Here is my easy tutorial for adding reverse applique to clothing.  I am using my daughter’s pink pirate tank top as an example. I started with the below tank top and skort set that I bought at Target for around $8.

First, I sketched out a design. Tip: If you aren’t a skilled freehand artist there is an easy way to come up with a unique drawing. Take items with similar shapes to what you are looking to design and use them as your drawing guide. I used a roll of tape and an candy tin to design the skull:

You can download my template for the pirate skull and crossbones below:

Next, you will need fabric for your applique.  To make my fabric easier to sew I first stabilize it by ironing a piece of lightweight fusible interfacing (Pellon brand) to the wrong side of the fabric.

Then I drew my design on the wrong side of the fabric using a disappearing ink pen (you will actually be drawing on the fusible interfacing you just ironed on).

I cut out the skull leaving about 1/4″ border. I turned the tank top inside out and pinned the skull to the shirt.  The right side of the skull fabric is against the wrong side of the tank top.

I sewed the outside line of the skull first.  I sewed all the way around it twice.

Next, I moved to the inside shapes and sewed all the way around each twice. Each shape is sewn separately (i.e. I am lifting up the machine foot and moving to each shape so that they are not connected by a sewn line).

Below you can see my entire design has been sewn onto the tank top.  I am an impatient seamstress so my stitching starts to look a little messy but since I am sewing every line twice I almost prefer it that way so that it looks intentional.

Turning the tank top right side out again this is what it looked like:

Here is the finished cutout.

Tip: I like to take a tiny paint brush and apply a small amount of Dritz Fray Check around the 1/8″ border of left to keep it from unraveling too much in the wash.  It just reassures me that my applique is going to stay put.

To complete the outfit, I added a matching crossbones to the skort. I cut a small felt pink bow and hand-stitched a border with black dmc thread.  I attached it using Dritz Stitch Witchery to the side of the skull to make sure everyone knows it is a “girl” pirate skull!  For the last step I added a few rhinestones to the skull teeth and around the crossbones.  I used Tulip iron-on glass crystals because they glue directly to the fabric and nothing is inside the shirt to make it itchy.  You can find them at most craft stores.