One simple item can make puckers disappear!
Puckering is one of the biggest complaints of machine embroiderers. Recently, we discussed some tips for preventing puckering. Sometimes, even if you have used the right stabilizer, hooped properly, or used a proper fabric, you can still get puckers. Don’t get discouraged. Spray starch is actually your new super power against puckering.
Not only does Bonnie preshrink, spray starch and iron her fabric before embroidery, she spray starches and presses it after embroidery, too. From the back.
Bonnie sprays starch on the back of the embroidery, places it face-down on a towel that is on a hard, non-bouncy ironing surface, and smooths embroidery out as she presses. From the back. This video and blog show you how it is done.
Never iron embroidery from the front of the fabric. It flattens the embroidery. The reason that Bonnie’s embroidery looks nice and crisp and stands up on the fabric is that she presses her embroidery from the backside into a towel. The nap gives the embroidery somewhere to go while the fabric is pressed without flattening the stitching. Wool mats offer much the same protection to embroidery when ironing from the back.
Unless the design includes GlitterFlex or mylar, Bonnie likes to use the steam setting when pressing.
Give starching a try. It has saved many a project!
Bonnie Welsh - August 16, 2021
Vicki—You’ll see a noticeable difference for sure. It really helps. Thank you so much for the kind words. Did you take any pictures? We’d LOVE to see your creations!
Vicki FISCHER - August 16, 2021
Hi Bonnie what a great idea. I do use spray starch after I have prewashed my cottons. I need to remember to use your technique after done embroidering. I am having so much fun. Embroidering your glittered designs. I splurged and I have the trains, chirps Halloween, and Santa designs. I put the train design on a quillow for a customer. Great designs.
Bonnie Welsh - July 24, 2021
Estelle—Thank you! Very sweet of you to say. =)
Estelle Teske - July 23, 2021
I really.love. This site i look forward to seeing many.more
Bonnie Welsh - July 21, 2021
Susan—Sorry, that was a typo. It was supposed to read “steam” setting. =)
Susan McDonald - July 21, 2021
I am familiar with Terial Magic but I have not heard of stem setting before. Would someone tell me about the stem setting?
Bonnie Welsh - July 20, 2021
Nicki—What you’re experiencing (bump up) in vinyl is a pucker. It just responds a bit different than traditional fabric. I would suggest using two layers of tear away stabilizer and see if that helps. Denser designs push and pull more so than the less dense designs and need a heavier layer of stabilizer. I’m assuming that you’ve fused the vinyl down properly of course. Not fusing it down long enough or at a high enough heat could also cause a bump up.
Bonnie Welsh - July 20, 2021
Barbara—Terial Magic is great for stiffening fabric to avoid puckers too. =)
Nicki Lundeen - July 20, 2021
On some vinyls that I embroider on they bump up. How do I avoid this or what can I do to eliminate this? Some of my vinyls do great, others not so much. Is there a certain thickness of vinyl that I should look for if doing embroidery on it? It seems the denser the embroidery the worse it is. Thank you so much.
BARBARA JACOBSON - July 20, 2021
I use Terial Magic to stiffen fabric and no puckers!