How to secure embroidery on clothes

How To Secure Embroidery On Clothes – Ultimate Easy Guide

If you often wash or wear your garments, it can be challenging to keep your embroidered designs intact and secure. Embroidery is a beautiful and timeless art that can make your clothes even more elegant. A loose thread, frayed edges, and other forms of wear and tear may cause your embroidery to become damaged and unappealing. To avoid this, you should take proper measures to secure your embroidery.

So how to secure embroidery on clothes? To make sure that your embroidery lasts as long as possible, you need to follow a few simple tips and take precautions. Unlike machine embroidery, caring for unique embroidery only requires passion. Embroidery can be protected from damage and made durable if you take proper care. It requires from washing to ironing and all other essentials and comes between. Even though there’s no hand and fast thumb rule to go by but there are fundamental grounds that must follow through for better outcomes.

Key Takeaways

  • Always take essential preparation before protecting embroidery on clothes.
  • Remember the tips to better secure the embroidery on the clothes before you set out on washing them.
  • Note down the tips shared for keeping the embroidery clothes long-lasting and keeping the embroidery on your clothes safe.

Preparation to Secure Embroidery On Clothes

Before you jump start this project it is always better to take the essential preparation which enables to smoothen workflow of the project.

Choosing the right fabric and thread

In order to secure embroidery on clothes, the fabric and thread should be strong enough to hold the stitches, as well as the thread to withstand washing and wear.

Choose fabrics such as cotton, linen, and denim. Fabrics that are too thin or stretchy will not be able to hold the embroidery stitches securely.

Make sure your embroidery thread is high-quality and made from durable materials like cotton or polyester. Metallic or rayon thread may not be as durable as cotton or polyester thread

Choosing the right fabric and thread
Choosing the right fabric and thread

Pre-washing the fabric

To prevent shrinkage or color bleeding, prewash the fabric before embroidering. This step will also help remove any sizing or starch from the fabric.

When washing your fabric, use a gentle detergent and cold water. Do not use bleach or fabric softeners, as they may damage the fabric fibers and affect embroidery stitches.

After washing, let the fabric air dry or tumble dry on low heat. To prevent wrinkles when embroidering, iron the fabric first.

Pre-washing the fabric
Pre-washing the fabric

7 Tips to Secure Embroidery on Clothes

Here are the most useful and effective tips on securing and protecting your embroidered clothes.

Avoiding stretching

Avoiding stretching
Avoiding stretching

The fabric should not be stretched or pulled when embroidering. This can result in loose or distorted embroidery stitches.

Keep the fabric taut in the embroidery hoops, but avoid pulling too tight, so that the stitches are secure without damaging the fabric.

Storing and handling

Storing and handling
Storing and handling

It is important to fold embroidered clothes carefully when storing them to prevent creases or wrinkles from damaging them.

You can also hang them on padded hangers or lay them flat in a drawer.

Handle embroidered clothes gently and avoid pulling or tugging on them. If you do, the stitches could become loose or damaged.

Washing

You should always wash embroidered clothes in cold water with a mild detergent, and turn them inside out to protect the embroidery.

Avoid bleach and fabric softeners, as they can damage the fabric fibers and affect the embroidery stitches.

Washing
Washing

Drying

If you want your embroidered clothes to dry quickly, lay them flat on a towel.

Hanging them up will cause them to stretch and cause the embroidery stitches to become distorted.

Avoid drying embroidered clothes with high heat, as it can damage the fabric and affect the embroidery stitches.

Drying
Drying

Ironing

Ironing
Ironing

Turn embroidered clothes inside out and iron them on a low heat setting. Avoid using steam, as steam can damage embroidery stitches. Iron the garment gently, making sure not to tug or pull on the embroidery.

Protect the stitches by placing a piece of fabric over the raised embroidery before ironing.

Removing stains

Stains on embroidered clothing must be removed carefully to avoid damaging the embroidery stitches.

