I have tried sticky stabilizer (hooping the shirt and not hooping the shirt) , iron on tear-away, iron on cutaway, solvy on top, no solvy on top. But no matter what I still ruin the shirt. It is either bullet proof and or the shirt moves in places while stitching... Any help would really be appreciated. :)

Wow- You all are really helpful :0) Thank you so much. I really appreciated the video at Emblibrary- I am actually excited to try again...lol. Now I just need to take a ride to Joannes to get the 505 and cutaway. Thank you all!

I have found this one of the greatest challenges. I still do not have it right. I purchased some t-shirts at one of the $1. stores to practice on. H&*.

PRACTICE..Practice... practice...take hubby's old t-shirt and start stitching...you can always cut them out and use for patches later on!!! Good Luck...You have gotten some GREAT Help here:)

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go here:

there are already the answers I would give you too, so I say, try another time with the advices you've got. and welcome to the group!*4u

i alway stitch a square with big stitches around my design so de t-shirt won't shuffle unther the machine ...
always use above the 10000 stitches a cut away and wit really thin t-shirts i will lay a watersolve stabaliser on ikt then i stitch my square ..i think it is helping alot !
and i praktice a lot of design on cheap t-shirts for my sons ..if they turnde out wrong it wasn't so bad for me ...

thanks, some good answers here

What type needle are you using?

don,t think your alone a lot of us don,t get it right. if i ever do it right i,ll let you know how

Jodi, 1st WELCOME to the CUTE family - we all have learned what works for us - we are all so different and no one way is the BEST - but the way that you learn - that works for you - you will also share - down the road. I use a mesh cutaway stablizer - one layer usually - but have used two - depending on the shirt or the design - I hoop the stabilizer - I use a very light spray of the temporary spray - then I find my center of where I want my design on my shirt - I mark that - then I lay the shirt down on top of the hooped stablizer and pin it down - I pin the excess shirt out of my way or the machine's way - then I place a double layer of WSS topping (the thin plastic looking stuff) I pin that down as well - now I have lots of pins and I have to watch to make sure they don't get in the way of the design - if you don't like the pinning method - just do it until you get it in the hoop and do a basting stitch around the outside edge of the hoop and that will hold it in place - then stitch out that pretty design - I try not to get too dense of designs for shirt - but there are some that are - but rememeber - your stablizer will wash away or become softer - the more it is washed - if it has the badge feel to it - wash it again. Good luck and let us know how it worked out for you. I like the video that was suggested at Emblibrary, too. If you still have trouble - take everything to your embroidery store and ask them to show you the best way to do it - then do it with them a couple times - then you will have it in your head and you will be able to do it on your own - the next time - but try doing two shirts - one right after the other - so you know - you have the technique in your head. *4U

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There is a wonderful tutoria on Embroidery Library web site all about embroidering on t-shirts and sweetshirts. Also info on possitioning your design. Check it out. WWW.emblibrary.com then go to tips.
Hope it helps

4 comments

by tallie 11 Jun 2009

I went over there to check it out because I always like knowing how someone else does things that maybe will help me better but I don't see "tips" can you point me in the direction where I can find the info...thanks

by shirlener88 12 Jun 2009

http://www.emblibrary.com/el/elpr...

by nonmusicmom 12 Jun 2009

Thanks for the help Shirlener

by tallie 12 Jun 2009

thanks got it

I don't have trouble with the embroidery part. I just don't have luck with getting the design centered on shirt. LOL

I hoop my sticky. Then tear the paper away within the hoop. I place my shirt on the sticky that is hooped. I then pin around the inside edge of the hoop so my shirt doesn't move. I float tear away or cutaway under the hoop. This way works for me. Good luck.

I sympathize, Jodi, I think t-shirts are my least favorite thing to do, and that's why I got the machine in the first place. Bullet-proof designs MIGHT be just that the design itself is too dense to put on the shirt. Now, how those suckers move around is a mystery, but you're not the only one they wiggle for! I decided I need WSS STAPLES to keep the shirt & stabilizer together. Good luck, listen to these folks, they have good t-shirt advice!! And know you're not alone, hee hee hee. Hugs, Marji

I have done many t-shirts with no problem. I use a water soluable sticky stablizer on the bottom, and a water soluable (none sticky) on the top. I live in British Columbia, Canada and the product name is Aqua Magic. I use it for everything and have excellent results with it.
I cut the back sticky stabilizer bigger than the hoop and lay the fabric on it, then hoop it. This way the fabric doesn't stretch. You can also use the sticky on the top, if the design isn't too dense. It all just washes away and leaves no residue.

O.K., when I purchased my machine three years ago, we were taught to use Cut Away stablizer in the hoop, spray the stablizer with 505 spray. You know to center the stablizer as well as the spot for the design on the shirt. You then place the shirt in position, do not hoop, use fingers to smooth the shirt on stablizer, then spray the solvy with 505 too and press, with fingers, on the shirt. Mine turn out fine. I'm sure other cuties have different ways. Good Luck!

I've done alot of T-shirts and have no problem--but there are sooooo many people who can explain it better than I. They'll be along shortly. Keep that chin up and keep trying! Oh--and welcome!

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1 comment

by shirlener88 11 Jun 2009

c'mon daisy ir you have done alot - you ought to be sharing what your doing - Hehehe!

I have managed a couple of tshirts but just used iron on and did not hoop too tight.