Bulky Alphabet Printable

I like to add applique words to bags, pouches, T-shirts, pillow covers. Last year I created a set of capital letters that helped me to sew a lot of beautiful gifts for my friends.

Today I share with you a brand new set of capital letters, I named it Bulky (I think it's obvious why).

Creating it, my main aim was to make the design so that when stitching one letter in place to go all the way around without cutting the thread when moving from the exterior to the interior edge.

The first test was this simple beach bag I made for this occasion.

I chose this applique word because Summer is my favorite season when I keep thinking about the seaside and waves, and blue sky, and shells... That's why I limited the color palette to this beautiful blue.
I used the 2" reversed templates of the letters and the star symbol. 

The star symbol and - & - are the bonuses I added to this Alphabet template. They will help you to create a lot of layout variants of your words, names, phrases. 

So If you plan some projects needing applique letters, maybe the Bulky Alphabet Capital Letters Template will help you. It waits for you here.

Enjoy your work and have a beautiful day 

my dears!

Applique letters with fusible web --- "draw on the fabric" method

Letters applique is one of the easiest methods to create something from almost nothing in no time.

Placing a monogram, a meaningful word or a name on a pouch, pillow cover, or quilt is a creative and fast way to transform a common object into a special one. 

   

Usually, when using fusible web the main applique steps are these:

1. Print out the letters of the size that you like.

2. Reverse the printed sheets with letters and tape them on a window or light screen. You need to reverse the letter so it reads the correct way on the finished item.
3. Place over the printed letters the fusible web with the paper side up and draw around the needed letters.

4. Cut the letter shape out from the fusible web leaving a small margin around the edge.

5. Take the fabric you want to cut the letters from and place it with the wrong side up on the ironing board. Carefully place the fusible web letters on top of the fabric. Press according to manufacturer's instructions. 

6. Leave the fabric with the fused letters to cool for a couple of minutes.

7. Cut precisely on the pencil lines that you drew.

8. Remove the paper backing from all the letters.

9. Place the fabric letters onto the background fabric, coated side down.

10. When you're happy with the placement of the letters, iron them in place. 

11. Sew the letters in place. You could use different types of stitches for this: straight, blanket stitch, zigzag, satin stitch.

BUT

If your first 3 steps are these:

1. Print out the letters of the size that you like.

2. Tape the printed sheets in NORMAL position (not reversed) on a window or light screen.

3. Place over the printed letters the piece of FABRIC with the RIGHT SIDE UP and draw around the needed letters.

Next, you could proceed as follows:

4. Take the piece of fabric with the drawn letters (in normal position) on its right side and place it with the WRONG SIDE up on the ironing board. Cut a piece of the fusible web according to the fabric piece dimension.

Carefully place the fusible web piece on top of the fabric. Press according to manufacturer's instructions. 

5. Leave the fused fabric to cool for a couple of minutes.

6. Gently cut inside the pencil edges of the letters. This way, you will get rid of the pencil traces. 

the wrong side of the fabric letters with the paper backing of the fusible web still attached

If you still have some visible lines, do not worry. The stitch for securing the edges will cover them.

Next, you will follow the steps of the usual method:

7. Remove the paper backing from all the letters.

8. Place the fabric letters onto the background fabric, coated side down and iron them in place.

9. Sew the letters in place.

 When choosing the letters for applique I would recommend a quite simple shape as this will be easier to both cut and sew.

If you are thinking about having some fun adding words to your projects, you might consider the Printable set of letters I drew.

The pdf file contains 26 printable capital letters in normal orientation and reversed, grouped in  3 sets according to the height of the letters  (measured from top to bottom):

- 2"(5 cm), 2 ½"(6.5 cm) and 3"(7.6 cm) height.

For this pouch I printed the set of letters of 2" (5 cm) height, shrinking to 60% to get letters of about 1 ⅛ " (3 cm) height.

Enjoy your sewing hours!

Have a beautiful day, my dears!

Spell your name - Drawstring bags with appliqued letters for kids

It's full Summer but around me, people who have kids have started preparing them to go back to kindergarten. Slowly but surely.

One of my friends asked me to make her two drawstring bags for her nephew who will go for the first time to the kindergarten. The only expressed wishes were to write his name: Toma, and the bag's dimension: 13" x 17" (33 cm x 43 cm).

Because the name was short, it gave me the opportunity to create a little visual story with more chances to be loved by the little boy. Instead of just laying down the letters over the bag background I created the designs of two toys (that are near the boys hearts from generations): a van and a truck and made them carrying the name.
I have made a few layouts offering to my friend different color combinations to choose from.
These are her choices.

 My Pickup Truck - unlined drawstring bag

  

My Truck - lined drawstring bag 

with two big interior pockets

and one exterior zippered pocket

I like so much this striped zipper that I stitched it on top of the pocket opening. It integrates so well into the design of the bag!

The cars and letters are raw edge applique. For securing the edges I used zig zag stitch and blanket stitch.

I thought the shapes of the two cars so that their pieces to be easy to cut and assemble.

And the same way I thought the design of the letters.
I tried to give it a simple and playful layout because I needed an alphabet set I can use in as many projects as possible, not only in this particular one.

I think that the pillows, quilts, home decorations, pouches, bags, T-shirts, gift wraps, even wall art, including names, monograms, words and popular phrases, have a special, personal, modern look that stands out in the most pleasant way.

If you plan some projects needing some capital letters, maybe the template I used for this drawstring bags will help you too.

The Alphabet Capital Letters Template is here.
For these drawstring bags, I used the 2" reversed templates of the letters.

Enjoy your work!

Have a beautiful day, my dears!

I'm linking to Finish it up Friday!
                       Finished or Not Friday