I have tried many different stablilizers and cannot find a solution. Irioning aggravates the problem. Any help would be appreciated.

Hrm, the only time I've had puckering in lightweight cotton I took my embroidered sample to my sewing shop and she told me it was because I hooped the fabric too tightly - could this be the cause? To this day I'm dreadful with tugging here and there after my fabric is already hooped...perfectionist lol..but I know I'm not supposed to do it as over-tight hooping might cause puckering. xXx

2 comments

by nama2 21 Apr 2011

I also tend to do this- if I would just leave it alone after it is hooped it probably would do fine-perfectionist also!

by michemb 21 Apr 2011

I don't hoop my fabric but use spray glue
and my fix stitch to hold it in place. I did try 2 layers of stabilizer this A:M and it was a little better, thanks for the advice. I will try again.

I notice that many advise repeated starching to stiffen the fabric, but, the easier route for me to
essentially accomplish the same, is to use a small piece of fusible stablizer pressed to the back of the fabric in the area where the design is to be stitched. I hoop light weight cutaway tightly, then very lightly spray adhesive to the fusible, and gently stick the aligned item to the hooped cutaway. After stitching the design, I trim both the fusible (it will peel from fabric) and cutaway to within 1/8 inch around the edge of the design. A really dense design will need medium cutaway in the hoop. I have no problem with puckering since I began using fusible stablizer. It keeps a fabric from stretching while stitching. Even cotton and cotton blends have some stretch.
Angel

1 comment

by michemb 21 Apr 2011

This makes alot of sense. I imagine the fusible gives it a little more body which will help depending on the stitch count. I have noticed that stitch density is not really a factor so, again I will try all the different solutions and hope for better results. thank you

I like to spray starch and iron repeatedly until the fabric is as stiff as card stock in the area that I want the embroidery. Then, I will also still use 2 layers of stabilizer behind. This seems to work fairly well for me on almost any type of thin material.
A solution to try to save a design that has already puckered is to wet it thoroughly then block it using pins to secure it to your ironing surface and tugging/smoothing it until it is taught. Then let it dry thoroughly.
Good luck with your embroidery!

1 comment

by michemb 21 Apr 2011

Thanks for the comments, hadn't thought of
spray starch. Might have to give it a try,

Great question.....I haven't used a real light cotton yet, but now I know how to deal with it.

I'll be watching the answers so when I run into this I'll hopefully be wiser than what I am now!

try ironing fabric with spray starch before starting your project, it gives the fabric more body. Good luck and I hope you find a solution
Bev

1 comment

by michemb 21 Apr 2011

thank you and hopefully with all these ideas I will find a way to fix my problem.

If you have a dense design you need more stabilizer since the design will start pulling the material.

4 comments

by michemb 21 Apr 2011

Thanks for the tip, should I double my stabilizer even when I use a cutaway or tearaway 1.8oz.

by noah 21 Apr 2011

i always use 2 every time i emb. one new piece with all the scraps on the bottom !!carolyn

by knitty46 21 Apr 2011

Noah does Dense mean more tighter stitches?

by dena789 21 Apr 2011

"Dense" means a design with lots of filled in area or very heavy stitching.