How to Do Machine Embroidery on Fleece
Being able to create beautiful objects such as baby blankets or fleece hoodies with machine embroidery offers many possibilities. Embroidering designs on a heavy, napped fabric is a more involved challenge than completing an embroidery project on thin linen. The technique will involve equipment and supplies which are more heavy-duty, such as needles. It is possible to create beautiful designs on fleece fabric with an embroidery machine.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Heavy-duty embroidery sewing machine Heavy-duty machine needles Fleece fabric the right size for project Embroidery thread or floss in necessary colors Embroidery scissors or curved scissors Cutaway stabilizer fabric (2 sheets if design area is large) Embroidery hoop
Instructions
-
-
1
Prepare your embroidery machine by ensuring you have installed digitizing software which is appropriate for your machine -- make sure it uses the correct file format. Install the software for the embroidery design you'll be using (see link in Resources section below).
-
2
Prepare your fabric by applying the stabilizer fabric. Put one stabilizer sheet on top of the other and put the fleece and two stabilizer sheets into your hoop. Make sure it's tight enough to stay stable on the machine, but not so tight you will distort your completed design.
-
-
3
Test-stitch a swatch and make sure the design you've chosen will be appropriate for fleece. A denser design is suitable for fleece. Keep this test swatch and use it as a small gift.
-
4
Place your hooped and stabilized fleece into the embroidery machine at the point where you want to start and carefully begin to stitch. Follow the design area as indicated in your instructions. When you are done stitching, carefully cut away the stabilizer fabric with the embroidery scissors or curved scissors.
-
5
Make sure you've removed all of the stabilizer fabric from the back of your design. If necessary, use tweezers to gently pull the fabric free from the stitching. You can also wet larger pieces of fabric you've already removed and "dab" them on the stuck fabric pieces. They'll stick to the wet stabilizer fabric.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If your stabilizer fabric is really stuck under your embroidered design, use an old toothbrush to gently remove the stuck pieces.
Do NOT share your purchased embroidery designs with another friend--this is illegal and violates the copyright. You will be caught.
