Fashion Terms — the Apparel Search fashion terminology directory
Appliqué is a decorative design made of one piece of fabric sewn on top of another. The term is borrowed from French — from appliquer, “to put on” — and in its broadest sense an appliqué is a smaller ornament or device applied to another surface, a technique very common in textiles and clothing.
Appliqué is a decorative design made of one piece of fabric sewn on top of another.
On occasion the technique is used in conjunction with embroidery. Using appliqué for portion of a design can reduce the stitch count needed for an embroidery which can potentially reduce the cost of manufacturing.
In its broadest sense, an appliqué is a smaller ornament or device applied to another surface. The technique is very common in regard to textiles and clothing, but can also be applied to other materials for use in other industries. For example, in the context of ceramics, an appliqué is a separate piece of clay added to the primary work, generally for the purpose of decoration.
Appliqué is a sewing technique in which fabric patches are layered on a foundation fabric, then stitched in place by hand or machine with the raw edges turned under or covered with decorative stitching. The term is borrowed from French and, in this context, means "applied" or "thing that has been applied." From the French appliquer, “to put on,” appliqué is most often used to embellish clothing or household linens. Like patchwork (piecing), it is a method of constructing or embellishing quilts.
Appliqué is a surface pattern that is used to decorate an aspect of a garment or product.
In the context of sewing, an appliqué refers to a needlework technique in which patterns or representational scenes are created by the attachment of smaller pieces of fabric to a larger piece of contrasting color or texture. A famous example of appliqué is the Hastings Embroidery.
Appliqué is every designer's go-to when they want to create an artisanal effect. It's especially prolific in couture.
In this sense, appliqué refers to using fabric shapes/designs usually on the trim of a garment.
You may want to also read fashion blog posts about other embellishment techniques for clothing.
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Two working approaches cover most appliqué seen on clothing. In needle-turn appliqué, the sewer turns the raw edge of the patch under with the needle as it is hand-stitched to the foundation fabric, giving a soft, padded look well suited to heirloom work and quilts. In machine appliqué, the patch is held in place — often with a fusible web — and the edge is covered with a dense satin stitch, a blanket stitch, or a straight stitch set just inside a raw edge that is meant to fray slightly with washing. The choice is partly practical: a satin-stitched edge survives repeated laundering on children's clothing and team apparel, while a turned edge keeps fine dress decoration smooth.
Because the design sits on the surface rather than being woven or printed into the cloth, appliqué adds texture and a slight relief that print cannot give, and it lets a maker combine fabrics — a printed cotton shape on a plain ground, or leather and felt on wool — inside one motif. That is why the technique appears everywhere from couture embellishment to sports lettering, where tackle-twill letters are, in effect, large appliqué shapes zigzag-stitched to a jersey.
In sewing, appliqué is a needlework technique in which patterns or representational scenes are created by attaching smaller pieces of fabric to a larger piece of contrasting color or texture, stitched in place by hand or machine with the raw edges turned under or covered with decorative stitching.
The technique is used on occasion in conjunction with embroidery. Using appliqué for a portion of a design can reduce the stitch count needed for an embroidery, which can potentially reduce the cost of manufacturing.
Most often to embellish clothing or household linens, and — like patchwork — as a method of constructing or embellishing quilts. Designers use it to create an artisanal effect, and it is especially prolific in couture; the same idea appears in ceramics, where an appliqué is a separate piece of clay added to the primary work.