Testing to Get Good Embroidery Design Results

Test to Get Good embroidery designs Results

Getting good embroidery design Results -By testing your embroidery designs stabilizing skills

      We have found a "new" way to see how well the embroidery design stabilizers and methods you are using are working - so that your embroidery designs look GREAT without any off outlines, puckering, cupping or warping. This is a TEST - Only a Test - but if You and your stabilizers pass - You will have great looking designs. And if your methods and stabilizers don't pass - you can just try again - Till you get it right.
      I think and recommend that we should test stitch all embroidery designs every time that we stitch-out any new design for the first time. With testing we get to see how the colors work out and whether we have used the right stabilizers and methods. After the test stitching - we can easily see if the outlines are off and if all the parts line-up - BUT - we don't know if the fault is in the design itself or in the design stabilizing. This is where our New "stabilizing test" is really useful. It can show us if we have used the right stabilizers and methods. It's real easy - just baste a "picture frame" around the design. And when you are finished stitching - you can easily see if the basting stitch is still straight or if the design stitching has pulled it in - in some places and made the straight basting picture frame no longer straight. If it is not straight - then the conclusion has to be that either you used the wrong stabilizer for this fabric and design or that you didn't use enough or in the right way (method).
     And conversely - If the basting frame stitch is still straight and the outlines are off or certain parts don't line up - then the conclusion has to be that the stabilizers and methods used are OK - And the problem is the fault of the embroidery design. ( Of course in any test we need to make sure that everything is working properly and that we are using the right needle, have the right tension settings and ect.)

     Please let me know what you think about the "stabilizing test" above and if you tried it - and what the results were - I think is is a great idea - I wish that I could take the credit for it - but Sandy gets all the credit for this - But I can take credit for writing this and passing a good idea along. - I hope.

     Below is some more info and thoughts on stabilizing embroidery designs from Sandy - and a embroidery design Basting file to download and more testing info.

TTYL, Terry   E-mail > Terry@ThreadArtist.com

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How to form a Basting stitch

To form an embroidery design basting stitch use the single outline function of your software to form a rectangle/square to any size you wish. Make sure the lines are straight.

Set the stitch length for 5.0 to 6.0 so that it's easy to remove when your design is finished.

The closer to the embroidery design the basting stitch is, the better it will stabilize. You may also make it as large as the stitch area of the hoop you are working in. If you are combining embroidery designs in a large hoop, you may wish to use one to the max of the stitch area & additional smaller ones around each embroidery design.

Instructions for Basting Stitch Files

    These basting stitch frames are deigned to aid you in obtaining better embroidery design stabilizing results. Stabilize & hoop your fabric or garment as usual. Then stitch the basting frame stitch before stitching any design.

     The multi-formatted files are zipped in a single folder. When you download one you will get all the formats. Just choose the one suited to your embroidery machine/s & discard the rest. You may unzip in WinZip or Buzz Tools.

     The preferred method of use is to copy/paste the appropriate size & format needed to an existing embroidery design file. Next cut/paste your entire embroidery design so that the basting frame will stitch first, or you may edit at the machine to make sure it stitches first.

     You may use the frames the size they are, however, the closer in size the frames are to the embroidery design that you are stitching the more they will help. Use the customizing feature of your sewing software to change the size of the frame in your embroidery design format.

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Hi Everybody,

       We've been receiving lots of questions regarding stabilizing embroidery designs lately & felt it was time to post a few tips on the method I use and prefer. The following tips and uses are for the stabilizers we carry. We cannot predict the same great results with any other brands.

     What should you expect quality results to look like in a finished garment and embroidery design?

1-Good coverage - no fabric peeking through the stitches.
2-No puckering around the embroidery design.
3-No warping or puckering after the garment is laundered.
4-No more than an occasional light touch up with an iron, on the back side, should be necessary.

      There is no reason for any design project you stitch to be nothing less than perfect. If you aren't obtaining the above results, you're using the wrong backing and/or method for the design and fabric. Here's what I use and how to get perfect results 99% of the time. (Everyone goofs every now & again!)

