Last Updated on January 10, 2023
Are you looking for the best sewing machine for applique? In this guide we will show you our top picks.
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Specialized embroidery machines are a work of art. They allow for the sewist to create elaborated appliques much more easily and are great for embroidery and quilts. Combination machines allow you to switch between regular sewing and doing appliques – they are versatile and great for sewers with little space.
Applique machines exclusively work for embroidery or quilts and are much better for doing embellishments and detailed work, but they are more expensive and cannot be used to sew.
When considering how to purchase the best sewing machine for applique, consider your budget, actual needs, skill level, and space availability. A good sewing machine should last you for years and it is an investment, so proper research and consideration are in order.
9 Best Sewing Machines for Applique and Embroidery
| Image | Title | Buy |
|---|---|---|
Top | Brother SE600 Sewing and Embroidery Machine, 80 Designs, 103 Built-In Stitches, Computerized, 4" x 4" Hoop Area, 3.2" LCD Touchscreen Display, 7 Included Feet | Check Price! |
Top | Janome Memory Craft 500E Embroidery Machine | Check Price! |
Top | Brother PE550D Embroidery Machine, 125 Built-in Designs Including 45 Disney Designs, 4" x 4" Hoop Area, Large 3.2" LCD Touchscreen, USB Port, 9 Font Styles | Check Price! |
Top | EverSewn Sparrow QE Professional Sewing and Quilting Machine - 8Û Throat - 70 Stitch Patterns - Intuative Control Panel, White | Check Price! |
|
Top | Brother SE600 Sewing and Embroidery Machine, 80 Designs, 103 Built-In Stitches, Computerized, 4" x 4" Hoop Area, 3.2" LCD Touchscreen Display, 7 Included Feet | Check Price! |
Top | EverSewn - Sparrow 20-80 Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine | Check Price! |
Top | SINGER | Quantum Stylist 9960 Computerized Portable Sewing Machine with 600-Stitches, Electronic Auto Pilot Mode, Extension Table and Bonus Accessories, Perfect for Customizing Projects | Check Price! |
Top | Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine, 80 Built-in Designs, 4" x 4" Hoop Area, Large 3.2" LCD Touchscreen, USB Port, 9 Font Styles | Check Price! |
Top | SINGER | Legacy SE300 Embroidery Machine with 200 Built-In Embroideries, LCD Touch Screen, & 250 Built-In Stitches - Sewing Made Easy | Check Price! |
1. Brother SE600
- 80 Built-in designs: The SE600 comes with 80 built-in designs and 6 embroidery lettering fonts for personalizing your projects
- Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin: This sewing and embroidery combo machine includes an automatic needle threader that perfectly pushes the thread through the needle and a convenient, jam resistant drop-in top bobbin
- 103 Built-in sewing stitches: This machine features 103 sewing stitches including 10 styles of auto-size buttonholes. Maximum Sewing Speed (Stitches per minute)- 710
- Large color touchscreen: The Brother SE600 computerized sewing and embroidery machine features a large 3.2 LCD color touchscreen allowing you to preview your designs before stitching
- 4 X 4 Embroidery field: This computerized combo machine is built with a 4 x 4 Embroidery field with an included hoop, embroidery arm and 7 sewing feet
Brother is a reliable brand of sewing machines and a top pick among professional seamstresses.
This specific model is purely an embroidery machine, and it has smart features such as the automatic needle threader, a USB port that lets you transfer patterns easily to the device, and a quick-set bobbin system.
Additionally, a touch screen LCD display with smart color technology makes sure you can visualize your patterns with real colors and make sure you are following them correctly.
Apart from being able to transfer patterns with the USB, you can also choose to use one of the one hundred and thirty-eight that already come with the Brother SE600.
2. Janome Memory Craft
- Full Color Touchscreen On-screen editing functions include enlarge/ reduce, rotate, flip, drag and drop, arc, combine, copy and paste, grouping, corner layout, single color sewing, zoom
- Automatic Thread Cutter
- Advanced Needle Threader
- Maximum embroidery size: 7.9 x 11
- 160 built-in desi
If what you need is a large, reliable embroidery machine for professional use, you can’t go wrong with the Janome Memory Craft.
