I’ve found that personalizing items with embroidery can be quite addicting. Clothing, curtains, tote bags, even my shower curtain – numerous solid colored canvasses simply must be embellished! But what is a person to do if the item can’t easily be embroidered? Like an insulated lunch bag or a backpack (you wouldn’t want to sew a pocket closed)?

The answer is to find another way to personalize: iron-on appliqués, crochet shapes, hot-fix crystals, fabric paint, pom-poms, and more.

The Embellishments
category at Shoppers Rule features a wide variety of ready-to-use items (like crystals) and tools/templates for making your own yo-yos, bows, and more.

Plus, we’ve just added a section dedicated solely to Iron-on appliques .  An advantage to iron-on appliques is the accessibility to a huge variety of designs, including Licensed characters – one of our suppliers has Disney!  Check out Winnie-the-Pooh, Mickey Mouse; and Pixar favorites such as Woody and Buzz Lightyear from “Toy Story” and Lightning McQueen and ‘Mater from “Cars”. 

I hope you’re inspired.  Create something extraordinary!

Happy Shopping.

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Thread Painting is an embroidery technique that can be used by both hand and machine embroiderers. For purposes of this article, I am focusing on machine thread painting.

Thread Painting is a form of free-motion embroidery whereby you draw your design directly onto the fabric and stitch it. The feed dogs are dropped and by moving the hooped fabric back and forth “freely” under the needle, you maintain complete control of the fabric and stitch placement. The key to thread painting is the smooth blending of colors and shades using a combination of long and short stitches.

Start with a simple sampler. You will want your pattern nearby, so you can follow the shading and nuances of the design. Practice makes perfect. So practice changing the colors so that the change is smooth, instead of bulky looking and so you maintain even tension. If the tension is too loose, the thread will not lie flat.

There are a variety of good books available to help get you started.
For example:

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I am so excited that Shoppers Rule now has Angelina Hot-Fix Fibers. This stuff is so cool! It is a polyester thread-like fiber that bonds only unto itself when you apply a combination of heat and pressure. Simply sandwich the fibers between paper towels or pressing sheets, and apply heat to create a non-woven type of fabric great for adding pizzazz to any project. It is luminescent and light reflective, too.

You can cut your “fabric” into shapes; stitch, stamp, or embellish it, then sew, glue or fuse it to almost any surface. You can fuse things like yarn or fabric scraps and beads in-between layers of Angelina. The fiber art possibilities are endless.

Use Angelina as an embellishment in landscape scenes and add a 3-D effect. Decorate notebook covers and fiber art postcards or wall hangings. Make appliqués out of it or embroider complete designs on top of it. It makes great doll hair.  There are so many uses that several people have released books focusing specifically on Angelina.

You can bond it, then add more layers of Angelina and bond again. The more layers you add, the stiffer it will get. The more you iron it, the less shine. Color does change a little with each ironing as well. If you want a straight edge, iron it, then fold the sides in and fuse again. If you want a feathery edge, only fuse in the center. This is great with rubber stamps. You can ink the stamp, place the Angelina on top and iron it over the stamp. Remove the stamp and you will find the image on the Angelina and the fabric will be bonded only where the stamp and Angelina were touching. (pressure points) The edges of the fabric will still be fuzzy. Use it as is or re-press the fabric to get rid of the fuzzy edges.

Not enough color options? You can take 2 or more colors of Angelina, shred them and mix them together. Primary color principles hold true – if you mix blue and yellow, you will get green, etc.

We have Angelina in 3 forms: Straight Cut, Crimped Cut, and Film.

Film is a complete sheet of Angelina. It is cut at the factory to make the other two forms. The Straight Cut is the softest. The Crimped Cut looks shinier and 4 times wider than the straight cut.

1/10^th oz of Angelina will cover and 18” square sheet with a single layer.

Since a dryer only uses heat, not heat and pressure, Angelina is washable, dryable, and dry-cleanable.

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We are re-visiting Magna-Hoops today. Or more specifically, the magnets for Magna Hoops.

Back in August of 2008, I posted an article entitled “What is a Magna Hoop?” and “Is there a Magna-Hoop to fit my Machine?” You can go to the archives to view the entire article.

A simple Magna Hoop definition:

A machine embroidery hoop insert that uses magnets to hold your project in place. It securely holds your fabric, without the risk of hoop burn – great for specialty fabrics like silk, velvet, leather, and other crushable and/or delicate fabrics.

Now, the topic of the magnets themselves:

The original Magna Hoops come with a set of 4 square 2mm magnets.

