How to: Embroidery on Bath Tissue

Decorate toilet paper with a funny saying.

Embroidery designs are often applied to clothing, blankets, decorative items and now even bath tissue. Sewers embroider designs or sayings on bath tissue or toilet paper as a gag gift or as a novelty item. Add a decorated roll into a gift basket for an ideal housewarming gift. Sewing on paper sounds impossible but can be achieved by selecting the correct stabilizer. Supporting the paper with stabilizer on the top and bottom is the key to keeping the tissue intact while sewing.

Things You'll Need

• Roll of two-ply bath tissue
• 2 8-inch-by-7-inch pieces of cut-away stabilizer
• 4-inch-by-4-inch embroidery hoop
• 8-inch-by-7-inch piece of medium-weight, water-soluble stabilizer
• Embroidery design
• Embroidery machine
• Thread

Instructions

1. Unroll the bath tissue from the top of the roll as opposed to the tissue rolling from underneath the roll. Tear off and discard the first four squares of tissue.

2. Fold the first three squares of tissue on the roll underneath so the next three squares are now a double layer of paper. Line the layers up even and smooth them out.

3. Position one of the cut-away stabilizer pieces on top of the bottom piece of the embroidery hoop. Place the double layer squares of the tissue on top of the stabilizer. Center the paper on the stabilizer.

4. Place the water-soluble stabilizer piece on top of the tissue paper. Place the top of the hoop on the stabilizer and gently attach it to the bottom of the hoop.

5. Carry the bath tissue roll and the hoop to the embroidery machine. Position the bath tissue roll close to the machine, with some of it unrolled to give the hooped tissue slack to move around when being embroidered. Clip the hoop into the embroidery machine.

6. Select the desired design on the machine per the manufacturer’s instructions. Slip the other piece of cut-away stabilizer underneath the hoop before you start the machine. Start the embroidery machine and let out the design stitch.

7. Unhoop the paper when the machine has finished stitching. Tear away the water-soluble stabilizer and trim the excess stabilizer on the back of the tissue.

8. Roll the bath tissue back onto the roll.

References

• Embroidery Library Projects: Embroidered Toilet Paper
• Perfect Little Stitches; Embroidered Toilet Paper and Napkins Project; Mary Jane Allen; June, 1999