Applique Digitizing
Applique embroidery digitizing with crisp, clean edges
Big letters and shapes in fabric instead of thousands of stitches. We digitize your applique with placement, tack-down and cover stitches in the right order, with stops where you need them, for Greek letters, jerseys, kids' wear and more. Delivered in 6–24 hours, or in 1–6 hours with rush.
- 6–24 hr delivery
- Rush in 1–6 hours
- Free revisions
- No account needed
What Is Applique?
Fabric does the filling, stitches do the finishing
Applique sews a piece of fabric onto the garment and finishes its edges with stitches, so large areas are covered in fabric instead of dense fill. The result is lighter, softer and quicker to sew, with the texture of whatever fabric you choose: twill, felt, denim, a cotton print or glitter fabric.
An applique file sews in stages. A placement line shows where the fabric goes, a tack-down stitch holds it in place, and once the excess is trimmed, a satin or decorative border covers the raw edge. We digitize every stage with stops in between, so you have time to place and trim.
Best for
- Sorority, fraternity and varsity letters
- Sports jerseys and tackle twill numbers
- Baby, kids' and holiday designs
- Large logos on jacket backs
- Patches and in-the-hoop projects
- Quilts, towels and home decor
How We Digitize It
Every stage in the right order
Placement, tack-down and cover stitches, planned for the fabric you use and how you like to work.
Placement, tack-down, cover
Each piece sews in order: a placement line, a tack-down stitch to hold the fabric, then the cover stitch that seals the edge.
Stops where you need them
The machine stops after the placement and tack-down, so you can lay the fabric and trim it before the border sews.
Your choice of edge
Satin border, blanket stitch, zigzag or a raw edge held by a bean stitch: tell us the look you want.
Fewer stitches, softer feel
Fabric fills the big areas, so the design sews faster and stays light and flexible on the garment.
Layered applique
A letter on a contrasting background, or several fabrics stacked up: each layer gets its own placement and tack-down.
Pre-cut or trimmed in the hoop
Tell us whether you cut your fabric pieces first or trim them in the hoop, and we sequence the file to match.
Examples
Applique, stitched
What applique looks like on apparel and gifts.
Applique letters on a sweatshirt 
A satin-stitched applique edge, up close 
Layered applique with stitched details
Pricing
Priced by design size
Measured on the longer side of the design. Each size you order is priced separately.
Extras are charged once per design, and every file format you need is included in the price.
For this style, choose Applique (+$10) under Extras when you order.
- Rush (1–6 hours)+$10Delivered in 1–6 hours, depending on size and detail.
- 3D puff+$10Raised foam stitching with the extra density and closed ends that puff needs.
- Applique+$10Fabric cut-outs with placement, tack-down and cover stitches.
Before You Order
Getting a great applique result
What to send us
- Your artwork, with the parts you want in fabric marked if you know them
- The garment, and the fabric you'll use for the applique
- The finished size, or a placement such as Jacket back
- The edge you want: satin, blanket stitch, zigzag or raw edge
- Your machine, or the formats you need
Tips for the best result
- Back light or stretchy applique fabric with fusible web, so it doesn't shift or pucker
- Trim as close to the tack-down line as you can, so the border covers the edge
- Use curved applique scissors for an even, close trim
- Leave the hoop on the machine while you trim, so the design stays lined up
How It Works
From artwork to stitch file in three steps
Order and choose applique
Upload your artwork, choose Embroidery Digitizing and your size. Choose Applique (+$10) under Extras. Add the edge you'd like to the instructions.
We digitize every stage
Our team builds the placement, tack-down and cover stitches by hand, with stops for placing and trimming. Typically 6–24 hours.
Download and stitch
Your files arrive by email and on your order page. Need a change? Revisions are free.
FAQ
Applique digitizing questions
How much does applique digitizing cost?
Applique is the design's usual price plus $10, charged once per design. A design up to 4″ is $20 in total. See the pricing page for every size.
Is applique quicker to sew than full embroidery?
On large designs, usually yes. Fabric covers the big areas, so a jacket-back design can need a fraction of the stitches of a fully filled one. That saves machine time and thread, and keeps the garment softer.
Can you turn my existing design into applique?
Yes. Send us the artwork or your current file and tell us which parts should be fabric. We digitize the placement, tack-down and border for those parts and keep the rest as stitches.
What is tackle twill?
Tackle twill is the applique style used on sports jerseys: twill letters and numbers sewn down with a zigzag or satin edge. We digitize tackle twill lettering and numbers just like any other applique.
More answers on our FAQ page.
Keep Exploring
More ways we can help
Embroidered Patch Digitizing
Patch files with full stitch coverage and dense satin borders, ready for twill or felt and any cutting method.
Explore Patches3D Puff Embroidery Digitizing
Raised lettering and logos stitched over foam: the bold look for structured cap fronts, jackets and hoodies.
Explore 3D PuffEmbroidery Digitizing
Every kind of logo and artwork, digitized by hand into stitch-ready files for every machine.
Explore embroidery digitizingReady to digitize your applique?
Upload your artwork now and get an applique file in 6–24 hours. No account needed, and revisions are free.