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Sewing an appliqué with reversible sequins: Quick photo tutorial

10.03.2019 by Sabine Schmidt

Sewing a reversible sequin appliqué: You can use this to quickly and easily embellish plain shirts, dresses, and sweaters. With my instructions, even beginners can do it in no time at all!

The most important things at a glance

  • In this post, I will show you how you can embellish clothing or bags with reversible sequin appliqués
  • For this tutorial, I used the LUV child's shirt pattern, which of course can also be sewn wonderfully as a dress
  • With these instructions, even beginners can create reversible sequin appliqués in no time
  • You don't need to prepare the sequin fabric for this tutorial
  • If you want to sew bags from reversible sequin fabric, you should remove the sequins in the seam allowance area with a seam ripper

Reversible sequins are great for sewing beautiful cosmetic bags or appliqués.

Super fun: Birthday shirts with numbers made from reversible sequins! It's lightning fast and super easy. And the children's eyes are guaranteed to sparkle with joy just as much as the shirt. :)

sewing with reversible sequins

Sewing with reversible sequins: What you need to know

You don't need to prepare the sequin fabric for this tutorial. If you want to sew bags from reversible sequin fabric, you should remove the sequins in the seam allowance area with a seam ripper. You can find a detailed review of seam rippers here.

Save the removed sequins. If any gaps appear in the sequin structure after the bag is finished, you can fill them in with the leftover sequins by sewing them on by hand with a few stitches.

I used my LUV child's shirt pattern. It’s an absolutely universal pattern, which, by the way, also works perfectly as a romantic ruffled dress!

sewing with reversible sequins

These materials are what you need for sewing

Even more pictures

sewing with reversible sequins
sewing with reversible sequins
sewing with reversible sequins
sewing with reversible sequins
sewing with reversible sequins

Frequently asked questions

How does the sequin fabric need to be prepared for the appliqué?

For this tutorial, you do not need to prepare the sequin fabric. If you want to sew bags from reversible sequin fabric, you should remove the sequins in the seam allowance area with a seam ripper.

What do I do with the removed sequins that are left over after cutting?

Save the removed sequins. If any gaps appear in the sequin structure after the bag is finished, you can fill them in with the leftover sequins by sewing them on by hand with a few stitches.

What can I use the reversible sequin appliqué for?

The reversible sequin appliqué is great for embellishing bags and tops of all kinds. In my tutorial, I show the creation and attachment of reversible sequins on the LUV child's shirt, sewn as a birthday dress. The child's eyes sparkled at least as much as the dress itself. :)

Links marked with * are affiliate links: If you make a purchase through them, we receive a small commission. The price remains the same for you.

Step-by-step instructions

Sew an appliqué with reversible sequins

Reverse appliqué technique: sequin and jersey fabric are pinned to the wrong side of a prepared shirt/dress, the motif is sewn on from the top and the fabric inside it is cut open.

  1. Step

    Print the motif

    Print the motif in the size you want.

    Print the motif
  2. Step

    Cut the sequin fabric

    Cut a piece of sequin fabric of the right size with a seam allowance of approx. 2 cm.

    Cut the sequin fabric
  3. Step

    Mark the centre of the front piece

    Lay the front piece wrong side up and mark the centre with a fabric marker.

    Mark the centre of the front piece
  4. Step

    Smooth the sequins

    Smooth the sequins flat. They should point towards the hem.

    Smooth the sequins
  5. Step

    Place the sequin fabric

    Place the sequin fabric centred, right side down, on the wrong side of the front piece.

    Place the sequin fabric
  6. Step

    Add a jersey layer for protection

    Then place the jersey scrap on top.

    The jersey protects the skin from contact with the sequins when wearing the shirt.

    Add a jersey layer for protection
  7. Step

    Pin the fabric layers

    Pin both fabric layers all around onto the front piece.

    Pin the fabric layers
  8. Step

    Position the motif

    Turn the front piece over and place the motif centred on the sequins. Use the pins as a guide.

    Position the motif
  9. Step

    Transfer the outline

    Transfer the outline of the motif onto the fabric with a fabric marker.

    Transfer the outline
  10. Step

    Secure and sew in place

    Secure the appliqué with a few more pins.

    Then sew around the appliqué with a short stitch length (e.g. 1.5 - 2).

    Secure and sew in place
  11. Step

    Trim the fabric on the back

    On the back, cut away the fabric around the appliqué. You can leave 1 cm of fabric.

    Trim the fabric on the back
  12. Step

    Remove stray sequins

    Remove any sequins that get in the way with a seam ripper.

    Remove stray sequins
  13. Step

    Open the fabric inside the motif

    On the front, open the fabric inside the motif with a seam ripper.

    Open the fabric inside the motif
  14. Step

    Trim the fabric

    Trim the fabric back to 1 - 2 mm from the seam with sharp scissors.

    Done!

    Trim the fabric

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About the author

Sabine

I come from Siegen-Wittgenstein, where I spent my childhood breaking in cows, jumping off haystacks and scraping a D- in needlework class.

Today, being creative feels like indescribable happiness to me – and it grows even more when I can share it with others. Since 2016 I have been celebrating my passion for sewing on this blog, and I love that sewing connects so many people.