Impressions - January 2012 - (Page 54)

talking SHOP Embroidery Technique Get Great Results with Raw-Edge or Reverse Appliqué If you think you need a laser bridge machine to create raw-edge and reverse appliqués on various substrates, think again. These techniques can be achieved easily with a standard embroidery machine. By Deborah Jones, Contributing Writer Fig. 1 Sound appealing? Regardless of your equipment type, here are the steps to create exciting and highly marketable appliqués. MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED Like conventional appliqué, many different fabric types can be used for rawedge and reverse appliqué. However, unlike the traditional method, it usually isn’t necessary — or even desirable — to treat the fabric before using it as an appliqué. You also don’t usually need to hold appliqué fabric to the host fabric with embroidery spray adhesive. When creating conventional appliqué, apply a fusible product to the reverse side of the material. This fusible coating prevents raveling of the material during handling and allows the completed appliqué to be permanently heat sealed to the host fabric after stitching. When creating raw-edge appliqué, it’s highly desirable for the edge of the appliqué fabric to ravel, resulting in a softer, distressed appearance. When creating reverse appliqué, a fused backing could be uncomfortable to the wearer because the appliqué material is actually beneath the host fabric and next to the skin. So, in both techniques, plain, unbacked fabric is used for the appliqué. Any embroiderer can duplicate the trendy looks of raw-edge and reverse appliqué (shown) with a standard embroidery machine. These techniques are actually easy and don’t require the precision needed for the precut or cut-as-you-go methods. he word “appliqué” is derived from the French term for “applied.” As a decorating technique, appliqué has been popular for centuries — and was particularly useful for mending clothes and presenting a bold image, such as those on ﬂags or banners. Recently, it has enjoyed a long run of popularity, particularly in reverse and distressed treatments on ready-to-wear clothing. By now, you’ve no doubt seen specialized embroidery machines equipped with lasers that burn away fabric cleanly and precisely to create raw-edge and reverse appliqués (Figure 1) on sweat shirts, jackets and more. These machines reduce time 54 Impressions >> January 2012 t and labor, as well as simplify the process, but any embroiderer can duplicate these trendy looks with a standard embroidery machine. These techniques actually are easy and don’t require the precision needed for the precut or cut-as-you-go methods. Plus, some expensive consumable supplies can be eliminated with the raw-edge and reverse appliqué methods. Even with these beneﬁts, there’s another that’s even more appealing. Raw-edge and reverse appliqué methods practically have a success guarantee. Even novice embroiderers will be successful on their ﬁrst attempts with these methods. SELECTING APPLIQUÉ FABRIC Although specialty materials may be showy for other appliqué methods, some can be uncomfortable when worn next to the skin, as in the reverse appliqué technique. Others could crumple and wrinkle when used without backing for the rawedge technique. For this reason, I tend to impressionsmag.com http://www.impressionsmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - January 2012

Impressions - January 2012
Contents
First Impressions
From the Show Director
FYI
ISS Conferences
Product Gallery
Celebrating the Industry’s Best
How to Choose a DTG Printer, Part I
Back to Basics
Shop Spotlight
Embroidery Technique
For Screen Printers Only
Digital Decorating
Digital Decorating
Online Directory
Business to Business
Classifieds
Ad Index

Impressions - January 2012