Using harsh chemicals or bleach can damage the fabric and embroidery, so avoid using harsh chemicals or bleach

Use a gentle stain remover or pre-treat with a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar.

Removing stains
Removing stains

Securing the embroidery stitches

The embroidery process involves securing embroidery stitches to keep them from coming loose and to preserve the design. There are several ways to do this, including:

  • Among the most commonly used methods is knotting. This involves bringing the needle through the fabric and securing the thread at the end of stitching. By using this simple, yet effective technique, you can prevent the stitches from unraveling and keep the embroidery intact for years to come.
  • The weaving method is also popular for securing embroidery stitches. It is an excellent method for creating a secure and durable embroidery piece by weaving thread through the back of the stitches. The technique requires some skill and practice, but it is an excellent way to keep the stitches in place.
  • To secure embroidery stitches, backstitching is another common technique. The thread is anchored in place by this method, which prevents it from coming loose over time. You simply take a few stitches in reverse, working over the stitches you just made, before continuing forward.
  • As a final note, Fray Check is a liquid product that can be applied to the back of embroidery stitches to prevent fraying and unraveling. The product creates a clear, plastic-like coating that prevents stitches from fraying and coming undone once it dries. This is a fast and easy way to protect your embroidery work.
Securing the embroidery stitches
Securing the embroidery stitches

Ways to Secure the Back of an Embroidery

You can prevent stitches from coming loose by tying a knot on the back of each stitch. If you notice old stitches needing to be replaced or threads coming loose, re-embroider the area with new stitches. Make sure you secure small pieces of fabric, such as lace and trim, as well. To do this, apply a few stitches right above the area you want them secured, and pull tight. You should always practice new embroidery techniques before actually applying them to a project – you don’t want to ruin an intricate design because you didn’t follow directions correctly.

1.Secure the Back of the Stitches

Use the right tool for the job and choose one that’s comfortable to use when threading stitches. Use a needle threader, dental floss, or thin cord to secure the back of the stitches. Make sure you don’t pull too tight when stitching close to your fabric – this could damage your material. Ask someone else for advice on where and how much tension to apply when stitching in that area of your garment or accessory if you need help finding the correct spot on your garment or accessory. Prior to beginning work on more substantial pieces of fabric, test a small piece first. If all goes well, proceed cautiously.

2.Remove Old Thread

Using needle nose pliers or a paperclip, you can remove the old thread from the back of an embroidery. Be careful not to break the threads or leave holes in your fabric by pulling on the threads gently. It might be easier to remove the old thread with hot water and soap as a cleaner. Once you have removed all of the old thread, you can sew your applique securely to the fabric once again.

3.Stitches should be re-embroidered

When stitching a delicate piece, you need to be extra careful to prevent your stitches from pulling apart, so you can use dental floss or thread. Ensure the needle size is appropriate for the fabric and stitch type before using dental floss or thread. You can save time and stitch accurately by using a cross-stitch hoop. It is important to store your embroidery in an airtight container in order to prevent it from becoming wrinkled or damaged over time. You can ask an expert about re-embroidering stitches or sewing techniques in general – they’ll be able to help.

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Importance of Stabilizer for Embroidery On Clothes

You have to decide what is the best time to wear the clothes. Some backing remains after completion, which affects the way you feel when you wear your clothes. My personal preference is to not embroider on clothes with backing. I don’t think it’s comfortable, and I also lose touch with the fabric’s quality and characteristics when I embroider on clothes with backing. It allows you to become more aware of the motions of the fabric you are working with, especially if it is a stretchy fabric. Having said that, backing can be extremely useful if you have never embroidered clothing before. By using a backing, you reduce the risk of making a mistake. It reduces the risk of pulling the stitches too hard and creating bubbles in your fabric.

8 Tips to Keep Embroidery Clothes Long-Lasting

If you can ensure a few factors that we’d discuss onward you’ll be able to get better durability on your embroidered clothes. 

