Hi all:

I'm new to the group but was hoping to get some help. I recently got a Babylock Ellisimo & have been experimenting on different fabrics with different textures.

I'd like to embroider a mermaid design on a beach cover up for my daughter, Caroline, but have heard terry cloth is difficult. Any advice?

Thanks!!

Use a water soluble stabilizer on top of the terry cloth it should work fine. Don't forget about the one on the bottom. Just ask me how I know :oops:

tmg is correct. Use water soluble stabilizer on the top. It pushes down the nap while embroidery. Also, instead of hooping the terry cloth (it's very thick) use a sticky back stabilizer and do the 'no' hoop method. I used 2 layers of water soluble stabilizer, sprayed it with temporary glue (I used june taylor quilt basting spray--works OK) positioned my towel, covered with 2 layers of water soluble stabilizer, stitched.

Also, when using the water soluble stabilizer DO NOT just spray it with water to dissolve. This only makes is nasty, throw it in the washer after removing as much of the stabilizer as you can.

Ask me how I know!!

Good luck and don't let terry cloth get in your way!

If it is a light weight terry, I would use a good quality tear away on the back and one sheet of washaway on top. If it is a deep pile terry, you may want to use two layers on top if your washaway is light weight. The top stabilizer holds down the pile so that the embroidery stitches lay flat. Also, a design that has an underlayment (stitches that zig zag the design before the design is embroidered) helps the hold everything flat. You can also press the design area flat before embroidery - sometimes that helps - but not enough to eliminate a topper.

If the design has a lot of coverage with the stitches, you could also use a Heataway that tears. Then you just tear the visable topper off and just leave the covered topper in (because you will not see it and it will eventually disappear in the dryer!!).

I just did 36 towels for my daughter who owns a hair salon at a local nursing home. Because the home uses white towels and she does also, she had to have something on them to know they were hers. I did a butterfly on the bottom corner of each towel. I used a tear away on the back and the heat away on the top. It is great to work with. The ladies at the home love the "Fancy Towels". I have had no problems working with toweling and have made hand towels for each of my grandchildren.

I don't have any advice but had to comment on Caroline- I love that name!!! Was going to use it but had 3 boys!!! :D:D

I have read that if you can't hoop it, to use the sticky stabilizer and to put the washaway stabilizer on TOP of the terry...the stitches don't sink into the weave but stand up nice on the top of the terri...after your done just wash it out. I got some 5x7 basting files on sewforum.com to hold the fabric down

I have used sticky stabilizer many times and it works fine but I have found that after the fact that it does not lend much support to the stitches (IMHO). It all depends on the density of the design and what you are embroidering on.