Help removing embroidery thread
 

I had a quilt made for my granddaughter’s wedding and had their names and wedding date embroidered on the quilt. Unfortunately less than a year later they have separated and filed for a divorce. They gave the quilt back to me. The lady that made it embroidered it prior to sandwiching it and so I can’t access the back of the stitches. How can I remove it especially since the letters are rather thin. Thank you

Just start with a seam ripper and cut a few stitches..since it's hand embroidered there won't be bobbin stitches to deal with. Use the seam ripper and a pair of tweezers to grab the thread and pull out the tiny pieces, it is less horrid than you are imagining! Just start and it'll be fine !

It wasn’t done by hand it was done by machine

There is a gadget for this but is expensive, it's like a fine shaver. I very carefully pick at it with a seam ripper till the stitching is all gone, but be careful, as it's not hard to also cut the fabric. I would look at appliqueing something suitable over the patch later, depending on how it looks once the embroidery is gone, and washed.

This is the Australian company that sells the shaver, you may be able to get it in the USA, it shouldn't be quite as costly.

https://www.echidnasewing.com.au/peg...0volt-cordless

Doing it without access to the bobbin stitches will be difficult. If the names are in a corner, could you remove the binding and the quilting stitches, so you could access the back of just that area?
You may need a brand new seam ripper with a very small part that slips under the tiniest stitches. Removing machine embroidered stitches is tricky to avoid cutting the fabric, but can be done. Go slow, be extremely careful, and if you get frustrated, stop and put aside for later. Ask me how I know this.....lol
I am glad that you got the quilt back even if "restoring" it is a pain.

I tend to agree that an applique would be the best solution in this situation. Even if the stitches are removed, the background fabric will be weakened.

It is a dilemma. I have been working on removing machine embroidery from a polyester knit shirt. My son changed jobs and likes the shirt and wants the logo gone. For that fabric even with stabilizer the needles have damaged the fabric. Don’t know if this would happen on quilting cotton. I’ve worked from the back with a lighted magnifier and it is not easy. Appliqué in this case not an option. I hope you can figure out a way. Let us know how it works out

I tried to upload a picture but I’m no good at this stuff. I am trying to pick out which will be a really big job. I’d love to just put an appliqué over the top but it’s so heavily quilted that I don’t think it would ever look right.

If you put batting behind the applique, the quilting behind that wouldn't show

Once you've removed the "offending" stitching, if you stabilize from behind, you can put a new design over top and somewhat hide the stitch marks that remain. I did this on a denim workshirt for my husband.

well this is a company logo done with a commercial machine I’m guessing. I don’t have an embroidery machine. The fabric is a polyester knit. We knew it was a long shot.

Were you able to get the stitches out or have you decided to do something else?

I would be interested in what you decided to do. where is the embroidery on the quilt, corner, middle?

I agree that an applique patch would be the best bet. I have torn out to many embroidered designs. Lettering is hard to do as mentioned without tearing fabric. I would still take as much out before putting on an appliqued patch because you do not want anything to show through the new label .

The gadget that Gay mentioned is almost 1/2 the price on Amazon, of the one on the site mentioned (https://www.echidnasewing.com.au/peg...0volt-cordless). And it's the same little gadget.

here's the Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/Peggys-Stitch...94303729&psc=1
Through Google other vendors have it less expensive, too

It's basically a mustache trimmer, and they can be bought very affordably. I have one and wasn't as impressed as I hoped to be. Did not work on a satin stitch at all, but did nicely on a straight stitch. I had about 15 yards of ribbon I'd satin stitched to 12 shirts - and put on the wrong color so it all had to come off and be replaced.

I use a cheap BIC razor. Go slow and be careful. A swipe or two might just do the job. Once the threads have been cut with the razor you can finish the job with a seam ripper and stiletto. I hope it's not too late.

Make a cute label and sew it over the offending label. Done.

Purchase a new seam ripper, one with a tiny blade. Very gently take out one or two threads at a time. It is almost impossible to tear out the stitches from the top. Honestly, I have never had success ripping out stitches from the front without ripping the fabric. There will be a ton of holes and they won't go away no matter how much ironing and steam you use. The fabric will be a bit thinner also. You would still need to put an appliqué over it.