How to Sew a Design on a Shirt

Sewing a design onto a shirt with stitches or sewing an existing design onto a shirt can be easily achieved with the right preparation. Adjusting the sewing machine to meet your needs and materials is the first step toward project completion.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sewing machine
• Shirt
• Scissors
• Thread
• Design

Prepare for Sewing

1. If the design is on a separate piece of fabric to be sewn onto the shirt; cut the fabric to size and decide where it will be sewn onto the shirt. If the design is one made by stitching it onto the shirt; draw where you would like to stitch.

2. For a design made by stitching onto the shirt; thread the needle and the bobbin, change the pattern selector to a straight stitch and make the presser foot as loose as possible.

3. Make the final adjustments to the machine settings on a scrap piece of fabric.

4. Begin sewing, pulling the fabric along the design. Because the presser foot is so loose, you should be able to achieve corners or curves in the design.

Attaching an Existing Design to the Shirt.

5. Thread the needle and the bobbin and change the pattern selector to a straight stitch.

6. Make the final adjustments to the machine settings on a scrap piece of fabric.

7. Begin sewing with the design pinned in place. Take a few stitches forward, then reverse a few stitches backwards. This will prevent the stitches from unraveling.

8. Sew completely around the design and finish the stitch by reversing a few stitches, locking the stitch in place.