Jumbo Magna Hoops come with 8 rectangular magnets – 4 bronze colored 4mm magnets and 4 silver colored 6mm magnets.

So, why are there 2mm, 4mm, and 6mm magnets?

Simple, you need different sizes to accommodate different weights of fabric. The small 2mm magnets should work just fine for lightweight fabrics. But try to hoop a towel or sweatshirt, and you are sure to be disappointed or at least frustrated with the results. For heavy weight and high loft projects, you simply need a taller magnet in order to accommodate the thicker fabric.

Can I buy the other size magnets?

Yes, the manufacturer calls them “Replacement Magnets”, presumably because one function of the product is to replace lost magnets.

Item #MAG0010 includes 4 of the 2mm magnets

Item #MAG0020 includes 2 of the medium sized 4mm magnets and 2 of the larger 6mm magnets. (Since there are only 2 of each size, you will want to buy 2 sets.)

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The “two-in-one” stands for two separate items – an embroidery design pack and a pattern – that are packaged together. It sounds simple, but the resulting combination is spectacular!

The creative people at Sewing with Nancy and Amazing Designs select a category – for example, toddlers. They choose a McCalls pattern and develop a CD of embroidery designs selected and sized to fit a specific area on the pattern, such as top yoke, sleeves and hem, pants leg hem, jumpsuit bib front and leg hem.

Then of course, they sew out examples so you have an idea of how it all fits together.

Thus far, they have developed 3 collections of Two-in-One Embroideries. They are Babies, Toddlers, and Jackets (available in misses and women’s sizes).

Combination packs like this are sure to make it faster and easier to create the perfect one-of-a-kind garment.

I am sure we will be seeing more of these in the future.

Maybe it’s my penchant for creating Christmas gifts or perhaps it’s too many episodes of “The Biggest Loser”, but either way, it leads me to t-shirts and how to give them new life and a little pizzazz. Let’s face it, we all have t-shirts that are now a little too snug and/or we are wearing over-sized t-shirts that are 2 sizes too big. Hence, an over-haul is in order!

Some fixes are quick and easy, like adding a small piece of elastic in the center back of a too-big tee to give the shirt some shape. Other techniques involve some serious cutting and reconstruction that turn your t-shirt into an amazing work of art.

There are numerous books, patterns, and DVD’s on the market to help in the process. Sometimes the title of a book says it all, like: 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-shirt Into Something Special or the book simply entitled, Fashion T-shirts.

The Little Black Tee is a 30 minute video CD from the “Embroider it Yourself” series by Eileen Roche that shows you how to transform a simple black t-shirt or turtleneck into an elegant top using lace embroidery. The CD includes six large lace embroidery designs that can be used to create four fabulous and distinctive looks.

Eleanor Burns T-shirt Quilt book gives us yet another option. If your t-shirt concerns consist of a husband with a drawer full of concert t-shirts from the 80’s or your cedar chest is full of clothing that your children outgrew years ago. Revive these treasures! Turn your keepsakes or those of a loved one into a memory quilt or throw.

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Using Sticky Stabilizer for Machine Embroidery

Adhesive stabilizers can be very convenient and are sometimes simply necessary. They are often the best option for “hoopless” embroidering on delicate fabrics and fabrics such as velvet that would suffer from “hoop burn” if hooped traditionally. It also can be a lifesaver when trying to embroider on small, hard-to-hoop items.

But, it would be a disservice to not mention the potential negatives – like sticky built-up on hoops and the machine itself.

So, I will focus on the different types of adhesive stabilizers,
how they work, some brand names, and some pros and cons.
Then I will follow with hoop cleaning options.

Types of Adhesive Stabilizer:

• Peel-N-Stick
• Water activated
• Iron-on
• Spray-on

Peel-N-Stick

Peel-N-Stick type stabilizers are generally a stabilizer that have a paper back on them that must be peeled away to reveal the adhesive surface. These sticky stabilizers are generally intended to be temporary and either wash away or can be torn away upon completion.

Examples include: Sulky Sticky tear-away stabilizer, Perfect Solutions- Sticky Back Wash-Away Mesh, and Hoop-It-All Stick-It-All tear away.

Tip: Hoop the stabilizer first, then score the paper and peel it off inside the frame to reveal the sticky surface. This way the adhesive is not coming in contact with your frame, so you don’t have to clean residue off the frame when you are finished.

