Stabilizing Solutions: Towels and Robes
Underneath:
Most towels and robes are considered “stable”. However, you still need some type of stabilizer in order for the embroidery design’s stitches to relax within the garment. Not using any stabilizer would result in the design “pushing” the threads of the garment or towel apart creating distortion and rippling. Floriani’s Medium Firm TearAway is the perfect choice for these embroidery projects. It tears away cleanly and easily but still gives you the support needed. Simply place one piece of the tear-away in the hoop with the towel and stitch. After the embroidery is complete, remove the stabilizer by placing one finger on the edge of the embroidery while tearing the excess away.
“My towel is too bulky to put in the hoop”
The very best method for achieving perfect embroidery is to hoop the garment and stabilizer together within the frame. “Tight as a drum” like tension will result in the perfect stitch out. However, when dealing with a heavy towel we sometimes have trouble getting the bulk into a hoop on some embroidery machines. In this instance you should use Floriani’s Wet N Stick® or Perfect Stick® stabilizer. Both are 1.5 oz tear away with revolutionary adhesives applied to hold a garment in place. To use this method of hooping:
Please update Stabilizing Solutions – Hard to Hoop Items with the following:
Floriani Perfect Stick® or Wet N Stick Tearaway are both acceptable stabilizers for theses projects.
To use Perfect Stick®:
- Place one piece of Perfect Stick Tearaway®, paper side up, into the embroidery frame and make sure it is “tambourine skin” tight.
- Score the paper with a straight pin or scissor tip and peel back the protective paper to expose the sticky surface.
- Smooth the item to be embroidered into place.
- Place the embroidery hoop on the machine and center the design.
- Use a topping if necessary and secure the corners.
- Stitch the design.
- To remove Perfect Stick Tearaway®, dampen the back of the embroidery with a wet cloth or sponge. Allow the moisture to penetrate for 10 seconds and then tear away the stabilizer.
On average, Floriani Perfect Stick® Tearaway should support a design with no more than 10,000 stitches and/or around 4″ x 5″ in size. If the design has a higher stitch count, simply “float” a square of Floriani Stitch N Wash TearAway between the hoop and the bed of the machine to support the additional stitches.
**Perfect Stick® is also available in a cutaway version. If sticking down a sweater knit, neoprene, leather, vinyl, pleather, oil cloth – the Cutaway version will protect the textile.
To use Wet N Stick®
- Place one piece of Wet N Stick®, shiny side up, into the hoop and make sure it is “tambourine skin” tight.
- Apply a small amount of water to each corner and one drop in the center using a foam paint brush, envelope sealer, or sponge. Do not spritz or mist the water. Spread the water over the surface of the stabilizer with your finger and you will feel it become tacky almost instantly.
- Immediately apply the item to be embroidered to the hooped stabilizer and smooth out any wrinkles. Allow a few seconds for the item to adhere to the stabilizer so that it doesn’t shift during the embroidery process.
- Complete the embroidery as normal.
- After the design is done simply tear away the Wet N Stick®.
*Note: If you accidentally used too much water and find the item wants to be “as one” with the stabilizer simply lift the corner of the item, re-wet the stabilizer at the glue line and peel the item back as the “sticky” becomes activated again.
On average, Floriani Wet N Stick® should support a design with no more than 10,000 stitches and/or around 4″ x 5″ in size. If the design has a higher stitch count, simply “float” a square of Floriani Medium TearAway between the hoop and the bed of the machine to support the additional stitches. And don’t forget your topping if working with uneven textures!
What do I use on the surface to control those loops?
Because towels and robes are generally thick and loopy, be sure to use Floriani’s Heat N Gone® Topping the surface of the towel during embroidery to keep any pieces of the towel from poking through the surface of the embroidery design. The topping does not have to go in the hoop with the item being embroidered. Secure it to the top of the garment with pins or RNK Embroidery Perfection Tape®. This will ensure your embroidery foot doesn’t catch a wrinkle in the topping and cause a blooper! Tear away as much of the topping as possible once the embroidery is complete. To remove the Heat N Gone® remnants simply touch them with the tip of an iron (medium/low temperature setting).
Why not Water Soluble Topping?
Water Soluble Topping is a fabulous choice for cottons, denim, corduroy and other fabrics and textiles and should be used with each of those embroidery projects! However, it is not ideal for towels, robes or other terry fabric projects because it completely washes away. The loops from these fabrics will eventually work their way up through the embroidery stitches. Use Floriani Heat N Gone® for the very best results.