Make an appliqué with Cricut Maker 3

Learn how to make an appliqué with the Cricut Maker 3 or Cricut Explore with simple, clear instructions for beginners. For this project, I will be creating a simple letter appliqué using the fonts available in Cricut Design Space.

Can you make an appliqué with Cricut?

If you’ve recently purchased a Cricut cutting machine and are interested in using it for your sewing and appliqué projects, then this tutorial is for you! Cricut is an excellent tool for cutting out your projects, whether it is appliqué, quilting, or simple sewing. It helps speed up the process by eliminating the lengthy stage of cutting fabric pieces out by hand. I will be using the Cricut Maker 3 for this lesson, but know that the Cricut Explore works just as well. These models of Cricut machines are capable of cutting fabrics, while the Cricut Joy does not. If you are in the market for a Cricut, please keep this in mind.

I love using the Cricut for fabric appliqués instead of vinyl because it creates a longer lasting, quality piece. Appliqué really gives a project that personal touch and you can use it on so many projects. You can use it in quilting, to personalize baby clothes and other apparel, or on home decor projects!

What is the best fabric to use for appliqué?

Tightly woven, natural fabrics like cotton and linen tend to hold up best in appliqué projects, especially if the finished project will be machine washed over and over. Wool and silk will work as well. If you are trying to achieve a raw edged appliqué, batik is your best bet. I have personally been using printed cotton fabrics in my projects and love how they’ve turned out.

How to make a no sew appliqué with Cricut Maker 3:

Appliqués are pieces of fabric that are cut in the design of your choice and then bonded or sewn to a foundation fabric. Appliqué is commonly stitched onto a garment or project for a more durable end result, but it can be done using an iron on adhesive backing as well.

I like to use Heat and Bond for my appliqués and do stitching for a decorative effect. It seems to give the project more durability so that when it is machine washed, the stitches are reinforced by the adhesive backing and vice versa. If one stitch comes loose, the entire appliqué won’t come off of my project. Adding stitches to my bonded appliqué also keeps it from just falling off if the adhesive loses its tack for whatever reason. A little stitch here and there also gives a project that irresistible handmade feel that I love.

Supplies Needed:

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• Cricut Maker“>Cricut Maker
• A smart phone, tablet or computer compatible with Cricut Design Space
• Fabric for the appliqué
• Foundation fabric or garment
• Cricut fabric Mat“>FabricGrip Mat 12×12
• Cricut Fine Point Blade or Cricut Rotary Blade (depending on your appliqué fabric)
• HeatNBond (optional) AND/OR
• Quilting thread (optional)
• Iron or Cricut Easy Press Mini“>Cricut Easy Press

Prepare Your Fabric/Cutting Mat – Step 1

• Machine wash/dry your fabric.
• Lay fabric print or right side facing down.
• Lay HeatNBond on top of fabric, adhesive side down. Iron on medium heat setting for 20-30 seconds or until bonded. Skip this step if you aren’t adhesive bonding your fabric.

• Flip your fabric over so that the print or “right” side is facing up. Lay your fabric within the grid on the Cricut FabricGrip mat. You need to line your fabric up with the top left corner of the grid. This is important so that your Cricut will cut your fabric and not outside of it.

Use Cricut Design Space to Create your Appliqué Design- Step 2

• Launch the Cricut app and click on “Canvas”
• Select “Text” and choose your font and size. Dimensions are very important when using the Cricut. When typing your letter or word, be sure to set your size in inches according to how large you want the appliqué on your project.
• After you type out your word or letter, select the “make it” button.
• Select “on Mat 12×12” and make sure that mirroring is turned “off”.
• Make sure that your design is in the top corner of the mat and hit “next”. This ensures that the machine cuts your appliqué out of the top corner of your fabric so that you are getting the most use out of it.
• Connect to your machine via Bluetooth.
• Select your fabric and cutting pressure. For my project, I am using bonded cotton and a lighter pressure.
• Load your prepped fabric grip mat into the machine by pressing the up/down arrows button located on the Cricut machine.
• Press the start button and watch your Cricut cut!

Weed and Apply Your Appliqué!-Step 3

• Unload your Cricut FabricGrip Mat using the up/down arrow button on your Cricut machine.
• Carefully peel your fabric off of the mat. You should be able to use your fingers for this, but if your design is particularly small and delicate, feel free to use the Cricut Weeding Tool to help you release your pieces. If you’ve used the HeatnBond, the backing may peel apart when you remove your fabric from the mat. That is okay! It’s just like the paper backing on a sticker and hasn’t damaged your appliqué or the bonding at all. Clean ant left over paper off of the mat and move on.

• Press your appliqué onto your project using an iron or Cricut Easy Press.
• If you’ve used HeatnBond, iron your appliqué right side up (adhesive side down) onto your garment or project. If you aren’t adding stitching to your project, then this is your final step!

• Finally, any decorative embroidery or stitching to your bonded appliqué. Be sure to completely sew your appliqué onto your project if you are NOT using HeatNBond.
• Now you should have a finished appliqué!

If you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make an appliqué with Cricut Maker, I would love it if you shared it with your fellow crafters! Feel free to tag me in your projects as well. I’d love to see them!