Making towels
 

Hello everyone. Here's my question. I'd like to try making some washcloths but I don't know how to sew on terrycloth. I tried sewing on a scrap with a zigzag stitch but the edges curled up.If anybody can help me I'd appreciate it. Thanks all.

did you try making the stitch lenght longer?

Sometimes you can put thin paper under the terry cloth. Keeps the loops from catching in the feed dogs.

I plan to do some embroidery on already made towels in the fall, but I've already bought two types of stabilizer to use -- one for top and one for bottom. The wash away type. Maybe you need something like that.

I was given the opportunity to make cleaning cloths (a tad larger than washcloth size)for a local hotel from their 'old' towels. I used my serger and whipped through those things in no time. Made over 800 of them. Cleaned the machine often. Using the overcast foot for my Babylock Ellegante, I was able to get the same effect. As long as I brushed out the plate area every so often and used a 14/90 needle. On my old Brother years ago, I used cut up strips of copy paper under the edge of the terry cloth when sewing the edges and as long as I sewed "fast enough' I have very little problem with any fibers going under the plate into the feed dog and bobbin area. My favorite way to edge terry cloth by far is using the serger. Sew 'faster' and clean often and few problems if any for me.

I never tried to sew on terrycloth, but I'd think you'd need a serger.

Are you trying to put a design on them or hem the edges. If you are trying to put a design on them try doing what you'd do if you were embroidering them. First of all you can use a hoop that doesn't attach to the machine (if using a regular machine. Use stablizier on the bottom and water soluable stablizier on the top. The top stablizier keeps the stitches from sinking into the fabric. If you are trying to hem with a zigzag you may have too tight of a stitch.

Before I got a Serger I would bind the fabric with store bought binding. Used double fold and they looked nice.