The touch screen not only lets you see the patterns you upload by USB but also creates and edits embroidery patterns of your own. It has a 7.9 x 7.9 inches field, meaning it can be used for larger projects that take up space.
It is not so simple to use, but once you learn it you can take your skills to the next level. It simplifies a lot of tasks, by having an automatic thread cutter in addition to the needle threader and stitching as fast as eight hundred and sixty stitches per minute.
3. Brother PE550D
- 125 Built-in designs: Featuring 125 Built-in designs including 45 Disney designs, the PE550D allows you to bring magic to any project
- 9 Built-in fonts: Personalize your projects with 6 English and 3 Japanese lettering font styles
- USB Port: Import your embroidery designs into your PE550Ds built-in memory through the USB port
- Large color touchscreen: Preview your designs before embroidering with the large, 3.2 inch LCD color touchscreen display
- 4 X 4 Embroidery field: This embroidery-only machine comes with a 4 x 4 hoop, an embroidery foot and built-in alignment tools
- The PE550D is an embroidery machine and does not function as a traditional sewing mach
This Brother model is a more affordable one than the previous one. It is more compact, and the design size is 4 x 4 inches – a standard size for most appliques.
It comes with one hundred and twenty-five Disney embroidery patterns and six different letter fonts, and a USB port to receive extra patterns. It also features an embroidery foot – a great tool that lets you sew easier by transferring some movements to your foot, leaving your hands free to stitch.
All Brother products come with online and phone support, but it should be noticed some customers did have problems with it.
4. EverSewn Sparrow QE
- Modern sewing and quilting machine with professional sewing features – ideal for advanced sewers and quilters
- Beautiful stitch Quality, knee lift and an 8-inch throat space – perfect for larger projects or quilts
- The Sparrow QE offers professional Tools at a very competitive price, offering over 70 stitch patterns, speed control and a built-in thread cutter
- Selecting and changing Stich settings is quick and simple with the intuitive and easy-to-navigate Interface
- Slide-on table and a special quilting deluxe foot kit can be purchased separat
Hobbyists looking for the best sewing machine for applique and regular stitching will love this model.
The Sparrow is a high-end model that does both jobs really well, so if you are short on space you can have the best of both worlds. It is designed to be used in conjunction with a modern and intuitive app – a fantastic idea that lets you control the drawing from your phone or Ipad!
Because the machine has wifi, it will constantly update you on the status of the project, even if you are not in the same room. It has a learning curve on how to use it, but after you master it you can complete intricate motifs and advanced sewing tasks.
5. Brother SE600 Combination Machine
- 80 Built-in designs: The SE600 comes with 80 built-in designs and 6 embroidery lettering fonts for personalizing your projects
- Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin: This sewing and embroidery combo machine includes an automatic needle threader that perfectly pushes the thread through the needle and a convenient, jam resistant drop-in top bobbin
- 103 Built-in sewing stitches: This machine features 103 sewing stitches including 10 styles of auto-size buttonholes. Maximum Sewing Speed (Stitches per minute)- 710
- Large color touchscreen: The Brother SE600 computerized sewing and embroidery machine features a large 3.2 LCD color touchscreen allowing you to preview your designs before stitching
- 4 X 4 Embroidery field: This computerized combo machine is built with a 4 x 4 Embroidery field with an included hoop, embroidery arm and 7 sewing f
Another great adaptable machine, the SE600 is budget-friendly, compact, and versatile. Aside from the inbuilt embroidery and lettering patterns, it also comes with sixty sewing stitches for all your tailoring needs.
It is still a great applique machine, with a USB cable, touch screen, embroidery arm, and a range of other accessories needed for the activity.
If you are new to it, you can browse the clear instructions and follow the step-by-step guide of the included patterns. It is easy to switch between sewing and embroidering, so that is great for mixed projects.
6. EverSewn Sparrow
- 80 stitch, computerized sewing machine
- LCD Display, Drop-in Hook System
- Start/stop button, LED sewing light, Needle stop up/down
- 49 Decorative stitches, 10 Quilting stitches
- 7mm Maximum stitch width, 4.5mm Maximum stitch len
Sparrow is a simple but effective computerized sewing machine. You can use it as an applique device or a regular sewing machine. It automatically threads the needle and has speed and stitch width control.
