Newbie with problem on onesies

[tcuppa]

I have a Pfaff 7570 machine and thought I would attempt to make a shower gift by embroidering on some onesies. Unfortunately after making a total mess with 3 of them, I give.

I used embroidery thread, stabilizer and my practice example looked nice (done on muslin). When I tried the actual t-shirt, I had the stabilizer wad up on one, the thread make a mess on the bottom with one, and the other was a total wreck with stabilizer, shirt and thread all glopped together in my machine.

I need help from the experts! What am I doing wrong? The machine was purchased used but it still works great for regular sewing. I really want to do some embroidery and right now....I'm wondering if I wasted my money on this machine.

This newbie needs your wise advice.

Tcuppa

[rodneytb]

I am fairly new at this too, but I have done a lot of onesies. I use a polymesh cutaway stabilizer--hooping just the stabilizer. Then I place the onesie on it--lining up the marks made with my template. It works best to turn the onesie wrong side out and you have to watch carefully to keep the rest of the onesie out of the way. I usually put a topper of washaway. I use a basting stitch, and a ball point needle. I have read that it is best not to use a dense design on onesies. I hope you can get it worked out. I understand the frustration!
Martha

[artsiegirl]

Welcome, I'm so glad you're here. Quick question...Is this your first attempt at machine embroidery? It sounds as if the machine works fine on the muslin, but the stretchy fabric is a hassle. I also tried a onesie as one of my first projects, and I wasn't as smart as you...I used an entire package of them before giving up! I can only tell you how I have learned to do this, and I'm not sure if it's the "correct" method or not, but it has worked for me. I use a very firm cut-away stabilizer on bottom, the onesie in the middle, and either a tear-away or wash-away stabilier on top. I actually sandwich all three in the hoop, and I gather all of the back side of the onesie and tape it together with a painters tape that won't leave a sticky residue behind. The reason I do this is because I am soooooooo ADD and I look away while it's stitching. The next thing I know, I've completely stitched the bottom into my design! Hopefully this helps, and I look forward to seeing some of your successes!:proud:

[artsiegirl]

After rereading my post, I realized I never said why I asked if this was your first attempt at machine embroidery and it sounded a little rude if you don't know me well!:embarassed: I tried embroidering on stretchy fabrics as my first couple of projects, and it was a disaster! It could very easily have frustrated me to the point of not attempting anything else on this machine, and that would have been a shame because I love it so much now! Reading the board and hearing other people having the same problems and then some solutions gave me the kick in the pants I needed to keep trying, and I think that is the key with stitching on those dreaded onesies! Practice, practice, practice...it's so much fun and rewarding.:D

[nanamcd]

This might be worth a try: use temporary adhesive spray on your stabilizer while following rodneytb's instructions above. The spray really keeps the knit fabric from sliding around on the stabilizer, and that is so very important when it comes to getting all those little stitches just where they belong.

Hope this helps some. Just don't give up! There are many techniques and supplies to try. You will find the procedures that work best for you and your machine, and then you'll be off and running (or stitching!) :)

[Emily W.]

Artsiegirl-I can relate to the ADD! I'm textbook. For example, I went to Hancock Fabric on my lunch break to get stabilizer b/c I've been waiting to use my 40% off coupon. Well, darn it if the sale didn't end already...that's ok.
As far as the onesies, I haven't even attempted one yet. But this gets me motivated to try. My brother & SIL are having their 1st baby this summer-1st boy grandchild and I want to make some for him. Stay tuned....

[crumbear]

I've done a gazillion onesies, so I'll tell you what works best for me. This is what I teach in my embroidery classes with great results. I've ruined a few along the way, so don't fret. Thin stretchy knits are the toughest to embroider, so don't get discouraged. :)

There are so many types of stabilizers on the market, it can sometimes get confusing as to which one you need to use for what fabric. With a thin knit like a onesie, I iron on a fusible no-show mesh stabilizer, (just larger than the design), to the inside of the onesie before I do anything else. This keeps the fabric from shifting in any way while embroidering, which would result in pull and push on the fabric. You definitely don't want that. Second, you need to use a cut away stabilizer. With a loosely woven fabric such as a knit, you have to have a stabilizer that will prevent the stitches from shifting after you're done. Cut away stays there forever, and will hold the design for quite a long time. If you look at any souvenir sweatshirt or T=shirt you buy on vacation, it's cut away that's used every time. Third, hoop the stabilizer, never the fabric. It's virtually impossible to hoop a knit without stretching it. If you stretch the fabric when you hoop it, then embroider the design...when you unhoop the fabric it will snap back to its original location. That will lead to puckering, which is unsightly. Fourth, you need a stabilizer on top as well. You need something that will prevent the stitches from sinking down into the loose weave of the fabric. Either a wash away or an iron away will do. They're both clear, so you can see for placement. Fifth, baste the top stabilizer and fabric to the hooped stabilizer. If your machine doesn't have a 'fix' feature (basting stitches around the perimeter of the design), then pin it all on the outside edges. You need to keep the sandwich as taut as you can without stretching it.

Also, I've found that using a ballpoint needle makes a big difference, too. Ballpoints were designed for knits and stretchy fabrics so that it pushes the fibers of the fabric aside while it sews, instead of piercing it and damaging it like a universal or a sharp.

Hope this helps! Feel free to IM me if you have any questions. :)

Jen
(Hope this wasn't too wordy for ya.)