Is backing suppose to shrink?

[Mike Garber]

Hey all,

I've been using cutaway backing from Melco, 2 and 3 oz. I always seem to struggle with puckering and cupping around the embroidery. I decided to put a piece of backing in the wash and then dry it. When comparing it to a new piece it looked like it shrunk about a 1/2 inch.
Could this be a problem?

Mike

[flebow]

Wet Laid non directional non wovens will shrink at about 1%

Melco sells both Wet laid" and random saturates
which will shrink more

http://www.lebowconsulting.com/stabilizer-articles.htm

What is the style # or exact weight of what you bought?

Fred

[Mike Garber]

Fred,

We are using C20858525 2.0 oz. cutaway. Usually 2 layers.

Mike

[flebow]

It should shrink LESS than 1-2%
Try one layer of a 3 oz

I recognize some of the #'s
Where do you get this from

Fred

[Mike Garber]

Melco Mart

Mike

[Ballyhoo]

I bought some cutaway "Classic" backing from Allstitch in Baltimore. It has a weave going through it that looks like a rip stop nylon. I thought it worked pretty well. Then... after filling a 16" square hoop with text, I put the fabric on the heat press to get out a few wrinkles and hoop marks. The stuff puckers with heat! The embroidery looked great before I pressed it. I called the company and they said not to heat the stuff. Irons, dryers... What the #/*%??? Their claim was that all polyester backing does this. Has any one had this problem with heat pressing backing? Is there backing that doesnot do this?

[levelbest]

Hmm. We use Classic from AllStitch all the time HOWEVER, we also use a slice of their HD as well. There pretty much isn't a garment we do without two pieces of backing (it's the old - build a solid foundation to last thing). So combining the two, we havn't noticed that... and we often heat press stuff before we send it out.

What kind of fabric were you pressing out of curiosity?

[Ballyhoo]

It was taffeta (polyester, I believe). It was not the fabric, because I pressed it by itself before I started. Afterward, I pressed the backing by itself and it puckered right up. Brought the temperature down to 250 as suggested by Allstitch with the same problem.

[levelbest]

Very interesting David. Can't say I've embroidered on taffeta... but have used it on polos, twill, sweatshirts etc and didn't have issues. Will have to check it out...

[flebow]

Our wet laid

http://www.lebowconsulting.com/stabi...icles.htm#glos
non wovens will shrink less than 2 % mostly less than 1 % at temps close to 350
There is absolutley no dioagonal stretch so one layer is all you sjould need of the correct weight for each application

[ March 28, 2008, 08:13 AM: Message edited by: levelbest ]

[Rita Strombolini]

Originally posted by Ballyhoo:
I bought some cutaway "Classic" backing from Allstitch in Baltimore. It has a weave going through it that looks like a rip stop nylon. I thought it worked pretty well. Then... after filling a 16" square hoop with text, I put the fabric on the heat press to get out a few wrinkles and hoop marks. The stuff puckers with heat! The embroidery looked great before I pressed it. I called the company and they said not to heat the stuff. Irons, dryers... What the #/*%??? Their claim was that all polyester backing does this. Has any one had this problem with heat pressing backing? Is there backing that doesnot do this?

David -

We use the AllStitch backings alot. They work great. If you want to press them, you can't apply heat directly to the backing - high heat will cause the poly to melt. It's fine as long as you iron the front of the garment or cover the backing with something if you want to press the inside of the shirt.

If you contact them I am sure they will replace it with another backing of a different type.