Note: Peel and Stick stabilizers can wreak havoc on your machine. When sewing, as the thread is drawn back up on each stitch, the sticky stuff can build up on your needle and even get into your machine and gunk up the works. Be sure to change your needle often when using sticky stabilizers to reduce potential build-up.

Water Activated

Water activated stabilizers are generally activated by moistening with a sponge or spray bottle. Adhere fabric to the stabilizer while it is still damp and sticky. To reposition fabric or to simply make the stabilizer sticky again, simply re-moisten the stabilizer. Fabric and stabilizer can be hooped together or stabilizer can be hooped alone and fabric positioned on top.

Examples include: Hydro-Stick (cut-away or tear-away versions) and Perfect Solutions – Aqua Set.

Tip: Let the stabilizer dry some before embroidering. This will reduce the likelihood of any sticky stuff remaining to gum up your needle and/or machine.

Iron-On

Iron-on stabilizer cannot be used as a means to avoid hooping fabric. But it does serve a very important purpose – that of providing the stability necessary for hooping and embroidering slippery and/or stretchy fabrics that would be too easily distorted without the added support during the hooping and embroidering process. Iron-on stabilizers are available in both cut-away and tear-away versions.

Examples include: Sulky Fuse ‘n Stitch and Sulky Tender Touch permanent, iron-on stabilizers, Sulky Totally Stable iron-on, tear-away stabilizer, Filmoplast,

Adhesive Spray

Sprays can be used to turn your favorite cut-away or tear-away into an adhesive stabilizer. Some sprays provide temporary hold and others are permanent. Sprays can offer an economical way to expand your stabilizer collection and hooping options.

Examples include: OESD 202, 404, 505 & 606 spray, Sulky KK2000, and Sullivans Embroidery Spray Adhesive (ESA).

Note: The downside to spray is that it tends to get everywhere. So you must be careful not to use in close proximity to your sewing machine or computer or in poorly ventilated areas. And it always gets on your hoop.

Hoop Cleaning

Even if you are very diligent about caring for your frames, if you use an adhesive stabilizer, you are bound to end up with residue.

To clean adhesive from your hoop, you may want to try soaking it in warm water and scrubbing gently with a toothbrush, or soft sponge and mild detergent. For heavy build-up, try a cleaning agent such as DK5, designed specifically for removing adhesives.

Suggestion: For small embroidery designs and stable fabrics, instead of using adhesive spray, try attaching the fabric to your favorite stabilizer using a long basting stitch around the perimeter of the area be embroidered. Then embroider as usual and simply remove the basting stitches afterward.

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Most computerized embroidery designs are digitized for 40 wt. rayon thread. So, does this mean you should limit yourself to 40 wt rayon for successful machine embroidery results? Absolutely — NOT.

There are numerous times when a different weight and/or type of thread is going to be more suitable for your project. Hopefully, the following information will give you a basic understanding of embroidery thread.

Let’s start with Weight:

The weight of sewing thread influences several aspects of your projects, mainly field densities, needle size and tension.

The “weight” of thread is actually opposite of what you might expect – the higher the number, the finer the yarn. (The “weight” is actually a length measurement, but there are several different standards of measurement and that is best saved for discussion another day.) Anyway, just know that 50 weight thread is finer than 40 weight thread and 40 weight thread is finer than 30 weight thread, and so on. The most common weights of embroidery thread are 30 wt. and 40 wt.

You may choose to incorporate both 30 and 40 wt. thread in the same design. For example, if you have a large fill area using light colored thread on a dark fabric, you may want to use 30 wt. thread to get really good coverage of the large section. But on smaller sections, a 40 wt. thread would be better, so your design does not become too dense.

Likewise, if you have sizing software and increase the size of a design, it is highly probable that you will be happier with the results using a 30 wt. thread instead of a 40 wt. thread. The 30 wt. thread is thicker and will give you better coverage of the now enlarged area.

I should mention, that when using 30 wt. thread, it is often necessary to reduce the tension on your machine because it is a more dense thread.

Needle size is a factor as well. A general rule is to use a needle whose eye is 40% larger than the diameter of the thread. A 75/11 or 80/12 size embroidery needle is ideal for 40 weight thread. Use a larger needle when using a heavier weight thread. So, a 30 wt. thread will work best with a 90/14 or 100/16 size embroidery needle.

Common Types of Embroidery Thread:

Rayon thread – rayon is a synthetic fiber. It has great sheen and is the “standard” for machine embroidery.

Polyester thread –not as shiny as rayon, but more durable - hence great for children’s clothing and items that will need to be laundered frequently.

