Help please! I'm still getting puckers on my stitching. I've got 2 layers of tear away, sharp new needle, I've adjusted tension several times. This is on satin fabric floated with sticky spray and basted. Any suggestions?

IMHO the design is far too dense for the fabric. Is it a design you bought or have you put it together yourself?
You could try increasing the size of the design which will reduce the density to a certain extent.

1 comment

by sewmom 06 Jul 2016

It's a font from my software. My son really wanted it. The size is limited to the size of the pillow in making. But, I have to admit, it is dense at 1/2 inch tall.

Hi, looking at that font, it looks very dense, trying loosening your tension a little, this may help, let us know if it works. Hugs Maureen

1 comment

by jofrog2000 05 Jul 2016

I agree with the tension. Machine brands set their tension for using the brand of thread they associate with (sell), ie Babylock uses perfect touch bobbin thread and Madeira thread. I have many many different types of top and bobbin threads, and adjust the tension down..\
Try using a block font that is on your machine and embroider the word FOXY. That gives all the directions and angles. Look at the bottom for 1/3 upper-1/3 bobbin-1/3 upper. Jo

I tried the fusible on the back with an embroidery needle and a ball point but both trials turned out worse.
I'm going with no fusible, starch the fabric, 2 layers of tear away, regular embroidery needle, slowest machine speed.

2 comments

by sewmom edited 05 Jul 2016

The trial in the picture actually improved after I starched it but I couldn't use it because I made a rookie move, when marking the stabilizer for placement I used pencil instead of wash away ink because the pen wasn't dark enough. Unfortunately the line of pencil got stitched directly through with my basting frame and that, with the spray glue, pushed the pencil lead through the fibers and created a line I couldn't remove.

by sewmom 05 Jul 2016

For my final piece I just used pins for placement marks.

I also ALWAYS hoop my fabric;I never float anything other than tear away underneath as needed. If you get a hoop mark it is easily taken out with Magic Sizing found in with the spray starch in the store. Just spray lightly ,rub gently and marks are gone. I was taught to ALWAYS hoop for the best results and it has served me well for 15 years. I embroider commercially for a living. I have a 15 need industrial Barudan Elite.

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by sewist1 01 Jul 2016

I agree with you Delberta. I always hoop and float the tearaway underneath. The secret of hooping is not to stretch the fabric drum tight as was the theory in the early days.

by sewmom 03 Jul 2016

Thank you for the advice.

Whenever i embroider on satin I use polymesh cut away for my stabilizer.Usually just one layer in the hoop with the satin is plenty. If i notice that it puckering a bit i "float" a pc. of tear away under the hoop. With this i always get good results.

I took a class earlier this year from a professional embroiderer from Georgia. She had samples of a custom satin design for the front skirt of a wedding gown. An announcement of wedding, birth, some occasion and it was on a cheap material, all satin scallops on the edge, you could actually see through this item. We all said "how'd you do that"? Several things she said, she had attended a fabric and design college. There she learned that if you add anything to the fabric you have to make the fabric accept it. She had created a special wool pad to "PRESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS" her items. I did buy one of those but I think you could use a hard surface and a folded wool blanket. Surface has to be hard. Those Teflon ironing sheets are your friend. Lay your embroidery over the wool, I used a piece of muslin over the embroidery, place your iron on it and push down hard. Count to twenty, remove the iron, move to another area, press hard, lots of steam, I even gave mine a little shot of water. Look at your embroidery, mine looked horrible. Then I started on one edge and kept repeating the mist, press hard. Using two hands and moving the weight of my body over the iron. Then I would look to see and gently tug or hold the edge to keep it taut then press and hold some more. I deliberately under stabilized, with a mesh stabilizer that shrunk, and I got all the wrinkles out. It is flat as a pancake. Teflon sheet is used also because you don't want to burn your fabric, your mission is to make the fabric threads move over and accept the embroidery threads. I realize this is long but I am unable to explain without all the detail. Good luck to you. You lettering is very stitch intensive so it might take a few times.

3 comments

by asterixsew 01 Jul 2016

Thanks for your very detailed comments

by sewmom 05 Jul 2016

Thank you.

by spendlove 05 Jul 2016

Interesting comments from your tutor. It sounds to me like fitting a square peg into a round hole though! IMHO it is more important to understand your fabric and choose a suitable design.

I'm not sure how this would work on satin, but when I do tshirts I get this problem. So I use two layers of iron on stabilizer on the back. The I add 3 layers of vilene on top by just pinning it on. The tiny extra space created by the vilene relaxes the the thread after you wash it away. I don't use a spray adhesive as you don't want all the stabilizers to form a dense layer that the needle can't penetrate. I also slow down the manchine too.

I can imagine satin would be hard to work with. I have not tried it but want to. Let me know what you find to help with it.

I just stitched out a word design on cotton fabric and it also puckered. I went to Emb Library and they suggest stitching on heavy fabric with cut away stabilizer - so that is what I am going to try today.

2 comments

by Gcope1 30 Jun 2016

If I put some batting behind the whole piece would that help?

by sewmom edited 30 Jun 2016

I recently tried a lightweight cotton/poly., I starched the fabric and then used 2 layers of tearaway underneath. In my opinion batting wouldn't work well as a stabilizer.
Here is the link to the Cutie help I received.
http://www.cuteembroidery.com/103...

Would spray starch be any good, sprayed on the wrong side?

I've found that lowering my top tension on my Ellegante makes a much better sew out that lays nicer. Something to try.Jo

1 comment

by sewmom 30 Jun 2016

Thank you.

I wonder if the moisture in the temporary adhesive is changing the satin enough to cause this.

1 comment

by sewmom 29 Jun 2016

Maybe but I did preshrink the satin in a cold wash hang dry.

Well...I would suggest that you iron a knit tricot backing over the entire piece of satin...this should help stabilize the satin and help prevent it from being distorted by the embroidery...it will also give the satin some "heft" when the pillow is constructed. I would also do this to the back piece of satin so they will be the same weight...as a side note, I am not sure that when this piece is stuffed for a pillow that the "wavy" areas would not disappear...are you planning to use a pillow form or poly fiberfill? It sometimes makes a difference...Also I might go to the sheer mesh stabilizer instead of a tear-away...

3 comments

by sewmom 29 Jun 2016

I have a pillow form that has polyfill in it. I'll try the iron on. Thank you.

by dragonflyer 30 Jun 2016

You might try the iron on knit fusible on this stitch out...it may take out the ripples...make sure if you do that you cover the entire piece of satin...you have nothing to lose and it may work just fine...

by sewmom 30 Jun 2016

Maybe, I do have plenty of supplies for more trials.

I would get some floriani for knits. I love this stuff!

1 comment

by sewmom 29 Jun 2016

Would that be an iron on?