Ann The Gran Community

 I purchased some designs from Ann the Gran and I am stitching these design out on a linen type material.  When I stitch out these designs on this material, they seem to pull up the material and some areas of the designs don't match up.  My initial stitching is out side of the other stitching.  Is there something I can do to correct this?  Could it be the material?  I am using an iron on tear away.  I don't really understand all the embroidery jargon as I am still trying to learn to use my machine.  Thank you in advance.  Margie

Hi Margie - You also have a question on basting and I did make a suggestion for you at that forum thread.

I suspect you need more understanding of stabilizers.  That is one of my Blogs too.  If you check for "The Avid Embroiderer" you will see "archives" and I did the stabilizer one in May. 

I am unsure what you mean by "pull up the material."  If you could describe it better, maybe someone here at AnnTheGran can help you.  If the material is literally lifting upwardly, it could be the needle has a burr on it and catching the fabric.  Other than that, I am not sure I understand the issue.

If the designs do not match up, that is definately a stabilizer and hoop issue.  You need to be using a 'cut away' because it is much stronger than 'tear away' stabilizers.  Tear away, by its nature, have a lot of 'give' to them.  You may even consider two cut away layers, in the hoop and make sure it is snug.  Too much flex and you will have movement problems.  Too tight and you will have puckering issues.

It is possible that you did not do a 'test' sewout.  These are so necessary because you will find your problems on this fabric rather than a finished garmet or more expensive item.  We all have to do this, the only exception would be if you are doing repetitive, identical items.

I sure do understand 'learning' that machine, we all do and we all have been where you are at.  Ask a lot of questions, play with your machine, and get lessons from your dealer.  Your learning is just beginning.  Welcome to a wonderful world of Machine Embroidery (ME) where friends gather, assist each other and have a laugh or two along the way.

Pat

Margie,

I think I know what you mean about the material pulling up.. in my case... I used another layer of tear away stabilizer or like the other gal said, use a Cut away.  I found that not enough stabilizer wasn't stabilizing the fabric hence the puckering or bunching of the fabric and if might even be the cause of the mis alignment.  See if that helps any.  You will never stop learning something new, if you do.. you must be dead..

Lynn

I recently commissioned a 'portrait' embroidery of my grandson, Mason.  The instructions include "use between 2 and 4 sheets of stabilizer."

Since this was an outline with no fills, I was a little taken back by that.  I talked with the digitizer and she said that the software she uses makes the call based on what info it already has from digitizing and other questions she had asked me.

She had asked me what make and model machine I was using and what material.  She puts that info into the digitizing software and it makes such a recommendation.

My personal belief is that there is no such thing as over stabilizing.  There is definately an issue with under stabilizing.

Pat