Metallic threads such as Sulky Sliver Metallic thread and Holoshimmer thread are made of a thin, flat ribbon-like polyester film that is metalized with aluminum. These threads definitely can add pizzazz to a design, but they generally do not provide good coverage in embroidery designs, nor are they very resilient. They can fray and/or break during the embroidery process due to the high speed of embroidery machines.

Processed Thread:

Glazed thread - thread is put through a process to create a glossy, high luster finish or coating. Glazed thread is NOT recommended for machine embroidery. The “glaze” can rub off and gum up your machine.

Mercerized thread – thread that has been treated in a caustic solution under controlled tension. This causes the fibers to swell, resulting in a greater affinity for dyeing. Mercerization also increases the luster and adds some strength. This process is very common with cotton threads for quilting.

Brand names:

There are many great brands of embroidery thread: American Efird, Robison Anton, Madeira, Mettler, Sulky, Superior Threads and YLI are among the top brands on the market today and you really can’t go wrong with any of these. They all manufacture high quality products.

And yes, there are numerous other brands out there. Some are better than others. Feel free to explore your options. Just remember, as a general rule, you get what you pay for!

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It is exactly what its’ name implies! A Magna Hoop is a machine embroidery hoop insert that uses magnets to hold your project in place. It securely holds your fabric, without the risk of hoop burn – great for specialty fabrics like silk, velvet, leather, and other crushable and/or delicate fabrics. No need for sticky stabilizers or adhesive sprays, either.

Each Magna Hoop is designed to fit specific brands and models of embroidery machine. (More on this later). The Original Magna Hoop was designed for machines that utilize small and medium size hoops. It comes with five inserts – 3 rectangles, a circle, and a square in various sizes to accommodate your project. Embellish cuffs, collars, pocket flaps, baby garments and other so-called hard-to-hoop items just as easily as a dress shirt.

The Magna-Hoop Set also includes a 30-minute Insider Hooping Techniques DVD and a 12-page full color instruction manual.

Click here to view a clip of the video for the Original Magna Hoop.

Due to the success of the original Magna Hoop, there are now Jumbo and Super Jumbo Magna Hoops available for embroidery machines that are designed to accommodate large hoops.

The larger hoops are perfect for quilt borders, longer belts, pant legs, drapery borders, and sheets.

Jumbo Magna Hoops come with 3 rectangular inserts.

Is there a Magna Hoop to fit my machine?

There are currently 12 versions of Magna Hoop, including several Jumbo and Super Jumbo sizes. They fit various models of Baby Lock, Bernina, Brother, Elna, Janome, Pfaff, Singer and Viking embroidery machines.

Click here to see the machine compatibility list.

If you’re machine is not listed, the Magna-Hoop does not work with your machine at this time.
New products are continually being developed and may update the Magna-Hoop product line in the future.

Extensive research has shown that the position of the magnets on the frame while embroidering does not cause any damage to computerized embroidery machines. This has been thoroughly tested with no adverse effects. The metal frame absorbs the electromagnetic pull which, while strong enough for hooping, is not strong enough to go through this field. Most home embroidery machines do not have magnetic fields in the actual embroidery module itself.

Magnets can damage magnetic computer data, therefore, use caution. Do not put them in direct contact with diskettes, and memory sticks. Some design cards are susceptible as well. To be on the safe side, watch where you put your magnets! The manufacturer of the Magna-Hoop does not take responsibility for damaged diskettes, memory sticks, design cards or other media that is damaged due to user error.

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We are asked over and over again what type of embroidery backing is best.  The answer is - It depends on the stitch count and type of fabric or garment.  We have developed a simple free guide to help you choose the correct backing.

Your most important consideration for embroidery projects is getting perfect registration (the ratio between bobbin thread and top thread to create a clear and perfect design.)

In general, the key to proper registration is to create a ”tambourine skin” type tension with the material within the hoop. If the material moves, bounces or slips, you will lose registration. What a stabilizer does is aid in achieving this drum skin type tension.

A stabilizer should be stable in all directions.

People have used all sorts of things for stabilizing. I have even heard of people, some who should know better, advocating the use of coffee filters, newspaper, paper towels, etc. as a backing.( Backing and stabilizer will be used interchangeably.)

Paper will also break up and shred – causing excessive lint in your bobbin cases and machine parts Please note here the LARGE difference between paper and a nonwoven (Fabric-like material made from long fibers, bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment.)

Let’s talk about nonwovens.

As far as the embroidery world is concerned, nonwoven stabilizers are manufactured by two different processes-saturate/chemical bonded nonwovens and wet laid nonwovens.

