How to Easily Embellish Fabric (Reviews Updated 2021)

Whether you have a dress, a shirt, a jacket, or a handbag that you’ve purchased from the store; or, if you’re planning on making your own garment or accessory with a sewing pattern and your sewing machine, you might want to add something extra to make it pop.

Adding an embellishment to a sewing fabric is the perfect way to make a ho-hum store bought or handmade item into something super special and one-of-a-kind. From pintucks to smocking, and from sewing beaded trim to fabric ribbons; there are so many ways that you can embellish a garment. Some techniques, however, require a bit more know-how, time, and patience. Fortunately, though, there are some simple embellishments that don’t require much more than a few basic sewing essentials that you probably already have available in your sewing room. In this sewing help guide, we’ll share some of the easiest – and fastest – ways that you can add embellishments to fabric.

Rhinestones and Sequins

If you want to add some bling to a garment, rhinestones and sequins are the perfect embellishment. They can be added to any type of fabric, including rayon, satin, knits, or even fleece! For the easiest application, purchase rows of rhinestones and sequins and affix them to your material with fabric glue. Make sure you decide where you want to place them before you secure them in place. You might want to do a mock layout before you adhere them to the garment.

Just a word of caution: while gluing sequins and rhinestones to a garment will certainly create a dramatic look, so make sure that you use caution when laundering, as there is a chance that they could become loose.

Fabric Stud and Gem Setters

If you want something a more permanent embellishment, but something that sparkles and shines as much as sequins and rhinestones, then you might want to consider using fabric and gem setters. Talk about a stunning and easy to apply embellishment! All you have to do is select the studs or gems that you want apply to your material and use a specialized sewing tool, known as a setter, to affix them. The setter will permanently attach the decorative accents to the material, so you won’t have to worry about losing any! Easy peasy!

Iron-On Transfers

An iron-on transfer is another super easy way to embellish a fabric. This specialized paper can be purchased at any craft or sewing supply store. It comes complete with directions, and the instructions for use do vary; however, typically, you can print out a design of your choice onto the iron-on transfer paper (just make sure you reverse the image when printing so that it appears in the right direction on your garment), and then iron it right onto your fabric. If you want to ensure longevity, make sure that you select a high-quality, heavy duty iron-on transfer; also, make sure that you follow the directions for laundering.

With these simple tips, you can add decorative interest to virtually any type of material, instantly transforming it from drab to fab!