appliqué

appliqué

A colorful appliqué decorates the front of her denim jacket.

Definition

  1. Noun:

    • Decorative fabric piece: "appliqué" refers to a piece of fabric cut into a shape and sewn or attached onto a larger piece of fabric for decoration, often used in clothing or textiles.
    • The technique itself: It also denotes the craft or method of creating such decorative patterns by applying one material onto another.

  2. Verb:

    • To decorate with appliqué: To ornament a surface (such as fabric) by attaching pieces of another material, typically by sewing or gluing.
Usage Examples

  • Noun:

    • The dress featured a floral appliqué on the collar. (A flower-shaped fabric piece was sewn onto the collar for decoration.)
    • She learned appliqué as part of her quilting class. (She studied the technique of attaching decorative fabric pieces.)

  • Verb:

    • The artist appliquéd small felt circles onto the canvas. (She attached small felt circles to the canvas as decoration.)
    • They plan to appliqué the logo onto the team jackets. (They will sew the logo design onto the jackets.)
Advanced Usage

  • "Appliqué work": the process or result of creating decorative patterns by attaching pieces of fabric or other materials.

    • The cushion cover is a fine example of appliqué work. (The cover shows skilled use of attached fabric pieces.)

  • "Reverse appliqué": a technique where the top layer is cut away to reveal a lower layer of contrasting fabric.

    • The design was created using reverse appliqué, with the pattern cut out from the blue fabric to show the red beneath. (The decoration exposes a different colour underneath.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Appliquéed (adj): decorated with appliqué.

    • She wore an appliquéed skirt with bird motifs. (The skirt had bird-shaped fabric pieces attached.)

  • Appliquéing (v, present participle): the act of creating or applying appliqué.

    • She spends her evenings appliquéing table linens. (She is engaged in attaching decorative fabric pieces.)
Synonyms
  • Patch: a piece of material used to mend or decorate.
  • Embellishment: a decorative detail or addition.
  • Inlay: a technique of setting a material into a surface (similar in concept).
Phrasal Verbs
Related Idioms