Adding Dimension to Wool or Bamboo Felt Applique

Have you ever looked at a pattern and thought it was a great design but just needed some dimension? Here are a few ideas you can use to make your wool or bamboo felt applique "POP".

Dimension Via Stuffing

Just a tiny bit of polyfil placed between your backing fabric and your applique before you take the last few applique stitches can give your appliques a bit of dimension. If you also add a bit of quilting, or embroidery to the applique after stuffing it, you will add even more dimension.

Dimension Via Layering

Sometimes layers will give you just the right look for the dimension you desire. In the pictured tree, the entire Christmas tree greenery from the bottom to the top is one piece and additional smaller layers are placed on one-by-one to really give the tree a dimensional look.

Dimension Via Padding

When using wool or felt simple shapes like in the pictured presents, it is helpful to have presents constructed in multiple ways in order for the dimension to show best. Some of the presents are appliqued as normal, while some are stuffed, some are layered over one another, and some have a small piece of batting that is cut just about 1/8" smaller than the applique that acts as padding for the present and additional dimension. These techniques are also popular when working with nature pieces like flowers, trees, animals, etc.

Dimension Via Loose Edges

Wool and bamboo felt are wonderful to work with since they traditionally do not ravel and can give a nice clean edge. For the elf’s hands, a loose technique is used where the hands are buttonhole stitched around the outer edges, but the wrists are caught in the elf’s shirt-sleeves. This allows the hands to "stick out" giving a more life-like appearance while still being edge finished.

Dimension Via Embroidery

The color of embroidery stitches used can add a dimensional look to your appliques also. Notice the shading in the stitching of the Christmas tree. The darker and lighter edge stitching created using variegated perle cotton gives the tree a bit more realistic look. This can be particularly beneficial when working on any type of nature-related applique pieces.