Help!! Newbie here. What is the trick for embroidering t-shirts? I'm guessing I'm not stabelizing correctly! What is the best way, I have put holes in 2 already!

Thanks for all the help! It has been really bad weather here, but I need to get out and get different stabalizer. Again, thanks!!

I iron fusable cutaway to the wrong side of the T-shirt to keep it from stretching. Mark the center lines for the design on the right side. Hoop any sticky stabilizer and place your hoop on the machine. Put the T-shirt over the hoop making sure not to catch any parts of the shirt under the hoop. Line up the center marks with the needle and put down the presser foot. Then gently press the T-shirt to the sticky stabilizer working from the center out without stretching the shirt. If you have a dense design, float another piece of cut-away under the hoop. When you are finished, trim the stabilizer leaving about 1/8th of an inch around the design. If the finished design feels scratchy, iron a piece of fusible tricot interfacing, such as Dream Weave or Easy Knit, over the design. I always do this with children's wear.
This process works for sweatshirts too, just be sure to add a topping. I agree with the others on the ballpoint needle too.

I use a cutaway fusible (two layers if it is dense - at an angle like others have suggested) on the shirt itself. Then I hoop sticky vilene (washaway) and stick the shirt (and the fused patch) to it. I also use a wash-away topper (like regular solvy). I baste it all together with a wash away thread on top (regular bobbin on bottom) then do the design itself. I have been quite successful with this "recipie". Good luck.

I have been embroidering for over 2 yrs, still new compaired to some. I gave up embroidering directly on to Tshirts, ruined to many. I stitch my design on a piece of fabric, organza works well. Then cut it out carfully and trim away fabric so it makes a patch. Then I place it where I want it on the shirt and zig zag it on with matching or invisable thread.

go to embroidery library for anything you need help with, they show techniques for embroidering on almost anything. Good luck with your project

Here is the other Idea that I use on my T shirts.
Use two layers of the Iron on Interfacing but turn the one in the opposite direction. everthing has a slight stretch to it even the tear away.
See my pics.

1 images:[1]

2 comments

by knitty46 19 Feb 2011

Bev, I like your technique. Im more of a visual person

by marleymoo 20 Feb 2011

Thanks so much for loading up the pictures Bev!

Thank you for asking this! I am new as well and just like you, I had no luck with t-shirts. Im glad we both got our questions answered. :)

Iron on cut-away stablizer (vilene like you use as interfacing in ordinary sewing) on the wrong side of the garment.
Hoop or pin to the hooped tear-away.
A Ballpoint needle special to sew with stretch fabrics.
Choose designs that are not dense (too many stitches).After embroidering cut the extra stabilizer with about 1 cm around the design.
Happy stitching.
From Bev

I never hoop the shirt. I use sticky tear away stabilizer that I stick in the hoop. And put the shirt with the inside on the sticky site and embroider this way on the good site of the shirt.Normally it stays on place but you can even get an extra fixation by using some pins. After the enbroidery I can remove the embroidery from the stabilizer very easy.

I have used Sulky iron-on tear-away stabilizer with great success. It leaves no sticky residue when removed. H&*

This is a great site for cute designs but also has some really good tutorials and tips for embroidering on different fabrics and different applications. http://digistitches.com/free-sewi...

I posted the same question a while back and had so much advice. I now sew T shirts with no trouble. I hoop tearaway then I stick my T shirt on to the tearaway and secure with pins in each corner - be careful not to stretch the material. Then I float another piece of tearaway under the hoop for extra support. Welcome to the Cute family.

Great question and great answers! I love that you got project instruction sites as answers from some! Thanks cuties!! I was also wondering as I have had the same problem and had given up. Now I will check these sites out and try again!! I clicked on the checkmark so it shows in my marked for further references. Have a fantastic weekend. *4U all and hugs too!

1 comment

by airyfairy 19 Feb 2011

Don't give up - it is really worthwhile to
persevere.

On the back of the shirt, I iron on some fusible mesh stabilizer (from terradon embroidery). I hoop a tear away stabilizer and pin the shirt to that. I don't hoop t shirts. Use a ball point needle, and that has worked well for me.
Jo

Here is a site, that will answer all your questions, show you how to due everything. Bookmark it ....

Choose a design that isn't real dense....and use an iron on cut away stablizer.....and then I use a sticky cut away stablizer in the hoop, so I don't stretch the knit at all.