T shirts

This example is from a logo I digitized. The design is not included. This tutorial is for example purposes only and written for beginners.

FromTheNeedleOfAnne Designs Copyright Anne Chesser 2015 [email protected] http://www.oregonpatchworks.com/collections.php?id=FTNOA

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T-shirt Tutorial Embroidering on T-shirts is always difficult but you don’t have to be afraid. Here are a few quick tips to help you succeed.

Before beginning any embroidery, set up your design in software. Choose the right hoop for the design, the smaller the better. Basting stitches are extremely helpful! (I usually set my basting stitches at 3 ½ mm for easier removal later.) For this pattern I actually used 2 basting stitches, (pictured in red), one for the entire overall design and a smaller one closer around the man/logo. This really helped keep the outlines in place! Now in setting this up in software, I knew my wording will sew over one area of the basting stitch, but that is ok since the basting stitch will be removed after completion and it was more important to have the outlines in their intended place.

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Setting up the shirt. Print a paper pattern and place it on shirt. Under the paper though, you’ll want to use sulky stabilizer topping. This will help keep the stitches on top where they won’t sink into the shirt. Pin it in place very lightly. The less you fiddle with the shirt is better!

Set up Embroidery hoop. Use a good medium weight cutaway stabilizer for added support. The t shirt will only be pinned on top of the stabilizer, not hooped in the hoop. I don’t used sprays.

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Positioning the T shirt onto the hooped stabilizer. Use the marks on your embroidery hoop to align it with the centering marks on your paper pattern. Check horizontal and vertical positions with an acrylic ruler. Sometimes this takes practice so if need be, reposition the shirt before final pinning. Once you have your desired position, carefully and lightly begin pinning the t shirt to the hooped stabilizer.

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Once you have your desired positioning, hook your hoop to the machine and check positioning by needling down. If the needle meets the center mark, you can remove the pins on your paper pattern and begin embroidery. In this example, I was a tiny bit off center, but that was ok since I knew it lined vertically & horizontally.

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Close up of double basting stitch. Having that additional basting stitch close to the man, really kept his final outlines in place.

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Embroidery completed. Remove hoop from machine, and carefully unpin the t-shirt from the stabilizer. Begin to remove excess sulky stabilizer. If you notice in this photo, the pins I used to pin the t shirt to the stabilizer were not close that to the basting stitches, I didn’t want to distort the t shirt.

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If you notice in this photo, I had used the same color thread in the bobbin for the final outlines and lettering. After the embroidery is complete, turn over to begin popping basting stitches on the backside. Pop about every 5 stitches. Then turn over to front side to easily remove the basting stitches from there.

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Use tweezers to grab the basting stitches and also to remove the tiny bits of sulky in between smaller areas.

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Final Clean up Turn back over to cut away excess stabilizer and clip any jump threads.

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Several dozen later, All Complete! When you take your time to set everything up from beginning to end you’ll have great results sewing on those very difficult t-shirts. It is always a good idea to make a practice t shirt before sewing finals, I was glad I did! HTH’s but as always, use the methods that YOU are comfortable with, that work in your software and for your machine! Happy sewing!

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Other Tshirt projects where basting stitches have been very helpful

Above: BabyAliens FTNOA0285 Below: BabyCosmo FTNOA0286

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Above: BabyBunnyDreams FTNOA0288 Below: Tessa FTNOA093

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Above: SeashoreBaby FTNOA081

Enjoy creating your special gift projects! Anne

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