Free Dump Truck Applique Pattern & Tutorial

I love applique! It uses up the smallest of scraps, which I find infinitely satisfying. My son is all about the dump trucks these days, so I made one for his Valentine’s Day shirt (see more about the pattern I used in this post) and then another one for a crayon tote bag (a pattern from One-Yard Wonders, read my book review here). I’m sharing the free dump truck applique file in this post; check out my best tips about how to machine applique for beginners in this post!

A close-up of the Valentine’s dump truck! I upcycled fabrics and used the Tinley Tee* by GYCT Designs.

The crayon tote with Crayola dump truck. Tutorial from “Fabric-by-Fabric One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Projects Using Cottons, Knits, Voiles, Corduroy, Fleece, Flannel, Home Dec, Oilcloth, Wool, and Beyond“*  by Patricia Hoskins and Rebecca Yaker.

Ready to try it yourself? Here’s how:

Supplies:

• Wonder Under, Heat’n Bond Lite, or other paper-backed fusible transfer product
• Pen or marker for tracing
• Iron
• Sewing Machine
• Dump Truck Applique File

Steps

1. Trace all shapes on to the smooth, not shiny, side of the Wonder Under. Trim roughly around each shape (not on the exact lines).

2. Iron each shape on to the desired scrap on to the wrong side.

3. Cut out precisely along your drawn lines and peel off the paper backing. You should see a gummy backing left on the shapes.

4. Lay them out as desired and iron on, from the bottom layer up. Wait until each piece cools and then top-stitch around the edges to secure. You can alternately use a small zig-zag to get a machine-like finish and extra-secure hold.

Ta-da! Done. Go forth and scrap bust!