Problems With Embroidery on T-Shirts

Poor Stabilizer

Incorrect stabilizer will cause all kinds of problems in T-shirt embroidery. Problems such as wrinkles, sinking in, tearing and puckering will all occur if the wrong stabilizer is used. Many beginners do not understand you must use a different kind of stabilizer for different fabrics. Stabilizer is important to machine embroidery because it secures the fabric in the hoop and gives extra support during stitching. Without correct stabilizer your project will not stitch out correctly.

The right embroidery design is very important to T-shirt embroidery, because your T-shirt may not stitch out correctly. You will experience puckering, wrinkling, and tearing in the fabric with incorrect designs. Many digitizers offer embroidery designs specifically for T-shirt projects. If you are unsure which type of design works best, it's always better to choose a design designated for T-shirts, and the designer should be able to tell you if the design is appropriate for T-shirt embroidery if you contact her.

T-shirts are typically made from thin knit and cotton, which will slip around in the hoop if not properly hooped. Poorly hooped projects result in ruined projects and poorly stitched out designs. T-shirts should be hooped as tightly as possible without over-stretching the fabric. Avoid stretching knit fabrics too much or your knit will become warped. To remedy hoop slippage, wrap muslin strips around the inside hoop before hooping the fabric.

Hoop the fabric before constructing your T-shirt if you are making one, because it is easier to hoop unstitched fabric than hooping an already constructed garment. Use the smallest hoop possible for your embroidery design. By using a smaller hoop, the fabric will be better supported. Use the correct type of thread for your embroidery design. Check what the digitizer suggests for thread, and choose a thread that closely resembles the suggested thread weight and fiber content.