Are you looking to take your sewing and appliqué skills to the next level? Or do you just want to improve the way you do your craft? Whatever your reasons, a good machine can make your work look a lot more professional. Especially when it comes to sewing and appliqué. With all the great benefits of sewing and appliqué, these two crafts make the perfect pair.
They are both fiddly and can be awkward. But taking the time to learn them will open up a whole new world of crafty possibilities. Appliqué is a great way to add a personalized dimension to clothing, home décor and more.
6 of the Best Sewing Machines for Applique and Their Features
When it comes to sewing, applique is one of the most challenging techniques. With all its tiny little stitches and tiny little bits of fabric, it’s not the easiest skill to learn. However, if you want to learn it, you need to invest your time in it.
Luckily, there are plenty of benefits to learning applique as well. If you’re ready to get started, check out these top sewing machine options for applique.
1. Brother PE550D Embroidery Machine
It is easy to use machine and it has a lot of features that can make your embroidery works beautiful.
Equipped with 125 inbuilt designs, the Brother PE550D provides you with special designs and patterns. This includes 45 Disneys designs and 9 fonts with six being English and three being Japanese lettering font styles.
With the Brother PE550D, you have access to unlimited design options, you can easily import your preferred embroidery designs by using the machine’s USB port. You can easily preview your stored designs in different colours before stitching by making use of Its 3.2* large touchscreen.
The nested embroidery designs on the machine can easily be adjusted and its 4” x 4” large workspace is spacious enough to perform all your embroidery projects. With its automatic needle threader, you can effortlessly thread the entire machine with the push of a lever.
It also comes with an embroidery foot and built-in alignment tools. the Brother PE550D is an embroidery machine and cannot function as a traditional sewing machine.
Highlighted Features:
- 125 built-in designs and 9 built-in fonts
- Large color touchscreen
- 4” x 4” embroidery field
- Design editing features
- Automatic needle threader
- Built-in steps on the display
- High operating speed
- durable, compact, and lightweight
2. EverSewn Sparrow QE Professional Sewing
It allows you to create your own designs and easily work on them. Has a lot of special features that help you to complete your project fast.
An ideal machine for all your applique projects, the EverSewn Sparrow sewing machine is equipped with impressive features. Its outstanding features combined with its provision of creativity make it a perfect machine for both beginners and professionals.
Its 70 carefully selected stitch patterns contain a variety of stitch designs you can choose from for your projects and with just a push of a button, the automatic thread cutter easily cut all your threads. The automatic needle threader also threads the whole machine from the spool to the needle’s eye in a blink of an eye. Its clear cover drop-in bobbin feature allows you to observe the thread supply easily.
There is also a knee lift system, with this, you can easily raise or lower the presser foot with your knee freeing both hands for other use. With the EverSewn Sparrow professional sewing machine, you’re in control. You can easily control the stitching speed to suit your sewing preference.
You can also easily select and change your stitch settings with its intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface. For enhanced performance, you can separately purchase the slide-on table and a special quilting deluxe foot kit.
Highlighted Features:
- Easy to use
- Large 8-inch throat space
- Automatic thread cutter
- Beautiful stitch quality
- Comes with a knee lift
- Automatic needle threader
- Drop-in bobbin feature
- Straight stitch plate
3. Brother Designio Series DZ820E Embroidery Machine
A great choice for Applique. This machine stitches and embroider at the same time with its multiple built-in functions.
To provide optimum performance, the Brother Designio DZ820E embroidery machine is equipped with two additional embroidery hoops which include the 4” x 4” and 2.5” x 1” hoops. It also comes with 136 inbuilt embroidery designs including 6 lettering fonts and 120 frame pattern combinations to customize and style your crafts.
You will also have access to 200 additional embroideries designed collated in a CD, and over 5000 available designs that can be purchased. With its easy, reliable, and automatic needle threading system, and its automatic thread cutting feature, the Brother Designio DZ820E embroidery machine is time-saving and provide an exceptional embroidery experience.
The machine can also be used by both beginners and professionals. There are inbuilt tutorials and editing features that can be viewed on its backlit LED touchscreen display.
Highlighted Features:
- Easy to use backlit LED touchscreen display
- Built-in memory function
- Built-in USB port
- Jam resistant quick-set drop-in top bobbin
- Easy-to-see super bright work area
- The advanced easy needle threading system
- Two additional embroidery hoops
- Access to over 5000 unique designs
4. EverSewn Hero – 400-Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine
One of the best Sewing Machines for Applique. It comes with different fonts and a large option of built-in stitches to choose from.
Designed to provide robust and easy sewing and embroidery experience, the EverSewn Hero sewing, and embroidery machine is equipped with an embroidery design space measuring 110mm x 170mm giving you ample space to effortlessly perform all your applique projects. There is also a USB port available through which you can connect your storage device to import new embroidery designs.
With the EverSewn Hero sewing machine, you’ll have access to an easy-to-use LCD display, which exhibits in three different modes which are the normal, embroidery, and memory modes. You’ll also have access to 400 exclusive pre-programmed embroidery designs to give you exceptional, high standard, and professional quality embroidery.
The embroidery machine also comes with a warning feature that alerts you when the bobbin thread is running low and also automatically stop your machine when the upper needle thread is empty or broken.
The compactness and lightweight of the Eversewn Hero sewing machine make it space friendly and can easily be taken with you while on the road. And with its 800 stitches per minute sewing speed, over 400 utility, decorative, and alphabet pattern stitches, and 8 different presser feet, the EverSewn Hero sewing and embroidery machine is built to take your embroidery to the next level.
