Reverse Applique - A Sewing Tutorial

This technique is a simple way to add structure and depth to your projects.  Select the “applique” fabric, and decide if you want to highlight a specific element of the fabric, or create a shape.  If you want a specific shape it will have to be traced on the applique fabric before pinning.  Pin the right side of the applique fabric to the wrong side of the frame fabric. 

after pinning, view of the wrong side

 I like to frame with denim because of the way it frays and looks distressed.  Next, following the traced shape, or free handing around an object (which is what I did here), sew on the wrong side locking your stitches when you start and finish. 

free handing around the tree

 Continue work on the right side, cutting only the denim frame fabric, carefully snip a hole in the middle of the applique area. 

 Cut out the denim, again being careful not to cut through the other fabric or to close to the stitches.  All finished.   

Check out the finished product second from the right.

As I said before I really like the way this technique looks with denim.  Here it is mixed and matched with a more traditional applique.  For the leaves I traced their shape on the applique fabric,  pinned to the denim and then continued as listed above. 

Well - that's all I got.  I'm sure you can think of lots of neat ways to use this technique.  Have fun!