I don't do a lot of embroidery, but hubby bought me a fabulous machine so I feel I should at least try to use it to it's capacity. I'm doing some redwork teddy bears & no matter what I do, there's always a wee bit of puckering. It's not really bad or anything, but is it possible to have 100% no puckering???

You just need to make sure your fabric and/or stabelizer are tight. I do get some puckering at times, just a little, but with some ironing it comes out or at least looks that way to me.
The secret is...practice, practice, practice

Ditto what Teri said AND...If you are embroidering onto cotton quilting fabric, try using a fusible tear away stabilizer.

You want to use the correct stabilizer for the fabric and the design.This includes taking into account for the number of stitches in the design. I usually use a med weight tear away on this type of design if I am using cotton fabric (quilt weight). When you hoop the fabric and stabilizer, once it is hooped, do not pull the fabric to get it tighter as this will distort the fabric.Hope this helps abit!

http://www.rnkdistributing.com/reference.htm

Here is a good reference site as well.
Kirsten

I've done redwork teddies and other redwork designs very successfully using one layer of polyester batting instead of tear away stabiliser. It doesn't have to be removed, and can act just as it was intended, and is ready quilted too. When sewn together, I back the blocks, then quilt round them Hawaian style.

It is so tempting to tug on hooped fabric...but it will cause distortion. It is better to rehoop several times until you get it taut :D:D:D

This is so helpful. I'm still trying to learn how to use my machine.

check in with cutebuns. She has machines for embroidery and I bet she could give you some tips.

It depends on what you are embroiding and your stabilizer. Add another piece of stabilizer , say on a cotton piece. You also dont have to put your extra piece of stabilizer in your hoop with the other. When you get you hoop attached, just slide another piece of stabilizer under the hoop. This will prevent a lot of puckering.. go to secretsof embroidery.com and embroiderylibrary.com and you will learn a lot. I had to do this. I didnt have anyone to teach me, I just had to google for info. Good luck.

Lots of great advice. Thanks, I haven't used mind for a long time. Have to learn all over again!

I don't even know where I picked this up, but I live by it now when doing my embroidery. You know the non-skid bumpy material you buy to keep rugs and appliances from slipping? (sorry, don't know the name of it) Well, I bought a small batch from WalMart, cut it in strips, and I insert small pieces between the fabric and my hoop. And it keeps that fabric nice and tight! You have to work with it a bit, but when you get it, there's no tugging on the edges after you get started. And you can re-use them. love THAT part!

Stabilizer is a must, sometimes you need 2 layers of it. Always do a test embroidery. I throw my test ones in my scrap box and eventually, I will use my scraps and turn them into a Crazy quilt.

I just wrap my hoops with the ace bandage stuff that sticks to itself, used for sports and things. Works great and don't have to worry about getting it in between the hoop and fabric because it is always on

Two layers of cut-away stabilizer, loosen thread tension, slow down the machine speed.
Unfortunately SOME designs will just pucker no matter what you do. They were digitized too tightly.
Beware of really inexpensive designs from unknown places.

I just did redwork baby dolls and used a mesh stabilizer and also a tear away. No puckering at all.

Someone explain to me why the hubbies of the gals who don't sew or embroider or cook or bake or whatever always buy their wives nice stuff------------and those of us who love to do stuff like that get a new pair of sweats?

I really don't understand about the ace bandage stuff and wrapping your hoops. I've had an embroidery machine for 11 years and this just baffles me.

Grannie Annie: The husbands of the wives who not do any crafts, etc. have money to buy nicer things.........we spend our money on fabric!!!!!!!

stablizers are important for pucker free machine embroidery=sometimes you need one on the bottom and another on top (to keep the top stitches on top-not sinking and puckering) such as a wash-away.

I've always used the wash away stabilizer and have no problems. The trick as mentioned above it to get your fabric and stabilizer in the hoop taut but not so taught as to cause puckering. I think it just takes a bit of practice to determine how to get it to work properly for you and your particular machine.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, is that the catch? I always wondered! tee hee