Shown above (left to right): Blue Dotty Dot applique on towel bib, Pink/Brown Polka dot canvas applique on brown photo album, blue ring toss and lime green polka dot appliques on apron.

Materials Needed:

• scrap of fabric
• Heat 'n Bond Ultra Hold adhesive sheets
• Temporary spray adhesive
• Drawn or printed design on paper (we have patterns here)

Cut your fabric scrap to a size large enough for your design. This doesn't have to be perfect, but leave yourself enough room to make it easy to work with.

Cut a piece of Heat 'n Bond adhesive sheet just slightly smaller than your fabric. With the paper side of the Heat 'n Bond to the iron, press to the wrong side of the fabric piece. You shouldn't have to press it for more a coupe of seconds-- just enough to get it adhered to the fabric.

Spray the back of your pattern with temporary spray adhesive and adhere to the right side of your fabric.

Carefully cut around your pattern with scissor or a rotary cutter or an exacto knife- whichever works best for you.

Pull the pattern off the front of your fabric. Remove the paper backing from the Heat 'n Bond sheet and position applique on the item you would like to embellish. Press with a hot iron. You don't want to melt the fabrics, but you do want enough heat to ensure that the Heat 'n Bond melts. If you are worried about the stability of your fabrics, use a press cloth. If it is going on an item that will receive a lot of wear and tear (bibs, clothing, etc.), you can stitch around the applique with a hand embroidery stitch or a machine zigzag or other decorative stitch.

• Don't forget you can layer several appliques for more variety. Don't be afraid of mixing fabric textures- felt, cottons or wools are all fair game.
• If you have an embroidery machine, feel free to enhance your applique with detail stitching, such as floral centers or veins on leaves. You can also add hand embroidery stitches.
• Beads and buttons can also add interest to your applique.