Fall Goth Applique Blazer
Hey ghouls and creeps! I really enjoy updating or repurposing old garments that I’ve become bored with or find for bargain prices! I’ve owned this blazer for years, and even though I like the fit/material, and the quality of the construction is good, I had stopped wearing it for a while. Then I came up with the idea to embellish it with appliques and patches! We’ll be reviewing the applique on the back of the jacket and button swap in this post, more patches are going to be added to the front in the future.
I’m super pleased with how the back applique file came out! I wanted to create a web of fall leaves, skulls, and bats that were all connected for placement ease. You’ll find that peeling the paper backing off the applique is a little tricky, but worth the time save of not having to place each individual embellishment in the right spot! Let’s get started!
I rated the Fall Goth Applique Blazer easy in difficulty! Some skills/techniques covered in this tutorial include cutting a JPG file on a laser cutter or Cricut machine, ironing, minor garment deconstruction, topstitching, slip stitching, and attaching buttons.
Step 1: Cutting Applique: Using the SVG file below, cut your applique with your laser cutter or Cricut machine. Pro-tip: Iron your Heat n’ Bond to the back of your crepe prior to cutting. This will reduce the number of cuts, and you won’t have to match up the edges of your Heat n’ Bond to the edges of your crepe later! Also, choosing a fabric with a synthetic fiber content like polyester will melt when it’s cut by the laser, so it shouldn’t unravel!
SVG file: https://bjdiycutfiles.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/autumn+jacket-01.svg
Step 2: Fusing Applique to Blazer: Peel the paper backing off of your applique, leaving the adhesive from the Heat n’ Bond on the backside of the crepe. Try peeling from the outside of the leafy web and work your way to the inside. Be gentle as you peel to avoid your applique tearing.
Position the applique, fusible side down, so that it’s centered and evenly placed in relation to the sleeve seams and princess seams(if your jacket has these). I put my applique approximately 1 1/2″ down from the base of the collar.
Before you begin to iron your applique, start the heat setting of the iron lower (like at silk or wool). This is so you don’t risk melting the crepe trying to activate the adhesive. Also, be sure to use a pressing cloth between the iron and the applique front. I found that without the pressing cloth the applique front was sticking to my iron.
After lifting and placing the iron all around the applique, lift the pressing cloth to see how the applique is sticking. If the applique is not sticking, continue to iron and possibly consider gradually increasing the iron temperature. Keep checking to see the fusing status of the applique as you press to see what areas need more attention. Continue to iron until every part of the applique has fused to the jacket back.
Step 3: Topstitching: Before starting your topstitching you first need to get inside of your jacket between the shell and the liner. To do this, look at the hem and the neckline of the jacket and see which would be the easiest to deconstruct and then slip stitch back together. With my jacket I found the neck would be the easiest of the two, and created an opening where the liner attaches to the collar approximately 10″ long.
Then take your jacket and begin sewing your topstitching lines to reinforce the bond of the applique using the diagram below.
While sewing be careful to always keep the opening you created between the liner and collar (or the liner and hem) underneath the presser foot. This will make it so that the liner is not caught in the topstitching.
This may seem awkward or challenging, but it’s totally feasible so don’t give up! Pro-tip: Use masking tape to mark your topstitch lines, it’s easy, straight, and temporary!
Once you’ve finished all your topstitching, slipstitch the opening of your liner and collar(or hem) closed.
Step 4: Replacing Buttons: This step is totally optional! If your jacket/blazer has buttons that you wouldn’t mind replacing continue reading through and executing this step!
Using a seam ripper, remove current buttons from your blazer. Using the thread holes from the removed buttons as a reference, attach the new buttons with a double threaded needle. To make a double threaded needle, stick the thread through the needle eye and tie the thread ends together. By threading the needle this way, every stitch is really two stitches.
Sew each button using this technique, catching just the shell layer of your jacket so the stitching isn’t visible from the inside. Repeat these steps until all buttons have been replaced.
Congrats, you’re finished! Check out your awesome fall goth jacket and put it on! Wear this stylish new statement piece in the fall, winter, spring, or summer(depending on where you live). Wear it for Halloween, for special occasions, or just because! I plan to wear mine whenever I can (of course) and to Salem, MA in October of this year, which I’m way too excited for!
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Ready for your next project? Here are some tutorials on the blog I think you’ll like! Frame Flip tutorial: https://britnijade.com/frame-flip/, Macrame Wall Hanging: https://britnijade.com/macrame-wall-hanging-w-bones/, or the Spider Web Macrame: https://britnijade.com/spider-web-macrame/. Enjoy!
