This technique uses fusible webbing that irons on and is a quick and easy way to achieve an appliqué. Fusible webbing is paper with a layer of fabric glue attached which is activated by heat. Using this technique you can use multiple layers and fabrics.

• Cut enough fusible webbing needed for the pattern
• Iron the webbing onto the wrong side
• Mark the chosen pattern onto the fabric using a pencil and cut the pattern out
• Arrange the pattern desired onto the right side of the fabric the appliqué is going to be attached to
• Peel the paper backing off the heat activated webbing
• Place fabric or paper on top of the area and iron the area to use the pattern onto the fabric
• The appliqué can be top stitched if desired for the appliqué effect, to do this use a machine and the zigzag stitch around the shape

This appliqué version uses interfaced fabric sewn down by a machine. The interfacing stabilises the fabric.

• Apply interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric
• Draw the shape of the design making sure the interfacing goes right to the edge and cut the design out
• Position the appliqué and pin into place
• Sew around the edge using a medium zigzag stitch

• Draw the desired pattern onto light weight iron on interfacing
• Press the interfacing shape onto the wrong side of the fabric
• Cut out the shape with a 5mm seam allowance
• Turn the seam allowance over and tack down
• Position the appliqué shape and stitch around making sure you catch any threads or corners

• Layer three fabrics together
• Draw the chosen design on top of the fabric
• Sew the design through all three layers
• Pinch and separate the top layer from the two other layers
• Cut and snip away the top layer
• Use small scissors and take care not to snip the other layers
• Cut about 5mm away from the stitching
• Cut away most of the top layer or as design indicates
• Draw the second design on the middle layer you can machine stitch around this if you wish to separate the layer from the layer below and snip away the design

• In the hand sewn version, the raw edges of the cut are turned under and sewn by hand. More layers can be included as you go.
• Layer two pieces of fabric right sides up
• Pin the two layers together
• Draw the design on the top fabric
• Pinch and separate the two layers
• Cut to 3mm away from the designed shape
• Fasten the thread on the back then sew the edge of the cut folding the seam allowance as you go

Machine quilting is a lot quicker to do than hand quilting. The finished effect is very different though. Getting a large quilt under the machine can be very hard. If you have a walking foot for your machine it is advised to use this. This will make the quilting process easier. Always practise your quilting before sewing your final piece:

• Mark the fabric with the quilting pattern desired
• Turn the fly wheel and put the needle up and down a couple of times
• Pull on the thread to bring the bobbin thread to the surface
• Hold both the threads when you start sewing to avoid them getting tangled
• Start sewing along the lines in the centre
• Stitch half way through each of these lines on the quilt to anchor the layers
• Quilt from centre outwards
• End the sewing in the same way as you started

Hand quilting is a slower process than machine quilting. Although it can sometimes be easier to sew a larger quilting fabric piece by hand:

• Make a quilt sandwich of the three layers
• Pin in several places
• Start the quilting using a thread about 40cm long
• Start a thread in the middle of the piece of work
• Insert the needle into the top layer of the fabric some distance from where you want to start sewing
• Pass the needle through the wadding layer to come out where the stitching is to start
• Quilting stitch is basically a small running stitch that looks the same on the back as on the front
• The needle needs to go horizontally through the layers
• Mark the pattern that you wish to quilt

Felting is a technique using a combination of hot water, agitation and soap. This technique is used on pre knitted wool. The combination makes the wool fluff up, grab each other and mat together. Felting knitted fabric produces a medium weight fabric that doesn’t fray.

Wash the wool on a hot wash, ideally wrapped in some fabric and tied. The felting will be improved if there is a loaded washing machine.

Smocking is a technical technique of fabric manipulation. There are two types of smocking, lattice smocking and direct smocking.

Also know as American smocking, this technique is worked on the back of the fabric. The stitches don’t show on the right side of the fabric and instead a heavily textured pattern appears.  You can mark the pattern by dots creating a grid system. You can experiment with the size of the grids that suit your chosen fabric. The traditional technique is about 2cm apart:

• Mark the horizontal lines
• Mark the vertical lines to make squares
• Number each line
• Fasten the thread 2;2
• Stitch diagonally to 1:1 and pick up the thread at the cross point
• Pull up the stitch
• Knot the thread to hold the stitch
• Put the needle through the stitch with the working thread on the left
• Pull up to fasten
• Take the stitch to 1:3
• Continue the stitching all the way down the row 2:4 pulling the thread and then 1:5 not pulling the thread
• Start the second row of stitching and continue the pattern

Direct smocking is generally used on checked or spotted fabric. It is a fabric manipulation technique used traditionally for children’s wear. Checked fabric shows the puckering and folding to the best advantage. Gingham is the best fabric to work with.

• Bring the needle out on a corner of the square
• Make the first stitch by picking up a couple of threads at the corner to the right of where you started
• Pull the thread taut to bring the two corners together
• Put the needle back in at the same point
• Bring the needle diagonally one square to the left
• Put the needle in at the same point and take it down diagonally one square to the left
• Continue this way
• Start the second row of smocking two rows down and repeat the process

Shirring is traditionally used on children’s clothes. It has a similar look to smocking but can also create a sculptured effect on a garment. The technique only works on fine fabrics that pucker easily. It involves winding shirring elastic around the bobbin that is visible on the wrong side of the fabric.

Sew with the fabric facing up using a large straight stitch.

For a section of a garment make sure the pattern piece is at least 3 times the size, as the fabric will shrink considerably after the shirring has been done.

You can sew straight lines to get an even effect or sew randomly to get a very puckered effect.

This is a simple technique that can alter the look of a garment dramatically. It is especially effective on thick fabrics such as denim. This can be done free hand by splashing bleach onto a garment or painted on. It needs to be left for a few hours and then washed off. Be careful when using bleach as it a strong chemical.

Gathers can be done randomly by hand or machine. Simply sew a gather stitch using a wide stitch and leave a long thread at either end of the stitch line. Simply draw in the fabric by pulling the thread to secure the knot or sew in the ends.

Dying is a technique that is very commonly used. Most fabrics can take dying. Make sure you match the right dye to your chosen fabric. There are many different things you can do with dye to create certain dye effects. This involves resisting the dye in certain areas. Techniques such as tie dye and batik achieve a very unique look.

Batik involves using hot wax to draw a pattern onto the fabric and then dying and removing the wax after dying. This leaves a clear image and shows the original fabric in contrast with the dyed fabric.

Tie dye is another technique where string is tied around the fabric in a pattern, the fabric is then dyed and the areas that are tied resist the dye. This is a very distinctive look.