There are a lot of different stitches to choose from when you applique felt – buttonhole stitch and running stitch are especially popular. But my very favorite stitch to use is whipstitch.
It’s fast.
It’s easy.
I love the way it looks.
Want to learn how? Here’s a video!
See how easy?
I stitched the sample in the video with contrasting thread so you could really see the stitches, but usually I use thread that matches the applique pieces, so mistakes and uneven stitches won’t be very visible. (Sneaky.)
I should note that this is a little bit different than whipstitching the edges of felt pieces together. I have a separate video showing how to do that here.
Applique with wool felt is one of my very favorite things to do!
It’s all done by hand, so it’s work that’s easy to carry around with me for quick stitching in free moments here and there. And the wool felt and smooth embroidery thread feel so nice in my hands! Plus the colors are so rich and pretty!
Give it a try with this fancy felt coffee sleeve.
Happy stitching!
Best,
Wendi
Hi. Is there a technique similar to this that I can use on any fabric without the machine? Could I whipstitch around any fabric to applique it, if I were to fold the edges in so there’s no fraying?
Yes! You can use the freezer paper technique (http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/2013/07/machine-applique-lessons.html) and whipstitch by hand instead of machine stitching around each piece. 🙂
Thankyou so much 😀 I’ve been searching for a technique that doesn’t involve the machine! And I don’t really fancy trying needle-turn.
I’m not a big sewer, but I want to do this…how do you finish off the stitch?
Just thread your thread tail through a few of the stitches on the back – like with the embroidery in this video. https://wendigratz.wpengine.com/2011/08/how-to-tie-off-thread-on-the-back-of-your-embroidery.html
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