Machine Embroidery Problem
 

I'm trying to do some embroidery on placemats. When I do the name BOB with the satin stitch it won't lay flat, the fabric is "puckery." Will it be better if I loosen the tension or is that what satin stitch does on letters?

What kind of stabilizer are you using? and how many layers?
Are you using a water soluble topping?

I found that when I get a lot of puckering it is usually because
of the stabilizer.

Water soluble topping?? I just grabbed some stabilizer to practice. It's probably medium weight and it's iron-on but I didn't iron it. What do you call a good stabilizer? What I used is some that I bought by the yard at Joann. I am using embroidery thread. Does the needle make a difference? I'm using an 11 but wonder if I should put in a new one. And the top thread is showing pretty solid on the back. Can't figure out why.

Thanks for helping. Also, will I have trouble trying to embroider on denim?

try cut away stabilizer it's heavier and if you're doing it on regular fabric you don't need water soluable stabilizer. That's only for porous fabrics

Try 2 layers of stabilzee

I agree and either water soluable topping or water soluable stabilzer, it lays on top of the fabric and keeps the thread from sinking into the fabric. This is especially true for towels, blankets, etc but I also have used it for other designs, especially monagrams. If you can't see thru the fabric you can use either cut away or tear away on the bottom, I've had luck with the stabilzers from JoAnn's. Look at embroiderylibrary.com, they have lots of tutorials on stabilizers, fabrics, needles, etc. it'll help

If your top thread is mostly showing on the bottom it's a tension problem. Try loosing the top tension.

I also agree it is the stabilizer and noticed that you do not mention the total stitch count. (Floriani stabilizers have a sheet of paper inside the roll that give the stitch count - I don't know about other brands.) Each stabilizer has a "max" number of stitches it can hold before you need to float another piece underneath. If you are reaching the total stitch count for the stabilizer you are using, put another good sized piece of tear-off stabilizer under the design when you reach that point and see if it helps. Just another idea to try.

if you are doing a heavier satin stitch on thin or very loosely woven cotton, it will pucker. Try a heavier stabilizer, and perhaps a cutaway one not the rip-away kind.

Good luck!