I'm a little frustrated. I have been trying to embroider some terry towels for my daughter. She wants a dinosaur and text on her towels. But I'm finding that either a-the design gets lost in the loops of the terry, b-the design is so stiff that it distorts the towels or c-with applique, the design is horribly bunchy after it gets washed. Is there a good answer?

Another trick from Jerrilyn is to spray the design area with starch and press the pile down with an iron.
Than add WSS or Dry Cover Up, on the top before embroidering. This method really works well.
hugs n roses, Meganne

1 comment

by justonlyme 15 Dec 2011

Thank you. That sounds like the easiest way all the way around!Cheaper too. :)

Wow! Another great question and great answers! One worthy of the check mark for future reference if we ever get that feature back, lol!

Hope you have managed your terry towels with the advise given here. Maybe it is just the design. Hugs Yvonne

1 comment

by justonlyme 15 Dec 2011

I have a feeling you may be right. But, live, learn and try again! :)

A-You should be using the plastic type WSS looks like syran wrap but it washes away. If you don't want to wash the towel before gifting use a damp cloth on the top blotting were the WSS is. This is used to keep the stitches from sinking into the material. I also use it on fleece any material that has a chance of the stitches sinking.
B- to stiff of a design is a very dense design have you tried to decress the density, or find a less dense design.
C- I like using heat and bond on my Appliques. stops fabric frays, after stitching I iron to set to material never bunches. It is stiffer but that also depends on the type of heat and bond you buy. a lighter bond would not be a stiff as a heavier one.
Hope some of this helps out. I am no expert LOL we all learn what works best for us.

1 comment

by justonlyme 15 Dec 2011

I like your idea. Thank you. I LOVE applique, but have a long way to go.

Everyone has there own version of what works best, but this is mine, and I have made many lovely towels. I never try to hoop thick towels. I hoop a light cut-away stabilizer, then lightly spray the hooped stabilizer with K2000 adhesive, align the towel as needed sticking it to the hopped stabilizer, then placing a piece of wss on top of the towel to keep the stitches from becoming lost in the pile. After stitching, I remove the excess wws, and trim the light cut-away to within 1/8 inch around the design. The design does not curl after repeated washings and still looks nice. If the pile is thick, use a heavier wss, instead of the thin.
Hope this helps.
Angel

1 comment

by justonlyme 15 Dec 2011

Thank you.

I also do more or less what Kay has suggested and have never had a problem. Just so annoying when things go wrong. Sarah.

I hoop a tear and wash away backing , mark the middle with erasable pin , spray lightly and lay the towel across the hoop. Check with plastic grid for accuracy in placement, place a few straight pins around the edges making sure they won't be in the stitching path. them cover the hoop with WSS ,such as solvy. I use a size 80 sharp needle on towels. I think terry towels are some of the hardest items to stitch and it seems to be the first thing that every one wants to try. Good luck to you sweetie!!!

2 comments

by justonlyme 13 Dec 2011

My placement seems to be fine, but the rest is a mess. Thanks for the comment about it being difficult. I thought I was being really lame. I'll try again!! :)

by lbrow 13 Dec 2011

Good Advice Katie I just finished a lovely set of 6 towels and they did great I usually use a piece of chalk to mark the middle./Lillian

The WSS on top keeps the design from getting lost in the loops and a tear away in the hoop. The lay the towel on top and baste it to the stabilizer or use a spray adhesive. Re the applique, I always wash the towel and applique fabric before stitching it out. Maybe this will help. The stabilizer guru on DBS has lots of good info.

3 comments

by justonlyme 13 Dec 2011

I will try it again. I always wash everything first, but for some reason, the two don't combine well. Thank you.

by roberta 13 Dec 2011

I don't spray mine with any spray adhesive. You really don't need to hoop the WSS or tear away. You can hoop the towel and lay the WSS on top and the tear away on the bottom. Works every time for me with no problem. this is especially when your towel is thick. Also I slow my machine down and even when there are a lot of filled stitches. Helps with the needles not breaking so much. Hope this helps. Roberta

by roberta 13 Dec 2011

I don't use spray adhesive ever on my towels or anything else. You can just hoop the towels only and lay the WSS on top and the tear away on bottom and slow your machine down especially with thick towels and by doing it this way I have no problem and no breaking of needles. Roberta

Are you using water soluble stabilizer? I do towels all the time and never have a problem. I hoop wss, spray a little glue, place my fabric and another layer of wss.
Even on thick terry it works,
Good luck
Hugs
Michelle

1 comment

by justonlyme 13 Dec 2011

I have used WSS; Vilene. I'll give it another go. Thank you.