I’ve been having so much fun doing machine embroidery using die cut appliques. It makes the dies so much more usable because you can get a project up and going in no time at all. I have digitized a lot of the Accuquilt dies, but the ones I’ve been playing with this week are the Critters die, the Fun Flower die, and the Holiday Medley die.
Using die cuts is the best way I have found to do machine embroidery applique. I have tried stitching the fabric down and cutting around it as well as cutting the applique shape by hand. Neither way has been satisfactory to me. Die cuts are the cat’s pajamas!
Another option you can consider is that you can use Elmer’s school glue stick (the purple stuff) on the base fabric just inside the die line and fit the appliqué shape onto that and then press that with the mini-iron.
Here’s the quilt top that is almost finished:

Notice that for most of the appliqué that I do, I only use one color thread – that makes it easy to stitch – but it’s a way of showing off and enhancing the appliqué shape and the fabric.
And here’s a closeup:


And a pic-tutorial showing how I did these – it’s so easy and fun.
Notice that I ventured into Christmas!





And here’s the Christmas quilt I’m going to make with the holiday medley die:
Love it. You are inspiring me to get busy and learn to digitize. Maybe that should be my goal for the summer.
Hi Marjorie,
These are stunning ! how did you get the right scale and shape into your digitizing software ?
What program do you use
Thanks for this – Lynne
Hi Lynne, I scanned the shapes, but then had to measure and stitch and re-stitch until I got them exactly the right size. It takes a lot of time, but well worth it in the end.
Thanks Majorie — you have a lot of patience and great eye for details
Well done
Thanks for the compliment – although sometimes I’m not sure that eye for detail is a good thing/
Absolutely beautiful. I’m so happy you have digitized these die cuts and are making them available for purchase. Excellent ME designs. And your quilt designs are beautiful too.
SewCalGal
http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
Marjorie,
I am very new to machine embroidery and do not have the ability to digitize anything. Would you consider sharing the files for the butterfly and fun flower since I do have those dies??
Hope all is going well otherwise in your life.
Hot here and smoky a lot of the time – it seems like the whole state is burning down…. With only 1/3 inch of rain so far this year and little last fall, it’s no wonder.
Cheers, Linda
We got back from Arizona mid-May, and it was drier than I’ve ever seen it. I have been watching the info on the fires – I am praying for rain for you.
I am going to set up a webpage this week with my designs on it. Some will be for sale and some will be free. I’ll put a link on my blog when I get it set up. The fun flower will definitely be a free one.
Great, Marjorie, sounds like a winner!
These are great. My favorite is the butterfly.
Thank you Alex – the butterfly is my favorite too – well. . ., next to the fun flower!