      Since there can be many variables used to determine exactly the right formula of backing, design & fabric, I'm only going to give 1 example here, which is meant to give you a starting point for making your own calculations for your projects.

      It's my personal opinion that the very best results are obtained if you start with a fusible backing, regardless of the fabric you're stitching on. I think of it as insurance-there's nothing worse than spending a lot of time stitching a beautiful embroidery design on a quality garment only to have it warp & pucker after it's laundered! (The only exception is terry cloth, in which case I use Badge Master for backing.)

     The fusible embroidery designs backings that we carry are polyester, not paper based, and come in medium & light-weight. They get softer when fused to the fabric, are easy to hoop and stay under the design after laundering. Each has it's own use or they may be combined, when necessary, if one or the other isn't quite right for the design/fabric combination. Both weights can be torn away when you're finished so that there's no added stiffness under or around the design. (*Ease of removal depends on the temperature setting of your iron.)

      Example: I'm stitching my birds on a medium weight denim shirt. First, I always pre-shrink by laundering the shirt! Next I spray Magic Sizing on the back side of the area where I'm placing the design. Press, do not iron, the area until it's completely dry. (If you iron, rather than press, you can easily stretch the fabric, which defeats your purpose.)   Place a layer of fusible light on the area where you want the embroidery design. Lay the backing down with the straight grain of the backing going in the same direction as the cross-grain of the fabric. (The straight grain of the backing is the direction with the least stretch when pulled.)

      With the temperature set on polyester and holding the iron about 1" above the backing, steam the backing to shrink it. Allow it to dry completely. Using a dry iron (no steam) start in the middle of the sheet of fusible. Hold for a few seconds, then press the whole piece of backing-except for the outer edges, which makes it easier to remove when you're finished stitching. If your iron is too hot the fusible may be harder to remove-if it's too cool it won't adhere/hold properly.

      Now, since my birds have lots of stitch layering which need support and because I prefer the feel of the soft edges next to my skin, I add a sheet of soft tear away. I turn it cross-grain to the cross-grain of the fabric-in other words, 90 degrees from the way the fusible is placed. Spray the soft tear away with 505 spray before applying to the back of the fusible. (Never apply the adhesive to the fabric!) Place the backed garment in the hoop. Now I lay a sheet of web solvy on top to keep the stitches from going flat & to help the coverage, if needed.

      The last step before starting to stitch the embroidery design, especially if you're using a large hoop, is to baste the entire outside area just next to the hoop. This truly helps prevent the fabric from puckering. If you haven't done a basting stitch design file, you can hand baste.

      When all stitching is completed, remove the embroidery design basting stitch then the web from the top by tearing the excess away. Mist (lightly) the remaining web with cold water & allow to dry. While the top side is drying you can remove the soft tear away (last layer applied) by gently tearing.
     Next remove the fusible tear away in the same manner. Use tweezers to remove the tiny areas between embroidery design parts where necessary.

      Turn the embroidery design to the right side. Steam the design while holding the iron about 1-2" above the area. Now turn the garment over. Clip only the very long jump stitches by cutting them about mid way - NOT close to the embroidery design - leaving the long tails. If clipped next to the design they might unravel after several washings.

      Spray the entire area with Magic Sizing and using a pressing cloth, press the design flat. You may need to repeat this process until the entire area is flat. You can stop here and be finished or you can add that extra touch by adding finishing backing.

      To make any project perfect, you simply adjust the type of backing used to the fabric & density of the embroidery design being stitched.   For instance, using a heavy sweatshirt with a dense embroidery design try 2 layers of fusible - 1 medium, 1 light turned 90 degrees or 2 layers of fusible light & 1 layer of soft tear away, etc.

      There are as many combinations as there are fabric & embroidery design types! It really isn't that difficult when you have the correct "tools" to work with. We believe we carry the very best backings available. When used correctly, you will obtain predictable results time after time. With practice you're going to be able to "calculate" just the right application for all your needs.

      HINT: You may want to practice applying different backings and/or combinations to different types of scrap fabric. Form a scrapbook of these to help you decide the look you prefer the next time you're in doubt.

     I hope this has helped make it a bit easier to determine how to get the results you want and deserve!

Sandy