Impressions - April 2018 - 37

Some fleece garments may be
challenging for embroidery,
but the correct approach will
result in repeat business.

with a dense design, overpowering number of stitches or heavy
stabilization, you will eliminate the advantages of the stretchy
garments.
Another consideration when dealing with stretch comes during
the hooping stage. Since these fabrics also can be thin and slippery,
hooping must be done carefully. By compensating for some of
the stretch, the garment won't lose that benefit.
When embroidering a brand, design or personalization onto
these fabrics, think light. A low-stitch-count design that won't
overpower the garment with density is ideal. For customization,
choose letters that are light, veering away from satin stitches.Are
initials an option instead of a full name? What about stitching only
a portion of a large logo or an outline of it? Alternatively, can you
add the logo as an emblem and attach it with outline stitches?
If you control digitizing, approach the design for team apparel
in the same manner as a baseball cap. Stitch the design from the
inside to the outside to avoid puckering and distortion. Minimize
density and avoid a 45-degree stitch angle.
In some cases, underlay can be used to stabilize stitches. Keep
the area to a minimum, as doing this prevents the garment from
stretching as intended. Push and pull compensation must be
addressed; if you are aware of and can accomplish this, do it. But
if you have questions, successfully embroidering stretchy fabrics
begins with proper digitizing.
Hooping requires a bit of finesse.Think about how the garment will be worn and its pressure points, and introduce a slight
amount of stretch when hooping.This is particularly critical with
items such as swim suits and bicycle shorts, which constantly are
stretched. Otherwise, you risk the garment "pulling," resulting in
small holes appearing around the embroidered design.
By pre-stretching the garment in the hoop, imitating the gar-

ment's impact points when worn, you are compensating for how
the stitches and stabilizer will prevent any further stretching, and
ensuring comfort and minimal strain on the fabric.
Stabilizing Stretch
There are many relatively new stabilizers on the market today,
developed with the specific purpose of stabilizing stretch without
going overboard. But using a backing that's too heavy will result
in the "badge effect," where you can see its outline around the
design from the front of the garment.
Nylon no-show mesh backing can be used on polyester
moisture-wicking fabrics, polyester mesh and poly/cotton blends.
It even is thin enough to use on mesh jerseys. It is intended for
lightweight designs consisting of less than 7,000 stitches. If a
design or fabric requires more backing, add a second piece of
nylon no-show mesh or a lightweight piece of tearaway backing.
Place the latter on the outside and the former next to the garment
so it will be felt against the skin.
Heavier backing can be used with fleece. High-pile-fleece
garments require a layer of water-soluble topping in order to
prevent the stitches from sinking into the fabric's pile.The heavier
the garment knit, the heavier the stabilizer that can be used.
From Backing to Basics
With team apparel predominantly made from knit fabrics, use
a ball point needle, as sharp needles can pierce some fine knits.
This results in a "run" that is detrimental to the fabric and an
eventual vulnerable point in the garment.
Thread choice should support the garment's laundering
APRIL 2018

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Impressions - April 2018

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