Help with TaeKwonDo belt

[drose700]

Help, I'm trying to embroidery a 1" name on a very thick TaeKwonDo belt. It's approx 2" wide and has about 8 rows of stitching on it and is somewhere around 1/4" thick. I started out with a ball point needle and 40 wt thread, went ok for about 2 letters then I started getting thread breaks. Went to a sharp needle, same thing, changed to a 90/14 thinking I needed a bigger needle and no luck. I need help, haven't done one of these before and it doesn't look good. I also used a zig zag underlay and fill secondary underlay. This is a plain block lettering.

[drose700]

Can anyone help me?

[Greenwing]

Dianne
It sounds like your having problems with flaging the material lifting while sewing.

How are you hooping this belt What backing ?
what hoop?

I have in the past actually used a washaway topping and sewn it to the backing prior to sewing the design this was for a bridal sash that was very uncoopertive it worked great.

But in your case it may be that you just need to keep the needle from lifting the belt.

I have found silicone spray can help with the needle causing flaging on light thick items.

It also seems your using a lot of underlay perhaps try just an edge walk to hold it in place.
the thick belt does not really need much more.

hope this helps.

[drose700]

Thanks for responding Jerome. I'm using my fast frames with sticky backing and eco wash underneath. I also taped the belt to my frame because it's too thick to clip. Even when I hold the belt down I'm still getting thread breaks and the sew quality is terrible. These belts are really stiff and heavy. I was using the heavier underlay because it's yellow thread on a black belt but I guess I just need to increase the density instead. What size needle to you think I should be using and should it be sharp or ballpoint? Thanks for your suggestions, I'll be trying it again today.

[Greenwing]

I would say your problem is the adhesive in the backing and the thickness combined.

I would stick with a 75/11 Sharp needle (if this is a cotton belt) and spray the surface of the belt with silicone it will lube the needle with every stitch and help the thread flow.

I am sorry I have never been a fan of fastframes.
Too much adhesive for me..
I use the Mighy hoops almost exclusively these days.

[Rod or Sharon]

Fast Frames can be used "without" the use of the adhesive backing. We usually lay a piece of cut-a-way over the fast frame, wrap the edges around the fast frame edges and tape it in place. Then lay the garment over this and use clips to hold everthing in place....

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[drose700]

I normally do the same thing Rod as I'm not a fan of sticky backing but on this belt I don't want to use a cutaway. And I don't have any mighty hoops. Thanks for the suggestions, makes sense about the needle and thread flow and yes it is a cotton belt. It just has really thick stitching on it already so it's very stiff.

[Steve I]

Dianne,

I have found I need to increase the min. material thickness on karate belts. I have a belt hoop and dont use any backing. Try setting the min thicknes to 9 or 10 and see what results you get.

Steve I.
Trinity Emb.

[drose700]

Thanks Steve, I didn't even think of that. I always have that set on auto and very seldom have to change it. I bet that will do the trick. I didn't even try anything new today. I got so frustrated yesterday that I couldn't make myself to it. I'll try it tomorrow and see what happens.