Help with embroidering lightweight poplin shirts

[mweist@atouchofpride]

I know this is a rookie question, but can anyone give me tips on how to embroider a 3-letter monogram on a Blue Generation poplin shirt? I tried one and it's all puckery.

Thanks in advance!
Melody

[Steve]

Puckering is usually caused by one of two things.
1. Poor (or no) underlay. Make sure you use the proper underlay for the size letters you are using. What size letters and font name are you using. I'm sure someone can recommend underlay to use for that font.
2. Poor hooping. Dont stretch the material. Hoop it and smooth out the excess.
Pretend you are embroidering a rubber band. If you stretch it before embroidering it, what happens when you unhoop it? The rubber band falls back into place but the embroidery will look horrible. Same thing happens with clothing. It needs be hooped so there is no excess material in the hoop but don't stretch it to much. (This will take some practice.)

[levelbest]

Don't forget to use the proper backing - and try playing with the density. It's possible you have things too dense.

[mweist@atouchofpride]

Thanks! Appreciate the suggestion. I was using tearaway backing and wondered if I should use 2 pieces? I wasn't sure if adjusting the pull compensation would help or not? I suspect that I did hoop it too tightly, also.

[levelbest]

We almost always use two 1.5 oz pieces. It may be overkill but it's that building a solid foundation for the stitches thing.

[flebow]

Use one layer of a "wet laid", non directional, soft, dense cutaway 2, 2.5 or 3 ozs depending in the stitch count and density

http://rnkdistributing.com/info.shtml#wetlaid


You will usually get better registration w a cutaway as the fibers are longer a;llowing the threads to entangle themselves better.

If you do NOT want to see the cutaway then - again depending on the stitch count and density- use 1 or 2 layers of thw no show nylon mesh

Sincerely
Fred
PS feel free to e-mail me off list if you want samples

[SkyLinePrints]

I would add stitch direction should be looked at also. I have found that when all else fails, modifying the stitch direction has solved my pulling problems.

[Barbara Bunker]

Another thing to do is to use an iron-on tear-away stabilizer (like Sulky's Totally Stable, and I think Floriani might have a similar product) to stabilize the fabric, then add another lightweight tearaway stabilizer to stabilize the stitches. This method has worked wonders for me!

Barb in Beautiful Broomfield, Colorado
BMB Custom Embroidery