Sewing is Easy

We have put together the full alphabet, Upper and Lower case and images for you to download to use on various projects.

Once you have printed these off you can use them to practise your appliqué & zig-zag skills and are great to use for children’s clothing and accessories/gift ideas.

Simply follow our step by step instructions.

OUTLINING GRAPHICS USING ZIG-ZAG

1. Print off your desired letters and/or image

2. Use sticky tape to adhere the images onto a window.

This allows you to use your window as a light box. Then place your fabric over the image and using an erasable marker, start to trace . The fabric we are using for this is Shape well. Shape well is a woven interfacing/stiffening and is used to stabilize fabrics and give them body.

We advise that you use this product when practising sewing techniques.

3. Set your machine to Zig– Zag stitch.

Adjust your stitch width to 3 and your stitch length to .5

Place the fabric under the presser foot and make sure that the outline of the design is centred under the needle.

Start sewing from the outside of the design

4. When working the inside of the letter (applies to letters, A,B,D,O,P,Q,R)

Adjust your stitch width to 2 but keep your stitch length the same

HINT; when using the outline technique, always place a stabilizer on the underside of the fabric. A good choice is TEARAWAY. This is a medium weight stabilizer that keeps the fabric in place while zigzag and prevents the fabric from stretching or distorting during sewing. And the beauty is, once you have finished you just “tearaway” the stabilizer

APPLIQUE GRAPHICS USING ZIG ZAG

This is when you use cut out images that are sewn onto a project using a contrast fabric.

Can be used on quilts, blankets, clothing and accessories.

1. Cut out your desired image and trace it onto your fabric using an erasable fabric marker

Introducing double sided appliqué webbing

A fantastic product that is adhesive on both sides. The beauty of this is the it stabilizes the appliqué. Design and then adheres it to the desired position on the finished project making it easy to appliqué without shifting and avoiding the use of pins! LOVE IT!

2. Pin the appliqué directly onto the first adhesive side of the webbing.

N.B Although the webbing is adhesive on both sides, it has a paper backing

3. Cut out the image and then turn it over and press it on the paper side of the webbing.

4. Peel away the paper backing which will then expose to second adhesive side 

5.Position the appliqué as desired, press to adhere and then zig zag using the same steps as outlining.. 

HINT    Always keep any images, graphics or template in a folder or file because it is guaranteed that once you dispose of it  will be the time you will need it!!!!