Charity project but I'm confused! Help please
 

Hi all, first time here and so glad I found this site. Can imagine spending lots of time here when I'm not at the machine!

Could anyone help, please? I'm trying to make items with machine embroidery, such as the design I show here for a cushion cover. I have used cutaway but I don't understand whether to remove all the excess, or keep it in between the elements of the design. When I cut it all away, the fabric becomes much looser and looks a bit pulled. Is this normal? You can see that behind the word FAITH.

Whereas I haven't cut it away behind the mountains and they are firmer. But do you keep the stabiliser in? And should it be the whole front of the cushion cover, because otherwise the design is firmer compared to the rest of the cushion cover?

I hope this makes sense... likewise, if you're doing a baby onesie, I can only think you must cut the stabilizer away completely, but won't the bits that are intertwined with the thread be rough against little one's skin?

Many thanks for any guidance offered

Hello and Welcome!

Thank you! Nice to meet you bearisgray!

Sometimes it may be several things that cause ‘puckering’.

Are you using 100 % cotton fabric? Poly cotton puckers badly
Did you starch your piece before hooping? That helps
Have you hooped your piece taut enough?
Are you using the right stabilizer for the design or project?

Honestly, I don’t think it looks bad. I’d sure use it. I’d try a good pressing from the back covering the stitches with a pressing cloth or I have even used a clean xerox paper over the stitches.I wouldn’t use two different stabilizers, though.
cut-a-way is exactly what it says. To cut away around the design area. Look at bought sweatshirts or items that are embroidered and see how they trim or if it completely gone it’s tear-a-way or water soluble. You would not use water soluble on this project, tho.
Sometimes it won’t get any better than this, especially with words or writings. I do like your design very much. I haven’t seen it before but love the message.

I sometimes just cut around the outside of the whole embroidery, I sometimes will leave the whole cut-away piece behind the whole thing. There is also the option of using a different type of cut away that has a softer feel to it. It has been a while since I have done much with embroidery and the choice of stabilizers have changed so I don't know what kind to recommend. I don't know how big the cushion is or if it will be used to sit on or more as a decoration? Anyway, I think I would be inclined to leave most of the interior of this embroidery alone and just trim around the edges or leave all the stabilizer in depending on the size of the cushion.
I am also thinking that maybe when you actually make the cushion, that those puffy spots may fill out a bit as there will be some "puff" to the cushion.
Just looked up stabilizers for embroidery and there are also some that you can iron on and also some "batting" type stabilizers. That might be worth giving it a try on a sample?

If making cushions, try using a thin batting instead of stabilizer. Yes I would be concerned about irritating baby's skin with the stabilizer, unless they have a singlet on - which most young mothers don't use these days. I also have issues with the embroidery thread on my skin, even when using iron-on interfacing on the back as the glue in that will irritate.

Welcome to the Board, you will find lots of help here if you ask.

I would suggest an iron on tear away wash away on the fabric. I get mine on Amazon and use it a lot for cotton fabric. It helps stabilize the fabric . Another suggestion is to use a cross hatch design on the fabric and then do the design. I use this method in making quilt blocks and the batting under the fabric and then the cross hatching really works well. There are free cross hatch designs on Kreative Kiwi Embroidery

Wow thank you everyone for your replies and helpful information, what a mine of knowledge this place is :)

Toogie - thanks for those pointers, I hadn't starched the fabric so will do that for my next piece. I love the message too. It rings true for me. Appreciate your response, thank you.

Sewing Pup - thanks for your suggestions, I haven't seen batting-type stabalizers but I'm in the UK and we don't have so many resources here, so I'll look that up. I think just leaving the stabalizer alone on the ones I've done is probably the best way forward with those. Thanks for your suggestions.

Gay - thanks for the pointer on the batting. That never occurred to me so I'll give that a go too. Yes, I worry about these things so I don't want threads next to skin, particularly for a little one! Thanks for your thoughts.

doloresbeger - thanks for your ideas. I've never thought of doing that with a cross hatch design first. That sounds good. I'll give it a go and have a look at Kreative Kiwi - thank you for the tip off! Really appreciate it.

Have a great day ladies and thanks again!