a water-soluble topper. This is a thin, plastic-like film that you place over the appliqué fabric before the final satin stitch is sewn. It holds the pile down, and once the embroidery is finished, it washes away with water, leaving behind crisp, clean stitches.1
Delicate & Sheer Fabrics (Silk, Satin, Organza)
Don’t be afraid to use delicate fabrics like silk or satin for a touch of elegance. With the right preparation, they work beautifully.1
The Secret to Success: These fabrics are often heat-sensitive and can be slippery. To give them stability and prevent fraying, iron a fusible web (like Steam-A-Seam2) to the back of the fabric before cutting and stitching. Always use a pressing cloth between the iron and the fabric to prevent damage. For these fine materials, switch to a smaller 70/10 needle for the best results.1
Modern & Unique Fabrics (Vinyl, Faux Leather, Cork)
These materials are surprisingly easy to work with because their edges don’t fray, and they can give your projects a very professional, high-end look.1
Tips for Vinyl and Cork:
- Needle Choice: Use a sharp, strong needle like an 80/12 or 90/14 to cleanly pierce the material without tearing.1
- Slow Down: Reduce your machine’s stitch speed to prevent skipped stitches and ensure accuracy.1
- “Float” the Fabric: These materials can be damaged by hooping. Instead of clamping them in the hoop, hoop your stabilizer by itself and then use a temporary spray adhesive or basting stitch to hold the vinyl or cork piece in place on top of the stabilizer. This is known as “floating.”2
Fabrics to Avoid for Appliqué (Especially for Beginners)
While you can embroider on almost any fabric, some are very difficult to use as the appliqué piece itself. For beginners, it is best to avoid using very stretchy knit fabrics for your appliqué shapes. These fabrics are prone to stretching and distorting during the tack-down and trimming process, which can lead to misshapen designs and puckering. If you must use a stretchy fabric, be sure to stabilize it first with a fusible web backing.
Pro-Tip: Matching Your Needle to Your Fabric
Using the correct needle size is crucial for preventing fabric damage and ensuring clean stitches. Keep a variety of needles on hand and use this simple guide:
- 70/10 Needle: For very fine, delicate fabrics like silk, satin, and organza.1
- 75/11 Needle: The most common “all-purpose” embroidery needle, perfect for quilting cottons.1
- 80/12 Needle: A good choice for heavier cottons, linens, and embroidery vinyl.1
- 90/14 Needle: Use for heavyweight fabrics like denim, canvas, or when using 3D puff foam.1
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need to pre-wash my appliqué fabric?
For small pieces of quilting cotton used in appliqué, it is generally not necessary and can even be counterproductive, as it can cause the edges to fray. If you are using a fabric that is known to shrink significantly, like flannel, you may want to pre-wash it.
What is a water-soluble topper and why do I need it?
A water-soluble topper is a clear film placed on top of high-pile fabrics like fleece, terry cloth towels, or velvet before the final stitches are sewn. It creates a smooth surface that prevents the stitches from sinking into the fabric’s nap, resulting in a much cleaner and more defined design. It dissolves away with water after stitching is complete.1
Can I use t-shirt material for an appliqué piece?
It is not recommended, especially for beginners. T-shirt fabric (a type of knit) is very stretchy and can easily warp or pucker when used as an appliqué piece.1 For the best results, stick to stable, woven fabrics like quilting cotton. If you must use a knit, you will need to apply a fusible web stabilizer to the back first to prevent it from stretching.