The computerized LED stitch panel showcases the stitch you are using and the mode you selected, making the creative process a breeze. An ergonomic design makes this device very comfortable to use, and the built is extremely strong.
This is, however, a free-motion embroidery machine, meaning you have to use your hands to complete the applique patterns. It will not follow patterns on its own.
7. Singer Portable Sewing Machine
- SINGER COMPUTERIZED SEWING MACHINE: The SINGER Quantum Stylist 9960 portable sewing machine has loads of ease-of-use features to allow you to fulfill your creative dreams Has a large selection of stitches including basic, stretch and decorative stitches for fashion sewing, quilting, home decor and crafting There’s even a selection of fonts to personalize projects
- AUTOMATIC NEEDLE THREADER: Threading the machine is so easy that you can have the entire machine threaded, from the spool to the needle’s eye, in seconds The built-in needle threader threads the eye of the needle for you, eliminating eye strain and frustration
- BEST SEWING MACHINE: The SINGER Quantum Stylist 9960 sewing machine has 600 Built-In Stitches including 5 Alphanumeric Fonts and 13 built-in 1-Step Buttonholes with Exclusive Buttonhole Underplate It also has Mirror Imaging and Stitch Elongation providing even more creative possibilities
- HIGH-SPEED SEWING MACHINE: The SINGER Quantum Stylist 9960 sewing machine has a maximum sewing speed of 850 stitches-per-minute, projects can be sewn quickly
- SEWING MACHINE ACCESSORIES: A variety of presser feet are included with the sewing machine: All-Purpose Foot, Zipper Foot, Buttonhole Foot with Underplate, Button Sewing Foot, Blind Hem Foot, Satin Stitch Foot, Open Toe Foot, Overcasting Foot, Darning and Embroidery Foot, Rolled Hem Foot, Cording Foot, Straight Stitch/Quilting Foot, Even Feed / Walking Foot 110 volt machine designed for United States and Canadian use o
The singer is another brand that keeps coming up in research about the best sewing machines.
This is a combination machine, and users are particularly happy when using this device for sewing projects that have embroidery details.
It is lighter than others, fast, and has an astonishing number of stitches built-in. The manual is impressive, and if you are a newbie you can follow several step-by-step guides to get the hang of it.
It comes with an embroidery foot and it has the automatic needle-threader much needed for beginners, with the same quality as machines that are double the price.
8. Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine
- 80 Built-in designs: The PE535 features 80 built-in embroidery designs including kids designs, holiday, floral and many more
- 9 Built-in fonts: 6 English and 3 Japanese lettering fonts allow you to personalize your creations
- USB Port: The USB port allows you to upload and store your own embroidery designs to your PE535s built-in memory
- Large color touchscreen: An expansive 3.2 inch LCD color touchscreen allows you to preview your designs before stitching
- 4 X 4 Embroidery field: This Brother embroidery machine is built with a 4 x 4 Embroidery field and includes a hoop
- The PE535 is an embroidery machine and does not function as a traditional sewing mach
For sewists looking for an affordable applique sewing machine only, this Brother model could be the one. It comes with eighty designs to choose from, nine lettering fonts, and a large color touchscreen.
The LCD display measures 3.2 inches and the color recreation is faithful to the real image. The PE535 has an ingrained memory, so you can use a USB stick to transfer patterns to the sewing machine and keep them there.
It is possible to align the lettering in different ways and to create angles and curves to follow your design. It is not difficult to use, with a very intuitive and smart design.
