Do you want to customize clothing with embroidery? General guidance and tips on methods specifically tailored for embellishing or decorating clothing items.
You do not need much to transform any piece of clothing from blah to wow.
Just some embroidery thread, needle, hoop, a suitable method to transfer the image to the fabric, and some hours to spare and the patience of Buddha – just kidding.
Embroidery uses wonderfully vivid colored threads to depict beautiful designs on fabric – the texture, colour everything in your garment takes on a different dimension with this embellishing work.
How to hand embroider designs on clothes
Table of Contents
Step 1. Select your garment
You may already have decided on what you want to embroider on. But it is very important to choose the appropriate fabric for your embroidery design – especially if you are a beginner. Starting your first embroidery project with a thin fabric like chiffon or net is asking for trouble and a sure-fire demise of your ambitions of becoming hooked to this craft. Your frustrations will drive you away.
Cotton fabrics are the best for embroidery of any sort. But that does not mean you cannot embroider on anything else. Any fabric can be embellished with embroidery. Check out this post on the best fabrics for embroidery
If you have very thin fabric like a cotton voile the fabric would not support heavy embroidery or weight of metallic thread along with sequins beads etc. For these materials, less dense embroidery with fine thread like a shadow workis better.
You should use stabilizers on the back of thin and/or delicate fabrics like silk ; you should also use them on regular fabric if you are using unusually heavy fabrics like gold thread. Stabilizer can be anything from muslin to store bought ones. Here is a list of the best stabilizers to use for embroidery.
Never venture to embroider on many layers of fabric like on collars, plackets or jeans hems, as a beginner- those are to be tried after a lot of practice on single fabric layers.
T-shirt embroidery is very popular, and embroidering your favorite motifs on clothing that you will wear on a day-to-day basis is tempting, but let me warn you, the stretchy thin fabric of t-shirts is difficult to embroider on. If you are embroidering for the first time, choose a simple, non-stretchy fabric like cotton for a number of projects and then graduate to t-shirts.
If you are sewing the garment yourself, always embroider after the pattern is marked and before the fabric is cut.
If you start embroidering after it is cut the whole cut edges will start to unravel.
Step 2. Collect everything you need
Suitable embroidery needle. Look at this post on which hand embroidery needles to use for more details on selecting the best for your project. Select thin needles for thin fabrics; big needles leave holes – this is basic. Suitable embroidery thread. More on this below. Embroidery hoop. Read more on the different types of hoops and frames you can use Sharp HB pencil to draw a design on fabric. Carbon sheet if you have to transfer the design
Step 3. Decide on the position of the embroidery
12 thoughts on “How to embroider Clothes – 9 steps to perfection”
I want to do some modern embroidery on some handkerchiefs (more cacti and puns than lavender and monograms) but I use them every day so they need to be super robust. Are there any line stitches that would be more secure than others? Would using 2 threads help provide more strength without extra bulk?
I thought maybe split backstitch would be a good one to use since each stitch is itself then stitched through again?
Reply
Hi,
If I want to do a simple design on a hoodie what would be the best way to ensure that the design stays. I am planning on wearing the hoodie frequently, and want to make sure it can withstand multiple washes. Additionally, do you think I need a stabilizer while working with sweatshirt material?
Reply
Hi Marie
For machine embroidery you do need a stabilizer under the design. Can you read this post on the best stabilizers you can use. Here is a page with more information on embroidering on sweatshirts on emblibrary.com
Can you explain again how to start or end without knotting? Thanks
Reply
Hi Trinh
You will find this information in this page – How to knot for hand sewing
Hop that is what you wanted
I would like to use lettering to embroider on silk can you help me with that
Reply
Stem stitch, Back stitch are all robust line stitches. Long and short stitch is the most used stitch (strong too) for filling large areas in the design.
Hi Marie
For machine embroidery you do need a stabilizer under the design. Can you read this post on the best stabilizers you can use. Here is a page with more information on embroidering on sweatshirts on emblibrary.com
Hi Trinh
You will find this information in this page – How to knot for hand sewing
Hop that is what you wanted
Hi Gloria
You can find some tips on embroidering letters on fabrics here //rosettanreedlaw.com/embroider-letters/. hope this is what you needed
Hi Jacqueline
I hope this would help you //rosettanreedlaw.com/rose-embroidery/