Highlighted Features:
- Computerized sewing and embroidery machine with LCD display
- Intuitive and easy to use
- 400+ utility, decorative, and alphabet pattern stitches
- 40 built-in embroidery designs
- Embroidery design sizing up to 110mm x 170mm
- Workspace of 6.5 inches
- Automatic needle threader
- Upper needle and bobbin thread level monitoring
- 8 different presser feet included
- Comes with a USB port
5. SINGER Legacy SE300 Embroidery Machine
With this machine you can create beautiful designs. with great ease. Sturdy, fast and a favorite for applique.
Equipped with 250 built-in stitches which include basic, stretch, decorative, and buttonhole stitches. It also comes with 200 embroidery designs and six alphabet options to help compliment your creative and monogramming ability which makes it an ideal machine for fashion, home decor, quilts, crafts, and more.
Its automatic threading system effortlessly threads the eye of the needle and prevents eye strain or any form of frustration you might face while making an effort to do the threading all by yourself. The Singer Legacy SE300 is built with a large embroidery area where you can easily work on your large fabrics making it one of the best sewing machines out there for appliques
The Singer Legacy SE300 comes with a maximum sewing speed of 800 stitches per minute and 700 embroidery stitches per minute which allows you to finish up your applique projects in no time. It also comes with a USB port through which you can import your customized embroidery designs
This machine is also accompanied by a variety of accessories which includes large and small embroidery hoops, an all-purpose foot, satin stitch foot, overcasting foot, blind hem foot, zipper foot, and buttonhole foot with underplate, straight stitch foot, button sewing foot, and open-toe foot. The Singer Legacy SE300 also comes with a 25-year limited warranty.
Highlighted Features:
- Start and stop button
- 3 stay bright LED light
- Drop feed
- High sewing and embroidery speed
- Complimentary downloadable software
- Bobbin windable while embroidering
- Upper thread sensor
- Heavy-duty metal frame
- 25 year limited warranty
6. Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine
It is one of the best Sewing Machines for Applique available in the market. Has a built-in needle threader, and an auto bobbin winding system.
If you’re searching for an affordable and efficient applique machine, the Brother PE535 is your best shot. With 80 built-in designs to choose from which includes kid’s designs, holiday, floras, and others. It also comes with 9 built-in lettering fonts which include 6 English and 3 Japanese lettering fonts to personalize your creations.
With an expansive 3.2-inch LCD color touchscreen, you can easily preview your designs before stitching. There is also a USB port through which you can import and store your personal embroidery designs to the Brother PE535 built-in memory.
It comes with an automatic needle threader and design editing features. You can also easily align its lettering in diverse ways and construct angles and curves to complement your design. The Brother PE535 is strictly an embroidery machine and cannot function as a traditional sewing machine.
Highlighted Features:
- Features 80 built-in embroidery designs
- 9 built-in fonts including 6 English and 3 Japanese lettering fonts
- USB port to upload and store your personal embroidery designs
- An expansive 3.2 inch LCD color touchscreen to preview your design
- 4 x 4 embroidery field
- Automatic needle threader
Can You Appliqué With A Manual Sewing Machine?
The short answer is yes. However, when you are just starting out, it’s best to stick with regular sewing machines for your appliqué projects. They are more forgiving, making it easier and more likely that you’ll get consistent results.
If this is your first time sewing manually, then you may want to invest in a sewing machine with a clutch so that you can control the strength of the stitches. This way, if you are not comfortable with the stitches going through the fabric, then you can simply dial back on the clutch and go slower than usual.
It will take some time and practice to get used to working with a sewing machine but it’s worth it. Sewing is a skill that lasts a lifetime and one day you’ll be glad you took the time to learn how to do appliqué by hand.
Can you Appliqué on Velvet?
Velvet is a fabric that can be a little tricky to work with because it’s not stiff. When you’re appliquéing, velvet has the potential to distort and you might end up with inconsistent results.
To appliqué on velvet, use an industrial machine that will provide more even pressure and stitching.
Can you Hand Stitch Raw Edge Applique?
If you’ve been sewing for years and are confident in your appliqué skills, you may want to try hand stitching your raw edge applique. It’s not nearly as hard as it sounds. You will need some patience and be sure to use a needle with a large enough eye.
Hand stitching is typically used for more intricate appliqués because it allows you to control the placement of the stitches more easily. You also have greater control over how tight or loose the finished fabric will be.
With that said, it’s not necessary to use hand stitching on all of your appliqué projects. If you are just starting out, stick with regular sewing machines while you get used to the process.
How Do You Prepare Fabric for Appliqué?
To prepare fabric for appliqué, you’ll need to fold the raw edges of your fabric so that they are in line with each other. The top layer of the folded fabric should be made up of two seams, while the bottom layer is a single seam.
This will leave you with a small triangle of fabric on one corner that is tucked underneath the layers. Next, you will want to cut away the excess fabric so that it is no longer visible. It’s important to make sure that you do not cut into your folded edge because this would destroy your work.
Lastly, using a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine, sew along the raw edge of your appliqué. This will help prevent fraying and keep your appliqué from unravelling later on.
Conclusion
It is easy to get started making applique with any of the sewing machines reviewed above. There is something for everyone, irrespective of the budget and preferences in terms of features, ease of use and how sturdy it is.
And if at all you find it difficult picking one out of the products reviewed above, you won’t get it wrong with Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine and EverSewn Hero.