Hi Everyone,

Hope you all are doing well. I on the other hand am not doing so great... Remember that Sweatshirt I was going to turn into a Jacket for my mom? Well, I finally got all the stitch out's using the embroidery machine, and it came out better than I expected.

My problem is this: I used a med weight stabilizer on the bottom, and Vilene (Water Soluble Stabilizer) on top. I marked everything that needed with either chalk or washable marker for garments. The marker and chalk came out perfectly, but the Vilene did not dissolve?!!! I am so bummed. It looks like broken tissue paper all around the edge of my design.

I could make another, but given that this one took me forever to stitch, I wanted to mail it out on Friday so that she could receive it by Tuesday. Her birthday is on the 13th.

Anyone have any experience with Vilene that can help me? Or is my project doomed?

Thanks!

Wanda

did you: take off what you could before starting? use hot enough water? soap? agitation? enough time? another try?

I'm not familiar with that particular product, but did you thoroughly soak it for awhile, or just spritz some water on it?

The only reason I ask is I used a product once on some blocks that didn't dissolve with a quick spritz or dipping.
It need to be soaked for a long time, and gently agitated in the plastic tub. If they weren't blocks, I would have tossed them in the machine.

I put it in the washing machine. Thought that would do it. Since it's a sweatshirt I didn't want it to shrink so I used warm water. Do you think if I run it again in hot water the rest will dissolve?

Can you submerge it in a sink full of water and hand-scrub after it's soaked for a while? Maybe scrub around the edges with a soft toothbrush after the Vilene is saturated and soft?

I haven't used this product a lot, but when I use any water-soluble stabilizer, I cut and/or tear away as much as possible before washing. I don't think I've ever noticed any that doesn't wash away.

OMGoodness! I'm really gonna cry!!! This is not vilene that I put on top! It's regular interfacing!!!!! I just took a test sample, and ran that test sample under hot water. Vilene usually, disappears in my hand while I have it under running water. This is interfacing because it didn't do anything.

Ouch.

Breathe.

Ok, how about trimming as close to the design as possible.
There will still be some stark white left showing.

This is what I've done on some of my really bad machine applique (or even a mismatched seam or two) -
I've used a Pigma pen in whatever color I needed to color the offending white.

Does that sound like doable option for you?

As you didn't post a picture, I don't know if I'd match it to the embroidery or background color.

Once the white is gone, the eye isn't even drawn to that area as it will totally blend in with the background.

Does that sound like doable option for you?

Okay, it's not the end of the world. Don't cry.

Make sure it's dry and then sit down in good light with a tiny pair of scissors and some tweezers. Grab a piece of the unwanted interfacing and dangle the project so that the weight of the project is pulling on the interfacing and stretching it out.

Hold it up to the light and start snipping around the edge with the scissors.

It will take some time, and you will need to go slowly to avoid snipping embroidery threads or the sweatshirt, but you can get rid of this.

When you have removed all that you can get to, there may be some spots that need covering over - just use the same color of embroidery thread and stitch over it by hand.

MTS gave you some good ideas, too! :thumbup:

this is the picture. I'm using my applique scissors now to try and cut the excess all around. We'll see how it looks when I'm done. I'm so totally bummed. I should be lining the jacket right now, and getting it ready for shipping!!!! Thanks for your advice, I'll post another one when I'm done.

Hugs,
Wanda


Ouch.

Breathe.

Ok, how about trimming as close to the design as possible.
There will still be some stark white left showing.

This is what I've done on some of my really bad machine applique (or even a mismatched seam or two) -
I've used a Pigma pen in whatever color I needed to color the offending white.

Does that sound like doable option for you?

As you didn't post a picture, I don't know if I'd match it to the embroidery or background color.

Once the white is gone, the eye isn't even drawn to that area as it will totally blend in with the background.

Does that sound like doable option for you?[/quote]