Hints, Tips and Tricks for Embroidering on Knit Fabrics and T-Shirts

When I first bought my embroidery machine, I knew next to nothing about machine embroidery. I though I would be able to take my machine home, plug it in, and start cranking out beautifully embroidered projects without any problems. After all, I had bought a good machine that cost thousands of dollars, I had the thread and supplies in hand from the machine shop, and I was ready to go.

Unfortunately, my first project - what should have been a simple t-shirt for my daughter - turned out to be a mess. The design was uneven, the bobbin thread showed on the front, and there were loops in the back. After much dismay and lots of studying, I learned how to machine embroider t-shirts. Here are some hints, tips, and tricks for machine embroidering on knit fabrics and t-shirts I learned along the way.

Hints, Tips and Tricks for Embroidering on Knit Fabrics and T-Shirts: Choose the Right Machine

If you plan to learn machine embroidery, select the best machine you can buy with your budget. Keep in mind that many low-end machines have small embroidery fields. If you plan to embroider mostly baby or children's t-shirts, then these machines may work for you. However, if you plan to embroider adult t-shirts, then a small embroidery field will be a disadvantage. My machine, a Brother PE-780D, can embroider up to a 5 inch by 7 inch embroidery design.

Hints, Tips and Tricks for Embroidering on Knit Fabrics and T-Shirts: Choose the Right Design

Next, when embroidering on knit fabrics or t-shirts, choose the right design. While dense, detailed designs look fantastic on the computer screen, they are not the best choice for embroidering on t-shirts or knits. A dense design with a high stitch count will create a stiff, uncomfortable badge-like effect on a t-shirt that simply does not look professional. Instead of a design with a high stitch count, choose a simple design with fewer stitches and less detail. Your design will allow the fabric to move freely rather than turning into a stiff badge of embroidery.

Hints, Tips and Tricks for Embroidering on Knit Fabrics and T-Shirts: Choose the Right Backing

Choosing the proper backing or stabilizer for your embroidery design is one of the most important things for a successful embroidery project. On my first t-shirt project, I used a tear-away backing. Unfortunately, a tear-away stabilizer does not have enough stability for a stretchy knit fabric like a t-shirt knit.

When embroidering on a t-shirt, use a fusible no-show polymesh cut away stabilizer like the polymesh made by Floriani. This type of stabilizer is extremely thin but strong enough to provide the stability needed for embroidering on a knit t-shirt. Further, if you use a no-show polymesh stabilizer, you will not be able to see the stabilizer on the finished product. If you choose a different type of cut-away stabilizer, such as a heavy weight cut-away, the outline of the stabilizer will be visible on the outside of your finished t-shirt.

Hints, Tips and Tricks for Embroidering on Knit Fabrics and T-Shirts: Be Patient

Machine embroidery has a learning curve. While there might be a rare embroidery enthusiast whose designs always turn out perfectly, the machine embroiderers I know have all made mistakes and had projects that did not turn out the way they had hoped. Be patient with yourself, learn from your mistakes, and try, try again.