How To Embroider A Design On Polyester Knit Shirts
by The Embroidery Coach · Filed Under: Apparel Decoration · Embroidery Tips · Uncategorized · embroidery-design-creation
I received a question about how to embroider a design on polyester knit shirts!
I am creating holes in a shirt as I am embroidering a left chest design. What am I doing wrong? I used 2 layers of tearaway backing and a 75/11 ball point needle. Could it be the density of my design?
The Answer: Never use a tearaway backing/stabilizer alone on a knit garment. Always use a cutaway backing/stabilizer. The best combination that I have found is 2 layers of No Show or Mesh cutaway backing and 1 layer of crisp 1.5 oz. tearaway backing. I also recommend that you use a topping on top of your garment and 70/10 ball point needles. I have found this to be the perfect combination for all of my knits and especially those soft wicking fabrics that everyone dreads working with. I have absolutely no issues with the wicking fabrics when I use this combination.
Our first thought is to lay blame on the design as the culprit when we create holes in our garments during the sewing process but many times it is the fault of the needle or the type of backing we are using. 75/11 needles are too large for these knit garments. I use 70/10 needles for almost all of my applications. Rarely do I use a 75/11 unless it is a tough fabric like heavy canvas.
I hope that this helps with the issues of embroidery on polyester knit shirts.
Joyce Jagger
The Embroidery Coach
The Embroidery Coach
16 Responses to “How To Embroider A Design On Polyester Knit Shirts”
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Joyce Jagger, The Embroidery Coach with 30 years experience in the embroidery industry is the creator of several embroidery training courses such as Embroidery Tips and More, How to Price Embroidery and currently holding an Embroidery Webinar once each month. Joyce helps aspiring and struggling embroidery business owners find the right fit for their skills and passions. |
If you have issues embroidering on Polyester knit shirts, please share that with us. It is always good to hear other peoples ideas and issues!
Joyce Jagger
The Embroidery Coach
Hi Joyce,
I tried the smaller needles after meeting with you last year, with rayon thread, which I prefer, but I got nothing but breakage. I came to the conclusion that the smaller needles must be better with polyester threads, which I generally only use when I have to. I think readers may benefit knowing that your designs on this fabric are embroidered with this size needle, but also with poly thread. Thank you for the backing formula-we will use this suggestion as a default with wicking poly materials. It will also work well with fine cotton knits, another shirt that you can tear holes in if not careful.
Marjorie
Hi Marjorie,
Thank you for your comments. I always love to hear from you!
I do not always use polyester thread. I have one machine set up for polyester thread and one for rayon thread. It all depends on what my customer is preferring. As you know, most of my sew outs are done as a result of the designs that I digitize for my customers. If they use Polyester thread, I will do their sew out in Polyester. If they use rayon thread, I will do the sew out in rayon.
I use this same formula for both polyester and rayon thread but the tension must be set much tighter for the polyester thread than the rayon. If you were getting a lot of thread breaks, maybe the needles were wrong or your tension was too tight for that thread. Maybe it is your machines personality! I swear they all have one!! I have had machines that I could not use a magnet coated bobbin in and other machines that they will work just fine in! The same model and brand! Go figure!
Joyce
Hi Bill,
Thanks for bringing this up. That is a very good question. You put the noshow backing against the shirt and the tearaway backing on the outside. After you finish with the embroidery, tear off the tearway backing before you cut off the spare cutaway backing.
The tearaway backing with completely dissapear after the first wash.
The tearaway backing give the small lettering a firmer background and will improve the quality look of your small lettering.
Joyce Jagger
The Embroidery Coach
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I’m having trouble with these wicking poly shirts as well.. Its not laying flat… there is points where it is pulling the material. How do I resolve this problem?
Hi Ashley,
If you are following the instructions above using the backing and the topping that I recommend and if you hooping it tight enough then maybe it is in your design. If you have too many stitches in one area, or if you have all of the fill areas running in the same direction, this could cause pulling or puckering.
Does your design sew out great on other fabrics? Do you have a lot of small lettering in your design?
Joyce Jagger
The Embroidery Coach
http://www.embroiderytipsandmore.com
I am always a little indecisive about the order of the backings on the polyester knit shirt. Is the tear-away always placed on the bottom next to the skin??
Thanks – Patty
Yes Patty, it is always placed in that order.
Joyce
I’m still confused about the top stabilizer? What kind do you use? So the order would go tear away on bottom, knit polo in middle and the other stabilizer on top then tighten as tight as you can right?
Yes, Mish that is correct order. I use water soluble topping. It looks like a sheet of plastic and one of the brand names are Solvy. It is an excellent product. After I am finished, I tear off the main part and steam away the rest of the residue with my steamer. It is not a hand held steamer, it is a full size Jiffy steamer. This works the best for removing the solvy.
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