Embroidering Golf Towels

[levelbest]

Morning All:

We have a bunch of microfiber golf towels with grommets from SanMar we need to embroider this morning and I am looking for tips on how to make the embroidery the best it can be.

It's a logo with lettering so I am guessing we need some sort of background fill to knock down the napp of the towel etc.

Just looking to the experts (all of you) to throw out suggestions on how to best get it done.

Suprisingly, we've only done towels once or twice before in the 4-5 years we've had the Amaya for whatever reason....

Thanks!
JOHN

[Barbara Bunker]

Hi John, finally something I know about! You could use a light Solvy layer on top of the towel or, as someone just mentioned on a fleece topic, use a double zigzag for the lettering.

Barb Bunker
BMB Custom Embroidery
Broomfield, CO

[levelbest]

Hi Barb:

Double ZigZag? Not sure I understand that. Can you explain? I was figuring we'd definately have to use solvy.

My concern is that the logo has some fine detail and the lettering on it isn't huge and that with the napp of the towels it will get lost/eaten up.

I thought the way to do something like this was to put a fill behind it - sort of like making a patch behind the lettering but maybe that isn't the best way...

[Barbara Bunker]

Sorry. The double zigzag is underlay for the letters. It not only holds the towel loops down, but it also raises the letters.

Barb

[signman]

I've done the thicker nap towels, not the micro fiber ones yet...and I just take all lettering and add 2 to whatever density the design called for on shirts. So 4.5 would be 6.5, etc. That way you don't get too tight a pattern that disappears in the nap. And push the pull comp as high as you can...wider letters work better because they are going to 'pull' in the fabric anyways.
Solvy is a definite...helps tie the fibers down while it sews. If you don't want a 'patch' feel to it then you can't do the background fill-it depends on the design. I only use background fill now for the fake fur christmas stockings, nothing else.
Also, if the detail or lettering is real small-you may have to increase the size-convince the customer that it's like playing marbles on a sewer grate...they are going to fall through the cracks!

[Barbara Bunker]

Hi again, John,

The more I think about it, the fill sounds like a good option, too, even though it will add time to your stitching. The "craze" in the home emb market right now seems to be embossing, which sounds like the effect you'll get with your fill as background.

Barb

[Mr. Sew & Sew]

I've done a lot of these SanMar golf towels for my karate school and a few golf outings. I also use the double zig zag to make the letters pop and solvy on top. The key is to make the design stand out without laying down too many stitches which gives the "patch" feel. For any big fills, I usually lay down an underlay at about 15-20 density before the fill which helps push down the nap without getting too thick.
Hope this helps.

Tom

[Aaron]

John,

I usually make my column width wider on lettering on towels, make sure the density isnt too high and if you can use a zig zag or double then do so but depends on size of lettering. I usually don't use backing or use a few layers of tearaway and solvy on top. You can do the fill behind first if you want but I normally don't do that casue I don't like the look.

[Jo-Anne]

Is there a 'best' towel for embroidery? I have been asked to price out 144 towels for a dog club to give as placement awards at their show in November. I have the digitized club logo. It is an outline without any filled areas. They want 36 towels with the logo embroidered in blue (1st place), 36 in red (2nd place), 36 in yellow (3rd place), and 36 in white (4th place). Due to 4th place being white, I would be unable to use a white towel.

Their budget is $40.00 per class and there are 36 classes. This is my own club, so I will likely provide my labor free of charge which would leave more room in the budget for a better quality towel.

If have any recommendations for me, I would appreciate them very much.

Thank you,
Jo-Anne

[Debbie Garifi]

I like Terrytown for thier quality & price is ok too. SanMar is cheaper but the quality is also.
HTH
Debbie Garifi
Design Wizard Embroidery

[Terri H]

For regular hand towels, I use J.C. Penneys branded towels. While not wholesale, when on sale, which happens often, like 2 for 1, they are reasonable. I think around $3.99. Also, they have a WIDE variety of colors. Great idea for the different color of towels for the placement categories! Is this for a National Breed show?

Terri

[Jo-Anne]

Debbie, I have been to the Terrytown website and saw some towels that might work. Thanks for confirming that I was seeing a better quality there.

Terri, I will follow up on your JCPenny suggestion. There has to be a white sale there in the near future. This a regional specialty club for the 'bare bones' day. The trophy chair wanted the towel color to represent the placement, but couldn't decide on a thread color, so I suggested a neutral towel color with the thread color of the logo to represent the placement.

[levelbest]

Sanmar sells golf type towels grometed and sans gromet for under $2 each.

[Aaron]

I like Sanmars Microfiber towels. They are around $2 each and the microfiber ones don't have all the lint the terry ones do. Very nice towels. I don't care for the quality of the terry ones at Sanmar at all and would go to Terry Town for Terry Cloth towels but I talk most customers out of the terry towels now.

[Jo-Anne]

Thanks, Aaron. I had the impression that from the embroiderer's POV, microfiber towels were preferred. Sanmar has a periwinkle that might work for this purpose.

Jo-Anne