Applique Tutorial: How to Monogram a Bib & Burp Cloth Set

A couple years ago when I upgraded my sewing machine I bought a sewing / embroidery machine combo, the Brother SE400 (current model is the Brother SE600). I had no idea how to do embroidered appliques but taught myself how to do it by reading an applique tutorial and watching videos online. Today I am going to share an applique tutorial with you so that you too can learn how to applique like a pro!

I will admit…it can be a tedious and sometimes frustrating process. I’m a perfectionist, and when I’m sewing and something doesn’t turn out quite right, I don’t hesitate to grab the seam ripper. With embroidery, if it gets messed up there’s not much you can do to fix it. Embroidery stitches are tiny and almost impossible to remove without damaging the fabric. Let’s just say I’ve ruined a few bibs and burp cloths…but with practice it gets so much easier!

That being said, when it turns out the way you hope, it’s beautiful! And embroidered bibs and burb cloths make great baby gifts. Everyone loves to receive monogrammed items!

Here are some appliqued bib and burp cloth sets I’ve made for friends and family. Who doesn’t love to get personalized stuff like this? Plus it’s a great way to use scrap fabric!

Applique Supplies

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• Embroidery Machine (I recommend the Brother PE800)
• Applique Software such as Embrilliance Essentials
• Heat n Bond Lite
• Applique scissors
• Tear-away stabilizer or cut away stabilizer
• Spray adhesive
• Embroidery Thread
• Fabric
• Something to monogram on, of course!

How to Applique

For those of you interested in learning the process, I’m going to walk you through the steps with this applique tutorial.

In addition to an embroidery machine (obviously!) you will need embroidery software. You can import single files into your sewing machine without software, such as a single letter or applique but you will have to have software to combine multiple files, such as multiple letters to make a name or monogram. I use Embrilliance Essentials software.

After you set the files up in your software, you can print them which will give you an actual sized print out of the design and a color change sheet which shows you step by step the order the file will be embroidered so you know when to lay down your applique fabric and when to change thread colors.

Then you will need to import the files to your sewing machine. Consult your manual for this step as it will vary depending on what machine you have. My machine accepts a USB drive but some embroidery machines have to hook up directly to the computer with a USB cable.

Cut out your actual size print out of the design and place it on the item you want to embroider. Make sure you have it centered and exactly where you want it. If you are doing a burp cloth, consider if you want leave room to add trim at the bottom. You will notice that the print out has vertical and horizontal lines that intersect at a center point. Take a straight pin and make a small hole in the center point; then use disappearing ink to make a dot through that tiny hole onto your fabric. That tiny dot will be the starting point for your design.

This picture shows 2 purple dots that mark the center of the turtle and the center of the name. The top blue dot marks the center of the burp cloth itself and the bottom blue dot marks the top of a 1 1/2″ measurement where I planned to put a fabric border.

What type of stablizer should I use?

Next you need to select the right kind of stabilizer for your project. Using the correct kind of stabilizer is a MUST. When that needle is pounding the fabric hundreds of times per minute, stabilizer helps support the fabric and provide a strong foundation for the threads so that the design comes out “clean.” You should use tear away stabilizer for thicker items such as bibs, burbcloths and towels and cut away stabilizer for thinner, stretchy fabrics such as onesies or t-shirts.

How to hoop for embroidery

The project I’m making for this applique tutorial today is a bib and burbcloth set which uses tear-away stabilizer. Start by placing a piece of stabilizer in the hoop. Pull it tightly around the edges so that the top is tight like a drum.

If you were embroidering something thin like a t-shirt you would hoop it with the stabilizer. Bibs and burbcloths are too thick to go in the hoop so instead you “float” the item to be monogrammed on the top of the hoop. Simply spray the top of the stabilizer with spray adhesive and lay the bib or burp cloth on top.

Place the hoop on your machine and line the needle up directly over the dot you made in the center of the design. It’s easy to reposition the item if it’s held in place with spray adhesive, but for projects that involve the item being hooped with the stabilizer, you may need to adjust the needle to get it right over the dot. Consult your manual on how to do this. The adjustment for the needle is usually under “layout.”

Most machines will show what part of the design is to be embroidered first, or you can consult your color change sheet. The machine will stop after each step so you can change colors or add / trim applique fabrics.

Stitching the applique

Now here comes the fun part! The next step for this applique tutorial is actually stitching the applique on your embroidery machine. Press the start button and the machine will stitch out an outline of the first part of your applique. This will show you exactly where to lay your fabric.

Cut your applique fabric slightly larger than the design itself, and iron light-weight interfacing on the back which will help keep it smooth and unwrinkled after washing. I use Heat n Bond Lite.

Apply spray adhesive to the back of your fabric pieces and place over the stitched outline.

Next the machine will tack down the fabric to hold it in place.

Remove the hoop from the machine and CAREFULLY trim around the fabric getting as close as possible to stitches without actually cutting into the stitches. This can be tedious so just take your time.

I would highly recommend purchasing a pair of applique scissors with a duckbill shaped blade as shown below. I have cut into very few items since buying these little lifesavers!

Place the hoop back on the machine. Check the digital display on the machine or your color change chart to see what’s coming next. If your applique only uses one fabric, it will probably do the final stitch next but designs that use multiple fabrics (like the sea turtle) it will likely do the outline and tack down for each color and then do the final stitch at the end.

The next step for this project involved outlining, tacking down and trimming the blue shell followed by the same steps for the orange circles on the shell.

The last step was the final decorative stitch. The machine will stop between each color to allow you to change thread.

Once the design is finished, remove the hoop from the machine and tear away the stabilizer. Carefully trim your threads.

For this project, I wanted to put the baby’s name under the sea turtle but my Brother SE400 machine is limited to a 4×4 embroidery area. Since both turtle and the name couldn’t fit into a 4×4 square, they had to be embroidered separately. So after I finished the turtle, I got a new piece of stabilizer and started over to do the name, positioning the needle this time over the second purple dot.

Here is a tip for you…when you are embroidering names or initials that stand alone and are not part of an applique, place water soluble stabilizer on top of the item being embroidered to help keep the threads more defined and above the weave of the fabric. This is especially necessary to do when you embroider towels which have a really thick nap.

Here’s the finished product along with a coordinating appliqued bib:

What is the best embroidery machine?

I have since upgraded to the Brother PE770 (the newest model is the Brother PE800) which is an embroidery machine with a 5×7 design area. Now I can do the applique and name without having to rehoop. Plus it’s nice to be able to run the embroidery machine at the same time I’m sewing on the other machine. With 2 little ones and a full time job I always have to be multi tasking!  If you’re thinking of investing in an embroidery machine, get one with a 5×7 embroidery area and you won’t be sorry. I learned from experience how limiting the 4×4 design area can be, and you’ll have a lot more flexibility in the things you can embroider with a 5×7 hoop.

I hope you found this applique tutorial helpful and let me know if you have any questions!

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