heronfan

My Brother machine allows me to embroider letters. I have been writing the names of cities between San Antonio where I reside and Cohoes, NY where my grandson resides on his quilt. For some reason it would not finish one of the cities and now I need to remove it so I can redo it. Any suggestions? Everything I have tried seems to be too thick to get between the threads. Help!

Skratchie

I've used a razor blade in the past to very gently "scrape" embroidery off the fabric. Also, a curved seam ripper like the Gingher helps too.

RipStitcher

Are you "embroidering" as in using a hoop?
Or are you sewing the letters?

The reason I ask... if you are sewing the letters, and it somehow quit in the middle... maybe it would be easier to go back and finish the city's name instead.

*If* you're sewing the city names, I would set your machine up again - starting with the last letter that did stitch out correctly.

If placement is an issue - I would start without the needle threaded and either go incredibly slow or do the handwheel to make sure that you're matching up to that last letter that stitched out OK.

Does that make sense?

If the choice is between stitch or rip... lol... I'll try to stitch every time.

linda8450

If you have not removed the hoop (or are VERY VERY good at placement) then you should be able to back up the machine and reset to where it quit. If that isn't possible, you can sometimes use an electric mustache trimmer to "shave' the back of the stitches and then scrape on the front with a fingernail or a non-sharp edge, like a credit card. If that won't work or isn't possible, try using your thinnest seam ripper and placing a straight pin under a few stitches at at time and clipping those a few at a time slowly.... OR, why not applique a few cities, stitch them out on another piece of fabric, applique over the offending one and add a few more to make it look intentional?

Mitch's mom

Have you tried a hand sewing needle? When I have to remove embroidery that is small and tight I can always get the unsewing started by getting a loop of thread lifted with a needle. Once you can get one or two loops lifted and cut the next ones get easier to catch. Also - start on the back side so you don't accidentally catch a tread of your front fabric.

CAS49OR

There was a whole thread about this and someone suggested Nancy's Notions Seam Ripper. I searched and found something similar http://www.ebay.com/itm/Qripper-Quic...item3ce13cccf4
I wondered if a mustache trimmer might work the same, as many suggest, but think it would not have that guide to glide along the bottom.

I asked DH to check it out. Consensus is, the trimmer will expose your fabric to the teeth but the Quick Ripper seems to avoid that.

NanaCsews2

I too have embroidered teeny tiny lettering on my Brother and Babylock and had to remove stitches. I purchased an extra-fine pointed jewelers tweezer at Hobby Lobby. The points are small enough to get under a stitch and gently pull it up, just enough to take an Easy Kut scissors and snip the stitch with the scissors' fine points. I use a magnifying lens to see the stitches so I don't get near the fabric. I will snip every few stitches and the tweezer helps loosen up the threads for easy 'kutting' or pulling out the stitches with the tweezers. It takes a little time, but worth the effort, as these two items together with the magnifying lens works very well.

ann31039

I have used one of the battery operated "lint razors" for sweaters with good results. it takes a little time but it took off a rather large design i messed up. (i've learned not to leave the room, my machine doesn't like to be alone.) i figured what the heck, the shirt was ruined anyway, but it saved it so i could redo the design.

Jo Belmont

I have found the scalpel-type seam ripper that is typically used with a serger is quite wonderful, in fact, it's my ripper of preference. Very thin, pointed and sharp, sharp, sharp!