I need some advice. I made a cushion out of crazy quilt blocks digitized by Molly Mine and posted it in Projects. I hooped material and tear away and then put the pieces of material for the blocks on that. After embroidering I ironed it and then it puckered. Now I want to know, must I omit the material and only do it on the tear away or what? Please help any advice will be appreciated. I spray starched the material pieces and glued it with Madeira MSA 1100. Thanks.

my patchwork teacher will tell u use only 100%cotton and your will not pucker. polycotton always puckers

1 comment

by babsie 29 Jan 2012

I used 100% cotton of Moda fabrics, but I think it is because I ironed it with steam.

Babsie, I have had the same problems until I stopped ironing and started pressing my designs. I always press on the wrong side of the item. ***

1 comment

by babsie 29 Jan 2012

Thanks, it seems that is my problem too.

Babsie what I have learnt - DO NOT IRON, BUT PRESS!!! Your work looks stunning anyway.

1 comment

by babsie 29 Jan 2012

Yes, thanks Marthie it is the steam.

I can totally understand your frustration with puckering. You might want to dampen all of your project with a diluted start mixture (liquid starch; not the spray stuff) and then let it dry. Once it is dry, then dry press it, being careful to not stretch the fabric out with the iron.
You will want to pre-wash all of your fabrics to prevent this in the future, but the starch trick may work to rescue what you've already done!!!

1 comment

by babsie 28 Jan 2012

Thanks for the advice, I will try it. I am not a quilter so it is trial and error with me.

Always pre-wash, dry & iron your fabric before you embroidery on it if the item is to be washed. I use Magic Sizing spray and a dry iron on my fabric before I do my embroidery on it. After I embroidery on the fabric I place the item good side down on a towel on my ironing board after removing the tear away or cut away & spray very lightly with more Magic Sizing & press, not iron. Pushing the iron back & forth on the item will cause the fabric to stretch. Never use the steam.

1 comment

by babsie 28 Jan 2012

Thanks for the advice, I will try it.

Heat can certainly shrink fabric and thread, which is why it is so important to prepare yuor fabric. I use all cotton (fabric & thread) and even with 2 layers of wss and tear away and starching I would have a small amount of puckering and that is because I use a 50 wt. thread and most designs are meant for 40 wt. So there are many reasons why there is puckering. Good Luck. I eperimented and washed my thread and there was really no difference. Live Laugh Download Stitch!

1 comment

by babsie 28 Jan 2012

Thanks, I did use cotton from Moda fabrics and from all the replies I have read it must be the steam ironing that did it because it did NOT pucker before ironing.

I always wash my material when I purchase something new and bring it home, it keeps your problem from happening. Also if you will iron with steam, or press the design, same thing could happen. Betty

1 comment

by babsie 27 Jan 2012

I did iron with steam.

Babsie... See my response on the Project board.

Its beautiful!

Liz

1 comment

by babsie 28 Jan 2012

Thanks, I will go slow with the ironing.