I’d like to share this versatile applique idea today.  There are so many designs that you could applique on either side of a cardigan!  You could make a heart for Valentine’s Day, a Christmas tree, etc.

Supplies:

A plain cardigan
Fabric scraps in coordinating colors
Thread to match fabric
HeatnBond Lite
StitchnSew Perforated Tear Away Soft White

It’s important to begin by prewashing your fabric selections and your sweater.

Next, create a paper template for your butterfly wings.  The size of your wings will depend on the size of your sweater.

Apply HeatnBond Lite to the back of all your fabric pieces and cut your wings first.  To create the designs within my wings, I tried to utilize the patterns found in a couple of coordinating prints.

I followed the lines of the prints to fussy cut and then drew in other sections working around those shapes.

Lay everything roughly in place, then remove one wing entirely and all the decorative pieces from the second wing.  Simply adhere the turquoise wing to the sweater.  Then slowly begin arranging the decorative pieces and adhering them.

Doing this bit by bit helps to avoid shifting.

Once one wing is done, it’s time to move to the second wing.

Fuse the shapes in place.

Next, place a piece of StitchnSew Perforated Tear Away beneath the wing.  Pin in place to secure.  Using a tight zig zag stitch, stitch the perimeter of the wing.  The Tear Away will prevent the sweater from stretching and snagging in your stitches.

Next, tear away the Tear Away along the stitch line.  It’s so nice and soft that it can come into contact with skin and not irritate. 

Finish up by zig zagging around each shape within the wing.  Then put on your sweater and you are ready for spring!