Chanel Parody Christmas Shirt - How to do a Simple Embroidery Machine Applique

So. . .I had this spare black long-sleeved shirt, and I was trying to think of something to do with it.

I got this idea the other day to do a Chanel parody but with a Christmas theme. 

So. . .Chanel just, like, within the past year, created a new fragrance called "Gabrielle" after it's namesake, Gabrielle Chanel (aka: Coco). Well, that got me started thinking about Gabriel the angel. . .

Then, I started thinking about how most historians believe that Jesus was born sometime between 5B.C. and 1A.D., so. . .I started thinking about the classic Chanel frangrance "Chanel No.5."

Okay, so. . .it's kind of a strange combination, granted, but. . .I kinda like it! It's nerdy, it's Christmas, it's Biblical, it's historical, and. . .it's fashion!

Okay, but this post isn't really about the parody itself. I just wanted to show you how to do an applique with your embroidery machine. They give you instructions online and on YouTube and stuff, but. . .I've discovered a few tricks that I wanted to share.

First of all, (and. . .sorry. . .I don't have pictures of this part. . .but) I chose a square shape, that was pre-loaded on my machine, and blew it up as large as it would go. Then, I ironed a piece of fusible interfacing onto the back of a piece of shiny white satin. Then, I put the fabric into my machine and embroidered a white square using a simple straight stitch. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT! You may think you would want to embroider a black square on the white fabric, but I have learned that you get a better finish if you stick with thread the same color as the fabric. Anyway, keep this in mind, because it will make more sense later.

Okay, after I made the white square, I changed out my thread for black and carefully stitched out the words and numbers that I wanted. This part took a very long time because I am limited in my designs to what will fit in a 4"x4" square, plus, I had to embroider all the words and numbers separately. I had to eyeball where each word would go, and. . .actually, what you see above is my second attempt because the first time didn't work like I wanted. Very laborious. About two hours on this part.

If you are using a pre-made design as your applique, your process will go much faster!

Okay, so. . .then, I took my shirt and turned it inside out and measured the exact middle in two places and then drew a line connecting the two.

Then, I took a piece of tear-away stabilizer and folded in half.

Then, I placed the fold onto the line I drew.

Then, I ironed it in place.

I turned the shirt back right-side out and drew a line down the middle, the same way as before. Then, I took a ruler and held it from armpit to armpit and drew a line across.

Using these lines as guides, I centered the embroidery hoop over them.

Then, using BLACK thread, I stitched the same sized square on the black shirt. (Again, matching the thread to the fabric color is better! Why is it better? Because it makes everything look more professional.)

Then, I cut around the white square leaving about 2mm around the outside. Don't cut right on the line! If you cut too closely to the line or even over the line, you will make your fabric too small for the machine to pick up during the satin stitch step and you will have a gaping hole on the outer edge!

Next, I sprayed the back of the emblem with spray adhesive.

Then, taking the shirt out of the machine, but leaving the shirt in the hoop (really important! Don't unhoop your second square!!!), I matched up the two stitched squares and stuck the emblem on the shirt.

I put the whole thing back into the machine, chose the same sized square, only this time instead of choosing a simple stitch, I chose the thicker satin stitch.

The finished shirt.

Okay, close up like this, you can see why I chose white thread for the white fabric. If I'd chosen black for the original square, that line would have shown through the satin stitch. Also, keeping the satin stitch white helped just in case some of the white fabric decided to stick out from under the stitching. Remember when I did that "reverse applique"? Well, anyway, click that link I just gave you, because I want to show you something. . .Are you there yet?. . .Okay. . .so now scroll down to the second to the last picture. . .See how the red fabric is peeking through the white satin stitching around the circumference of the heart? If I had chosen red thread, you would not have noticed all that mess. So. . .let that be a lesson to you! Do your satin stitch in the same color as your TOP fabric if you want your project to look as professional as possible!

The End!