Answer
May 02, 2022 - 10:35 AM
Lots of good questions.
#1: Here's a link to a wonderful blog Ellen March did on embroidering on onesies:
https://blog.sulky.com/holiday-onesie/
Ellen talks about applying Sulky Tender Touch on the wrong side when the embroider is complete. I have found that pinking the edges of the Tender Touch helps it adhere better and stretch better (it has a slight stretch to it). I also cut it in an oval or a rough circle so that their are no edges to raise. It is a very stretchy knit, after all.
#2: We do not agree with that concept of "if you wear it, don't tear it". The general rule of thumb is you use tear-aways for wovens and cut-aways for knits. You can tell the difference between them in our line because our stabilizers are color coded: Purple for cut-aways; Green for tear-aways; Blue for water solubles; and just one red one for Heat-Away.
You want the stabilizer to behave like the fabric. Wovens don't stretch, hence tear-aways - and they will be stable without a permanent cut-away. Knits and any stretchy fabric require stabilization to support the design when the fabric continues to stretch through washings and wearings. I hope that makes sense. It is not cast in stone, so sometimes some sheer, very lightweight fabrics might need more than a tear-away.
My two favorite stabilizers for this are:
Sulky Tear-Easy (which can be used in as many layers as needed, and then each layer can be gently torn-away separately;
and Sulky Soft 'n Sheer a cut-away, which can be used in more than one layer as well. It is also (as the name implies) - sheer. So it's great for light colored clothing that might show a shadow of some stabilizers.
#3. The mesh stabilizer (Sulky Soft 'n Sheer), will not cause puckers. Stretching the knit while hooping will. So, when you use a cut-away stabilizer, sometimes it's best to not even hoop the knit. Hoop the stabilizer and spray baste the project on the wrong side (or the stabilizer) with Sulky KK 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive, and pat in place (being careful not to stretch). And/or - you can also baste the project in place on the stabilizer, if you have a baste option on your embroidery machine (and most do). I like doing both.
The other option would be to spray the stabilizer, smooth it onto the wrong side of the project, and then hoop it. The adhered stabilizer will help with not stretching the knit - but it's not as foolproof as the above option. And sometimes, like with the sweatshirt you mentioned, it's preferable not to hoop, and sometimes almost impossible to hoop.
If you have more questions, feel free to contact me directly at info@sulky.com anytime.
#1: Here's a link to a wonderful blog Ellen March did on embroidering on onesies:
https://blog.sulky.com/holiday-onesie/
Ellen talks about applying Sulky Tender Touch on the wrong side when the embroider is complete. I have found that pinking the edges of the Tender Touch helps it adhere better and stretch better (it has a slight stretch to it). I also cut it in an oval or a rough circle so that their are no edges to raise. It is a very stretchy knit, after all.
#2: We do not agree with that concept of "if you wear it, don't tear it". The general rule of thumb is you use tear-aways for wovens and cut-aways for knits. You can tell the difference between them in our line because our stabilizers are color coded: Purple for cut-aways; Green for tear-aways; Blue for water solubles; and just one red one for Heat-Away.
You want the stabilizer to behave like the fabric. Wovens don't stretch, hence tear-aways - and they will be stable without a permanent cut-away. Knits and any stretchy fabric require stabilization to support the design when the fabric continues to stretch through washings and wearings. I hope that makes sense. It is not cast in stone, so sometimes some sheer, very lightweight fabrics might need more than a tear-away.
My two favorite stabilizers for this are:
Sulky Tear-Easy (which can be used in as many layers as needed, and then each layer can be gently torn-away separately;
and Sulky Soft 'n Sheer a cut-away, which can be used in more than one layer as well. It is also (as the name implies) - sheer. So it's great for light colored clothing that might show a shadow of some stabilizers.
#3. The mesh stabilizer (Sulky Soft 'n Sheer), will not cause puckers. Stretching the knit while hooping will. So, when you use a cut-away stabilizer, sometimes it's best to not even hoop the knit. Hoop the stabilizer and spray baste the project on the wrong side (or the stabilizer) with Sulky KK 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive, and pat in place (being careful not to stretch). And/or - you can also baste the project in place on the stabilizer, if you have a baste option on your embroidery machine (and most do). I like doing both.
The other option would be to spray the stabilizer, smooth it onto the wrong side of the project, and then hoop it. The adhered stabilizer will help with not stretching the knit - but it's not as foolproof as the above option. And sometimes, like with the sweatshirt you mentioned, it's preferable not to hoop, and sometimes almost impossible to hoop.
If you have more questions, feel free to contact me directly at info@sulky.com anytime.
Add New Comment