9. SINGER | Legacy SE300
- SINGER SEWING MACHINE: The SINGER Legacy SE300 Portable Sewing Machine has 250 built-in stitches including basic, stretch, decorative, and buttonhole stitches allow you to sew a variety of projects, such as fashions, home décor, quilts, crafts, and more
- AUTOMATIC NEEDLE THREADER SEWING MACHINE: After following the threading path printed right on the machine, this built-in feature helps you to effortlessly thread the eye of the needle without eye strain or frustration
- BEST SEWING MACHINE: The SINGER Legacy SE300 has extra-large embroidery area, snap-on embroidery hoops, usb stick embroidery design transfer, bobbin winding while embroidering, upper thread sensor, 10 snap-on presser feet, 200 embroidery designs + 6 alphabet options which expands your creative and monogramming possibilities
- HIGH SEWING AND EMBROIDERY SPEED: The SINGER Legacy SE300 Sewing Machine has a maximum sewing speed of 800 stitches-per-minute and 700 embroidery stitches per minute, and so projects can be sewn quickly
- SEWING AND EMBROIDERY MACHINE ACCESSORIES: A variety of accessories are included with large and small embroidery hoop, all-purpose foot, satin stitch foot, overcasting foot, blind hem foot, zipper foot, buttonhole foot with underplate, straight stitch foot, button sewing foot, open toe foot
On the high end of the spectrum, this Singer has everything you can dream of on an applique machine. It is strong and can be used with several types of fabric, and it is fast, with a speed of eight hundred stitches per minute.
You can adjust your embroidery patterns on the LCD touch screen, and save patterns inside the sewing machine’s memory. The working area is bigger than the average and allows you to work on projects that are up to eight inches big.
There are more than two hundred patterns included and six alphabet options, so you can start using this device as soon as you get it.
Applique Sewing Machine Buying Guide
Specialized or Combination
Embroidery machines work by following pre-programming designs selected by the user. The fabric is held in place by the embroidery hoops and the machine goes to work, this is how appliques are made.
Some machines are embroidery only, and some are capable of producing patterns as well as performing normal sewing tasks. A specialized embroidery machine will be better in terms of speed, intricacy, and size of the applique, but they are also bulkier and not versatile.
Choose it based on your day-to-day needs.
Beginner or advanced
There is a range of sewing machines offered, and many will come with preloaded patterns and step-by-step guides.
This is fantastic for beginners, that can finish projects at the same time they learn how to use the machine. If you are an advanced sewer, there is no need for that.
Embroidery design size
Most machines have a sewing table for a 4 x 4 inches pattern – that is fine for the average project. If you want something bigger, look for models that specify a bigger working area. This will also require a bigger hoop size.
Stitch speed
This refers to the number of stitches the machine does per minute. They can be as high as eight hundred stitches per minute, very helpful as some appliques have thousands of stitches in total.
LCD Screen
Computerized sewing machines have LCD screens where you can follow the design and pattern and choose different stitches. The better they are in color recreation, the closer you can follow the original drawing.
Extra features
Some models come up with different features that can be a real help when doing patterns.
For example, a thread break warning on the display lets you know you have to stop right away and replace the strand. An automatic thread cutter. A presser foot to release the fabric.
The list goes on! If there is a feature you love on your regular sewing machine, chances are you can find it on the embroidery machine.
Sewing Machine for Applique Frequently Asked Questions
What size needle is best for machine applique?
The size of the needle needs to match the thread size in order to work well. This information should be specified in the pattern details.
What is the difference between a regular and an embroidery sewing machine?
A regular sewing machine has to be guided by your hands and can be used to sew clothing, attach buttons, do hemming, and all kinds of sewing projects.
The best sewing machines for appliques, on the other hand, have an internal computer that lets them follow an intricate pattern on the chosen fabric.
Can you do appliques with an embroidery machine?
Yes. Applique refers to a technique that involves stitching an elaborated design to a contrasting fabric. It can also mean the process of stitching two different pieces of fabric together, to create a pattern.
The embroidery is the best sewing machine for applique, and the skills required are just a notch above regular sewing. Many of the machines we listed today are beginner-friendly though, so this is a good place to start.
Can you freehand embroidery with a regular sewing machine?
Not all sewing machines are capable of embroidering, but some have a setting where you can set the stitch specifications and guide the fabric through the machine to make appliques.
This is more time-consuming and completely relying on your abilities.
What does “computerized machine” mean?
A computerized sewing machine is an embroidery machine or an applique machine.
It works by following a pattern upload to its internal memory by USB, displaying the design on its LCD display, and stitching it on a fabric attached to the embroidery hoop.
