when you're embroidering on light cotton, what type/size needle and what type of backing do you use? I've tried so many different combinations, but is still leaving holes around the edge of the design...

I use a 75/11 needle and fusible Floriani Heat N Stay tearaway. The fusible helps to stabilize light weight cotton. If the design is very dense I will float a piece of tearaway over the arm of the machine to give added support to the stitches.

is it a ball point needle or a regular point? float?.. do you mean under the hoop?

Try a 9, 10 or 11 depending on how thin the material. Also, stabilize, stabilize, stabilize. And don't forget a topper.

You do not use a regular sewing needle when machine embroidering. They make spacific needles for machine embroidery. The ones my dealer suggested are called Organ needles. It is also necessary to use a good quality fabric.
Thin fabric will not allow the embroidery design to lay flat.
The thin fabric will pucker. To get the best results when machine embroidering, it is necessary to use the proper
materials the machines and designs were made for. You will
get a much better finished product.

I always use a sharp on cotton to embroider.

I never use the 'proper' needle, just the right size. I have found that if I use a topstitch needle in ALL of my machines I have better results, especially embroidery. When I use a regular embroidery needle my thread shreads--the topstitch needle has a deeper groove and bigger eye hence less stress on the thread so less shreads and breakage. I just tried different needles on the fabric until I found what worked best for me. I also found that the stabilizer and the correct way to hoop was the key to great embroidery.

Here is a great place for hooping:

http://www.annthegran.com/cs/blogs/a...ne-6-2008.aspx

annthegran has lots of information.

Good luck!

I use 75/11 sharps on my embroidery. I learned that on thin fabric the more I starch the block and make it very stiff before hooping the better it turns out. I use tear away stabilizer and then add a water soluble topper. I rarely get any puckering and have not noticed large holes around the design. Hope this helps.

Thank you everyone for your input!!! Now I have a few more ways to try and will hopefully get it right!

Guess I'm the odd ball here because I use an 80/12 embroidery needle with cut away on back for cottons. I never have puckering. Make sure your fabric and stabilizer is tight in the hoop.