Embroidering on Stuffed Animals: Part 2

Ready to stitch? Be sure your embroidery is centered properly with these tips.

The worst is over. Last time, we created crosshair templates to position the stuffie, centering it in the hoop. That, by far, is the most time consuming part of the embroidery process. It is also one of the most important. If the name or embroidery design is not centered properly, it will not stitch straight in the correct location.

Check Your Stitching Field

My machine has a Corner Check feature that allows you to move the needle around the outline of the design area without actually stitching. That way, I can be sure that there are no pins or SewTites  in the stitching area.

Add a Basting Box

When you are floating an item in the hoop, like these stuffed animals, the basting box serves two purposes. First, it secures the item to the stabilizer keeping layers in place. Second, you can use it as a test to be sure that your design, in this case the name, is properly centered.

I have a basting box function on my machine and added it before starting to embroider the name on my stuffie. You can easily see whether or not the stitching area aligns with the crosshairs. If they do, go ahead and stitch the name. If not, snip the basting threads, remove pins and magnets, and position the stuffie again.

Some fonts, like the one that I used, do not have uniform placement for the horizontal breaks, so don't be alarmed if they do not line up exactly on the crosshair. The middle curve of the B, the center arm of the E, the cross of the A, and the middle curve of the R are not on the same plane/line. 

What is important is that the space between the horizontal crosshair and the tops and bottoms of the basting box are the same. 

When embroidery is finished, remove the basting box and embroidery topper, replace stuffing, and enjoy!