Impressions - March 2010 - (Page 36)

EMBROIDERY >> HANDS ON Technique Batts, EMBROIDERYBy Steven Writer Contributing HANDS ON ITAL DECORATING >> HANDS ON CREEN PRINTING HANDS ON How to Embroider on >> Thick Materials TECH TIPS to From hooping >> topping, simple tricks make sewing HANDS ON on these tough fabrics less challenging. This time of year brings out some of the most difﬁcult items that customers want embroidered: heavy jackets and fuzzy items such as sweaters and towels. First, jackets can be very challenging — their density makes them difﬁcult to get framed, not to mention the normal frustrations of lining them up for exact sewing. But jackets aren’t the only thick items you’ll encounter; horse blankets, quilts and other items can be just as bulky. But if you learn how to handle jackets, you should be able to work with the others. In this article, we’ll tackle the basics of embroidering on these heavier fabrics. DIGITAL DECORATING HANDS ON SCREEN PRINTING HANDS ON Hooping and sewing on thick fabrics, such as this denim jacket, can be challenging, but a few tricks can ease the frustration. Sample courtesy of Black Duck Screen Printing and Embroidery, Albuquerque, N.M. TECH TIPS HANDS ON GOING BIG When hooping thick items, it is sometimes better to go against the traditional embroidery rule of using the smallest hoop possible to hold the work. Trying to compress this thick fabric into a small area is nearly impossible. In these cases, it is better to use a hoop that is a little bit larger than necessary to make it easier to hoop, especially on left- or right-chest placements. When framing thick items, try loosening the adjustment screw more than what it needs to be, then frame the item and tighten it enough to hold the work. This can take a lot of strain off of your hands, and is preferable to using all of your strength in an attempt to press the work into the hoop. Some of the tougher items to get into a hoop include goose down jackets and vests, such as those worn during skiing. They look big and bulky, but actually can be pressed down to ﬁt in the hoop. The problem isn’t necessarily the thickness of these jackets, but rather the material with which they are ﬁlled. Either the down feathers or the polyester inside the jacket tend to move around. This makes the hoop continually want to pop apart, which can be very frustrating. Just when you think you have it hooped and ready to put on the machine, the hoop pops apart. It is even worse when it falls 36 Impressions >> March 2010 apart in the middle of sewing, and tightening the adjustment screw sometimes only makes it worse. I’ve found that the best thing to do in instances like these is to help the hoop stay together by using plastic spring-loaded clamps. Various sizes can be purchased at a hardware store, and I use some of the smaller ones to clamp around the edge or the sides of the hoop — particularly away from where the machine will be sewing. This keeps the hoop together better than simply trying to tighten the adjustment screw. THE FRAMELESS OPTION Some jackets or vests will not ﬁt into a hoop — no matter how hard you may try. This is when you use the frameless option. Many embroiderers do this already with smaller, thinner goods. They use adhesive backing and simply stick the item down instead of framing it. This process alone will not work when embroidering jackets. For one thing, jackets typically are lined, so sticking the lining down will not hold jackets in place to be embroidered. Also, they are sometimes so heavy that the adhesive may not hold them. What you must do is use the same concept, but give it a little help. First of all, factor in the design that will be sewn. Basting stitches are stitches underneath the body of the design that can serve to nail the work down at the very beginning. These stitches can be big and hidden under parts of the design. This quick pass of running stitches will secure the garment to the backing. Secondly, help the jacket stay on the hoop. When I do frameless embroidery, it is usually for big items like jackets or vests. I frame a piece of tearaway backing, spray it with adhesive and put it on the machine. Then, I lay the jacket over the hoop, line it up and press it down against the backing. To help hold it in place, I clip some of the aforementioned plastic clamps around the edge of the hoop. Many times, I simply hold the jacket in place as the design gets impressionsmag.com http://www.impressionsmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - March 2010

Impressions - March 2010
Contents
First Impressions
FYI
Product Gallery
Add Shine to Womenswear
Reverse Decorating With CAD Materials
Tech Tips Embroidery
Tech Tips Screen Printing
What’s Up With Water-Based Inks?
Technique
Production
For Screen Printers Only
Online Directory
Change Digital Workflow to Keep Profits Flowing
On Design
Business to Business
Classifieds
Ad Index

Impressions - March 2010