In the first process, saturate or chemically bonded nonwoven, the contents are polyester, rayon and some kind of chemical binder. (something that hold the fibers together.)

It is a dry sludge (a mixture of soild material and water) as it comes off the machine and the fibers are dispersed in 2 methods.

Method 1-Carded or Directional saturate

The fibers are raked or aligned in the machine direction (MD)
There is a giant card or rake that combs the fibers in one direction
There is a definite direction to the fibers

Please note that these goods do stretch in one direction (CD) cross directionally.
Therefore every time you use a carded or directional saturate you will need 2 layers laid crosswise in order to achieve a drum skin type tension.  Most of these goods are made for interlinings and for other end uses besides embroidery.
This type of non woven addresses the drapability factor but NOT the stability factor.

 Method 2- Random Saturate

The second method of dispersal of this saturated sludge is by a random method therefore called a random saturate.

As an easy analogy to understand the method of fiber dispersal.
Lets assume that the sludge is in a giant vat, similar in texture to cookie dough.
A giant spoon comes along and mixes the fibers and the fibers are dispersed randomly.

What happens when you hit a thin spot while embroidering?
The answer is that you lose tension and registration in this area.

Random saturates are made for many industries, roofing, road building, house wrapping, etc.
In most cases they are NOT made for embroidery.
You will see many saturates in the market, many of them are inexpensive nonwovens made in Mexico.
Some of these are great products, for roofing or road building, but for embroidery there are better choices.

The second process is Wet Laid Nonwovens. Wet laid refers to the method of fiber dispersal – using water.

There are 2 types of wet laid nonwovens, delta formed and rotary formed.
For the purpose of this article, we will be concerned with only delta formed wet laid nonwovens. (Rotary formed wet laid non wovens have similar properties with slight differences in density)

The wet laid process is similar to the fine paper making process but there are differences.
The process used to take place in rivers – but they are now manufactured in a few plants worldwide with giant machines.  There is a slurry of water running through a trough in a machine and there is a wire screen sitting in this trough or bath.  We mix in the components polyester (a short fiber) for softness, rayon for tearabilty and stiffness, in varying percentages, depending if it is a tearaway or a cutaway being made.  Cellulose is also added as inexpensive filler.

All the fibers then are bound together with an acrylic binder and we add silicone as a sewing aid.
The screen then rises and dries, similar to an alluvial formation, like a river delta. Evenly spread – there is no direction to the fibers.  This is your “tambourine skin”

The resulting wet laid stabilizers are both non-directional, dense, and soft for drapability.  They can also be made firm!  We do an Elmendorf tear test to make sure that they tear equally in all directions – MD & CD. (They do!)
These are specifically made for sewing (the addition of silicone), and even more specifically for embroidery.
They are made in weights between 1 osy (ounces per sq yard) and 3 osy.

The idea is to match the weight and density of the stabilizer to your stitch count and stitch density, taking into account the weight and stretch of your fabric.  Again- this is your tambourine skin. This should result in you only needing to use one layer of wet laid stabilizer.

At this point I would like to make a disclaimer.  Embroidery is a somewhat complicated business – yet it can be simple!  Many people in the industry, commercial or home, do things in unique ways.  There are multiple factors involved, weight and stretch of the material, stitch count and density, hooping tensions, the weather, machine tensions, thread differences, top and bottom bobbin tensions and proper digitizing. Things that work for one shop or individual will not always work as well for others.

We can only give you a guide as per the best stabilizer.

Digitizing and Stabilization

Proper digitizing is as important or more so than proper stabilization.
Designs for sale are commonplace as are free designs.
Some of the designs that people download for free from the Internet are not made for human beings to properly embroider with.
With a properly digitized design, you almost do NOT need a stabilizer (in theory).

Major Question– cutaways vs tearaways

We recommend a soft cutaway on apparel.

Stable fabrics, like a nylon jacket, or a Carhart jacket, that are very heavy almost do not need a backing. However – a wet laid non-directional tearaway will aid in slippage of the hoop and also aid in achieving your tambourine skin, thereby adding extra punch to your definition.

Proper stabilization is the foundation for good embroidery.
Do not skimp on stabilizers and in the same vein do NOT over stabilize.
Drapability and less bulk are the fashion bywords of today.
You do not want to walk around with a bulletproof design on your chest.
Try not to get into the habit of solving problems by throwing in another layer of backing.
Use one layer of a dense, soft, non-directional wet laid non woven

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