1.Hand Wash the Items

To avoid damage to garments and stitches, hand washes them.

Make sure your sink or basin is clean and free of residue from previous cleaning agents.

Cold water prevents dye bleeding and clothes from stretching and distorting the embroidery.

Hand wash the items
Hand wash the items

2.Use Mild Cleaning Products

When washing the embroidered fabric, use a gentle detergent that dissolves in water and leaves a minimal amount of residue. Before hand washing, any stains, use a mild stain remover and let it sit for around ten minutes.

If its background fabric needs whitening or brightening, use oxygen-based bleach instead of chlorine bleach.

Use mild cleaning products
Use mild cleaning products

3.Be Gentle and Avoid Scrubbing

Be gentle and avoid scrubbing
Be gentle and avoid scrubbing

If you have to rub the cloth to clean it, do not rub it directly against your embroidery. Gently move the cloth around the water without wringing or twisting it.

Once the water is clear, drain it, refill it with clean water, and rinse again after ten minutes. Embroidered clothes should not be scrubbed, even if a stain is noticed. A brush will damage the threads and fibers, leaving them fuzzy.

4.Don’t Mix Up Washing Clothes

Don’t mix up washing clothes
Don’t mix up washing clothes

To prevent pulling on the stitches, avoid cleaning your embroidered clothes with other clothes, especially ones with zippers or metallic pieces.

5.Air Dry

In the same way that a washing machine can be harsh on embroidery, a dryer can cause fuzzy threads and shrink clothing, distorting the embroidery.

The increased friction and movement can also lead to the stitches coming apart. For best results, roll your embroidered item in a towel to remove excess water, then place it on a flat surface to dry.

Air dry
Air dry

6.Ironing Properly

When ironing items with embroidery, do not iron them directly on the embroidery, as the heat could damage the embroidery. Instead, reverse the garment and iron the back of the embroidery. Do not wet the embroidery before ironing.

ironing-properly
Ironing properly

7.Check Loose threads and Stitches

Check loose threads and stitches
Check loose threads and stitches

It is possible for your clothes’ stitches to fall apart if they are not properly secured because they are subjected to a lot of friction and movement.

Knot loose threads or insert an embroidery stabilizer inside the clothing to reduce friction.

8.Store Properly Without Scratch

Store properly without scratch
Store properly without scratch

When you starch clothes before storing them, they prevent wrinkles and keep them crisp. You should not starch your embroidered clothes because it could lead to damage and attract insects that might damage the stitches.

Besides keeping them from smelling sweaty, starching can make ironing easier as well. Starch your embroidered clothes only when you plan to wear them.

FAQs

How do you secure the back of the embroidery?

There are a few ways to secure the back of the embroidery, but one popular option is to use dental floss. You can also use fabric glue, a piece of ribbon, or even just your fingers.

What can I use to stabilize embroidery?

Apply Mesh Cutaway for embroidering on any fabric with stretch, instead of fusible mesh to prevent the fabric from stretching and puckering.

Can you use paper as a stabilizer?

Yes, instead of stabilizer you can use freezer papers to use them to stabilize felt cutouts

Final Thoughts

To conclude, the tips, steps, and other essential queries we’ve mentioned and discussed throughout this article would be effective enough to serve your purpose of securing and protecting your embroidery clothes like new ones as always. not only they’ll protect but also keep the clothes long-lasting like new ones and maintain durability for better usage. Make sure you take preparation, note the tips, and apply and follow each one of them without skipping or altering for the desired outcome which would serve the purpose.

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Author

Hey I’m Sherry Howes an expert in sewing, knitting, crocheting, and embroidery. With a passion for fiber arts and a talent for crafting, I Have spent years improving my skills and sharing knowledge with others. Whether teaching a class or creating a new project, I’m always excited to share my love of crafting with the world. I like researching new techniques and trends in the crafting arts community.

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