Sweats and stretchy knits

[craftluv45]

With sweats and stretchy knits, how do you hoop, what stabilizer do you use to prevent stretching? And do you need a topper to keep the threads on top?

[StitchinGrandma]

With sweats and stretchy knits, how do you hoop, what stabilizer do you use to prevent stretching? And do you need a topper to keep the threads on top?
Use an iron on stabilizer so it prevents it from stretching at all. Then when you hoop don't pull it too tight.

[grandmommy_02]

well, my experince with polymesh by oesd....it irons on and then put it on your sticky hoop. i have even used iron on tricot interfacing and then used the poly mesh also...rhe';)

[grandmommy_02]

:) and no vickyT your don't need a topper on top of the sweat shirt or t shirt.

[grandmommy_02]

:D sorry vickiT wrong user name there. that message was for craftluv45

[Beth]

HI, there are 2 different stabilizers you can use. A cut away with spray adhesive or you can use the sticky back cut away, this prevent stretching. Apply to fabric then hoop.

[crumbear]

I use a fusible no show mesh ironed on the back of whatever I'm embroidering, and I never hoop a knit or stretchy fabric. Hoop burn and over stretching can occur, and neither are good for embroidering.

[clae]

I use cutaway on back or I have used iron on stabilizer on back and I use WSS on top. Using the WSS has really made a difference in the look of my designs.

[dana]

Another option that may be less expensive that iron on stabilizers is to iron on fabric interfacing, then hoop the sweatshirt with a cut away stabilizer.

The interfacing is a way to keep the fabric from stretching.

Just a suggestion- it worked for a sweatshirt I just made.

:D

[mdquilter]

Thanks for all the tips on embroidering on stretchy fabrics. I have tried it in the past with mixed results but have never ironed on a stabilizer, sound like that's the way to go to keep the fabric from squinching (is that a word?) up

[dana]

Thanks for all the tips on embroidering on stretchy fabrics. I have tried it in the past with mixed results but have never ironed on a stabilizer, sound like that's the way to go to keep the fabric from squinching (is that a word?) up

Squinching sounds like a good word to me!
Good luck with your sweatshirts/ stretchy fabrics!

[Mabel]

Thanks for the tips, I've not cared for any of my embroidery that I've done with knits!

[pccbradley]

Oh my , I have lots to learn, stabilizers, sprays, etc. When I decided to take up this hobby I did not realize that I would need to learn a whole new way of speaking.

Have a great day
Sandi

[StitchinGrandma]

Oh my , I have lots to learn, stabilizers, sprays, etc. When I decided to take up this hobby I did not realize that I would need to learn a whole new way of speaking.

Have a great day
Sandi
There's a ton of things to learn. I'm like you and had NO idea the amount of stabilizers there are and how/when to use each one. And then all the other things to go along with it. It will come to you though. As long as you have a good dealer you bought your machine from that's your best resource. Mine has been invaluable to me in helping me learn all the ins and outs of doing embroidery.

[pccbradley]

Thanks VickiT, Now I just need a dealer, my closest store is almost 1 1/2 hours away and I don't go there very often. Right now my best dealer is the internet. I am trying to pick out a new machine. I fried my circut board on my Babylock Esante, so now I am looking at something new. Any ideas.

Thanks
Sandi

[kurthco]

I don't use a topper unless its like a towel that has little pills that will show through the stiches.
I usually use cut away for really strechy things.
It's also best to wash garment before just to make sure it doesn't shrink.

[StitchinGrandma]

Thanks VickiT, Now I just need a dealer, my closest store is almost 1 1/2 hours away and I don't go there very often. Right now my best dealer is the internet. I am trying to pick out a new machine. I fried my circut board on my Babylock Esante, so now I am looking at something new. Any ideas.

Thanks
Sandi
OUCH! Your circuit board I would think would be covered under the warranty unless your machine is really old. My dealer is great and will talk me through stuff over the phone if necessary. It takes some patience at times if the store gets busy but she will return my call or even "talk" to me via emails back and forth too.

The best advice I can give to you about what to buy next is to go to the different dealers and test each machine yourself. Take your own fabric and test on that with each machine you are contemplating the purchase of. That way you'll see how each one stitches on the same fabric. If you ask for advice from those on a message board or yahoo group even, you'll get about 500 different answers as each person will tell you to buy what they have for one reason or another. It all comes down to what YOU want to have in a machine as far as the different options that each have and how it feels to you as they each sew something.

If you want my advice, that would be it OR just go buy a Viking like I have. HA! ROFLMAO! Kidding. Had to toss that in. :D

[fun2sew]

Use an iron on stabilizer so it prevents it from stretching at all. Then when you hoop don't pull it too tight.

I agree with Vicki, An Iron on stablizer works great!

[Crafty Connie]

This iron on stabilizer...it's ANOTHER thing I wasn't aware of. Does it stay on the fabric or is it a cut-a-away or tear-off after you iron it on? I hope that's not a stupid question. (When I heard spray adhesive, I thought it was permanently adheard to the fabric, so I never bought it, thinking I didn't want to do that to my projects!) Silly me. :D

[StitchinGrandma]

This iron on stabilizer...it's ANOTHER thing I wasn't aware of. Does it stay on the fabric or is it a cut-a-away or tear-off after you iron it on? I hope that's not a stupid question. (When I heard spray adhesive, I thought it was permanently adheard to the fabric, so I never bought it, thinking I didn't want to do that to my projects!) Silly me. :D

The one I use is more like a paper with a shiny side that sticks to the fabric when you iron it onto the fabric. It works great. There are a large amount of people that suggest using the white freezer paper which has that white shiny side and dull side on the other. They swear it irons on just as well. I haven't tried that yet and probably won't. I prefer to use things specifically made for sewing for the most part because I spent a lot of money on my machine and I don't want to mess it up somehow using other things.

To answer the other part; when you are done stitching it tears off very easily.You can't use it for too dense of a design because it will begin ripping off before you are done embroidering the design.

Having said all of that I think next trip over to MI, you and I need to get together. :D

[Beth]

They make a self adhesive backing and an iron backing. Try hooping all if not, apply the backing to the garment and then hoop a separate backing and use spray adhesive or pins to secure the garment to the hoop. The adhesive backing or iron on backing will prevent stretching. If the garment is loopy then you would need a topper, if not then use nothing. good luck