EMBROIDERY TIPS

http://www.geocities.com/susangm6/sewing/tips/tips.html

==============================
Outlining
==============================

The first tip I would like to mention is outlining. Many times a running outline will either fall outside the fill of a region, or inside it - resulting in a poor looking design. I have tried many kinds of stabilizers to try and remedy this situation. I have not found the 'ultimate' solution to the problem, but I have found that there are things we can do to help make the design look cleaner and nicer.

==============================
Using Water Soluable Thread
==============================

Here is something I have discovered that works PERFECTLY on knits. It does NOT work on wovens, but for t-shirts, sweatshirts and the like, it's the thing I do every single time:

First I hoop whatever stabilizer is appropriate for the garment I'm embroidering. For sweatshirts I use one layer of cutaway. For lighter weight t-shirts I either use a couple layers of tearaway or more preferably two layers of polymesh hooped in opposite directions. The polymesh has a stretch to it in one direction. I place them so that one layer stretches side-to-side and the other layer stretches top-to-bottom. Then I hoop the stabilizer with the shirt.

Next, I go into my Layout and Editing software and call up the design I'm interested in embroidering. With the line tool set to running stitches at a little longer than normal stitch length, I just draw lines up and down and back and forth across the design until I have created a crosshatch over the entire design. It doesn't LOOK very nice right now, but you'll see why I do this!

I make sure that the crosshatch is a different color than any other color in the design and I make sure that it is set to stitch first. Don't forget that!

When I get ready to stitch the design, I thread my machine with water soluable thread. I use the YLI Washaway thread. I stitch the crosshatch (which is the first part to sew), with this water soluable thread. It holds the knit fabric to the stabilizer beautifully and there is NO chance that the fabric will shift while the rest of the design stitches on top of the water soluable crosshatch.

After completing the rest of the design, I remove the hoop from the machine and spritz the whole design with water so that the water soluable thread disappears! Then I turn the hoop over and clip the bobbin threads that fall away from the back of the design after the water soluable thread has dissolved.

Presto-chango! Your design is in place and the outline should be perfect if you've chosen the correct stabilizer for the type of fabric you are using. I have tried ALL kinds of methods for stitching on knits and this method is THE one that works for me every time. I sure hope you find it helpful to you!

==============================
AnnTheGran's Tips on Stabilizing
==============================

AnnTheGran, as we know her on the BBD mail list, gave some very good advice. With her permission, I have quoted the advice she has given from the mail list.

She wrote:

From: AnnTheGran
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 06:57:49 EST
Subject: BBD: Stabilizers

"The general rule of thumb is: cut away for knits, tear away for wovens. Now, let me tell you how I stabilize, how I ALWAYS stabilize and the method which keeps my embroidery completely stable with outlines always lining up perfectly on all my machines, including my 8200.

1. Use the smallest hoop possible for the job.
2. Remove the backing from a sticky stabilizer (I use Madeira's because of price.) and apply it to the bottom of your inner hoop, sticky side up. Pull the stabilizer snugly up around all four sides of the hoop.
3. Lay a sheet of cut away stabilizer on top of the outer hoop and press the inner hoop on top of it, sticky side up. Tighten the screw as much as you can by hand and pull up the cut away stabilizer on all four sides so that it is drum tight in your hoop. Choose the weight of stabilizer in accordance with the complexity of the design and the dimensions of your hoop. The denser and/or more complex the design and the larger the hoop, the heavier the stabilizer. I have 3 weights that I use, Madeira's light weight and heavy weight and an extra heavy weight that I buy by the yard from my dealer. I always use either the heavy or the extra heavy weight in the large hoop.
4. Stick the item to be embroidered down on the sitcky stabilizer, pressing firmly all around. If it is a heavy garment with a tendency to pull up away from the sticky, baste it down with long hand basting stitches all around the inside of the hoop.
5. Make sure that both your bobbin and needle threads are well seated in the tension disks.

Since I have begun using this method I have not had even one design that did not stitch out perfectly. Remember that the larger the hoop, the more unstable the hooping will be. Hope this is of some help to someone. And if your method is different, and it's working fine for you, don't change anything!

Ann, in Orlando
annthegran@aol.com"

========================

I used Ann's advice. I sewed a design that had a running stitch outline. I followed her steps for using the sticky stabilizer on the bottom of the inner hoop, and cut-away inside the outer hoop. I then cut the fabric and stuck it to the sticky stabilzer. I sewed the design. It did not come out perfect, as she says hers do, but it was a great improvement over what I have been able to get so far.

But...... look at what Babylock has to say about Outlining. I think you'll find their answer very interesting. I know I did!

==============================

Paula Spoon at Babylock writes:

"Here are some helpful hints that you can try with your outline questions.

1. Stabilizer - Hoop the stabilizer with the fabric. The stabilizer must be in the hoop drum tight. (Not so the fabric - due to stretch of fabrics, etc)

2. Too much stabilizer can also cause problems.

3. What kind of outline are you working with?
   a.  If you are using a running stitch, try using a 1mm wide zig zag outline and use YLI bobbin thread in the needle. Fine thread will make the outline even narrower.
   b.  The running stitch is not a forgiving stitch as the zig zag outline is.

4. If there are little area (regions) that are past the outline and not the whole design, try changing direction of stitching in that region.

5.  If the region is rather large, the fill stitch can cause the fabric to draw up and cause the outline to miss.

6.  If you are changing step pitch and frequency, try the default settings in the problem areas.

7.  RULE #1 TURN ON THE UNDERSEWING IN THE SEWING ATTRIBUTES. Undersewing not only attaches the stabilizer to the fabric securely but also helps support the fabric with large and dense designs.

Please dont hesitate to email us with your questions. We are glad to try and help you.

Best Regards Baby Lock USA"

================================

I find item # 4 very interesting because, if you look at some designs in either Design Center, or Layout and Editing, in zoom mode, you will notice that many times it will show that the fill is outside the outline. Have you ever noticed that? Many times these are the places where my outlining is off. So, Babylock is suggesting that sometimes it is a good idea to change the stitching direction of the fill in regions where the outline is missing the mark. I have not tried this yet, but I think it might help, too!

If you have a tip about outlining, please pass it along! I can use all the help I can get in making my designs look better. And, if you'd like for me to add your tip to this page, I'll be more than happy to credit you with the information. Just drop me an email. I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope this information has been of some help to you.
