Embroidery Do's & Don'ts--Sew News Library

Sew News Magazine

		Embroidery Do's and Don'ts
		D E B O R A H J O N E S
		Avoid common machine embroidery pitfalls.
		Making Stable Choices To Hoop or Not to Hoop Get It Straight Bobbin Thread The Unkindest Cut Good Work Habits


Making Stable Choices		How do you know when you have enough or the correct stabilizer? This embroidery faux pas is at the top of the list. It's the most common reason for outline stitching shifting from the main embroidery. It also can cause embroidered fabric to appear puckered or stretched. The two primary factors influencing stabilizer selection are the fabric and the design. Determine if the fabric is stable or unstable. Stable fabrics typically are woven rather that knitted. Examples include most bed, kitchen and bath linens, shirting, denim, poplin and other similar goods. Note: Certain loosely woven fabrics, such as lightweight flannel and toweling, aren't firm enough to be in the stable category. Based on their low thread count, they have more give and should be treated as unstable fabrics for embroidery. You can successfully embroider stable fabrics with a tear-away stabilizer, unless the design has a great deal of dense stitching and outlining. In this instance, select a cut-away stabilizer of a weight that can properly support the embroidery during the stitching process and stand up under normal use and cleaning methods. Knitted fabrics, such as those used in T-shirts, sweatshirts, infant sleepers and sportswear, are examples of unstable fabrics. The textbook treatment for this fabric type is to embroider it in a conventional two-ring hoop backed by a cut-away stabilizer that is hooped along with the fabric.


To Hoop or Not to Hoop		When embroidering knits, such as T-shirts, the fabric can stretch when hooped, especially if a firm, cut-away stabilizer is used in the hoop. Apply a tear-away, self-adhesive stabilizer to the hoop and then smooth the fabric onto the sticky surface. This method also is helpful for persons with a handicap, such as arthritis, that prevents them from effectively using the conventional two-ring hoops. As mentioned earlier, the appropriate stabilizer for knits is cut-away. Because most self-adhesive stabilizers are tear-away, they'll give good results on designs with light stitch counts, but often don't hold up on denser or longer running designs. Add support to lightweight fabrics by fusing a soft interfacing, like tricot, on the fabric wrong side prior to sticking it to an adhesive stabilizer.


Get It Straight		One of the most aggravating mistakes made is applying crooked embroidery to a garment or project. Here's how to get the embroidery straight every time:
Make template to aid placement.		Place the item flat on a work surface and mark a dot at the embroidery center. For even greater accuracy, make a template of the garment section .
Mark placement line.		Then, use tape, pins, an air-soluble marker or a chalk wheel to mark a straight, horizontal line through the center of the proposed placement . Use plackets, pockets and other garment construction references on the item to judge your marking.
Hoop carefully, keeping placement line parallel to lower hoop edge.		If you still have doubts about how the embroidery will appear when worn, have someone model the garment for you. If the placement line appears straight, proceed with hooping, keeping the placement line straight in the hoop . If the placement line looks crooked in the hoop as it sits on the machine, the embroidery also will look crooked when removed from the hoop. Note: Many embroidery machines have templates to aid with proper placement. Refer to the manual or check with the machine dealer.


Bobbin Thread		Does your embroidery ever look like it's been sprinkled with salt because the bobbin thread has pulled to the right side? This spoils the appearance of any embroidery and affects the stitch quality. If bobbin threads routinely show on the face of the embroidery work, tighten the bobbin tension slightly. The simple procedure for tightening the bobbin tension on your embroidery machine varies by brand and model, so check with the manual if you're unfamiliar with this adjustment.


The Unkindest Cut		Probably the worst--and most avoidable--embroidery casualty is damage during the finishing process. This can occur when trimming excess threads from the work surface or, more commonly, when removing cut-away stabilizer from the back of the stitched item. Cut carefully!
Hold stabilizer so garment wrong side is visible		When removing cut-away stabilizer from a garment, always hold the stabilizer so you can see the back of the stabilizer and the garment wrong side . Keeping a slight tension on the stabilizer, move your scissors in a gliding motion, trimming the stabilizer within about 1/8" of the embroidery. Note: If you nick the fabric, a fusible, granule bonding agent works well on the fabric wrong side. The resulting repair is very soft and easily can be embroidered over.
		When trimming the surface, choose embroidery scissors with a comfortable blade length. The tips should be sharp enough to trim closely with a single snip. Some embroiderers use spring-action nippers for trimming the work surface. Nippers are fine for trimming threads from the front and back of the work, but should never be used for removing cut-away stabilizer. Nippers require a chopping action and stabilizers should be removed with a smooth cut.


Good Work Habits		Avoid mistakes by developing and practicing some simple work habits at the machine. When placing the hoop into the machine, run your fingers over the hooped fabric surface, feeling for any lumps or bumps. This simple precaution prevents additional, unwanted fabric under the embroidery hoop. Before beginning, use the "Trace" or "Trial" function on your machine, if available, to see where the design will stitch. If using a design rotation, step through part of the design without threading the needle, watching the motion of the hoop to be sure the design is rotated in the proper direction. After stitching a very dense design, change the needle before beginning the outline to achieve a sharper outline. On textured or napped fabrics, apply a clear, water-soluble stabilizer on the surface for cleaner embroidery result. On very heavy napped fabrics, such as towels, you may want to stitch monogram lettering twice for lush, full coverage. Deborah Jones is Vice President of Embroidery Direct, Richardson, TX, and founding editor of Club Ed, an educational newsletter for home embroiderers. E-mail her at djones@embroiderydirect.com.

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PRIMEDIA Inc.
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