Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1425980
30 graphics-pro.com S T A R T H E R E 2 0 2 1 Hoop up a double layer of a fibrous, water-soluble stabilizer. (Images courtesy Erich Campbell) 7 Steps to Create Patches on Soluble/ Removable Stabilizer Hoop the proper stabilizer or other support material. Stitch your placement line. Place the patch material in the hoop, carefully aligning any pre-cut piece with the placement stitching to cover that initial outline. You will likely want to adhere the patch material to the support material in some way. I have used pressure sensitive pre-adhesive coated twill, but other mate- rials require a light spray of embroidery-spe- cific adhesive to secure them. Stitch your tackdown zigzag or your cut line. If you are using pre-cut material, this is your last chance to correct improper placement; if your zigzag isn't fully catching the edge of the material or your patch has somehow shifted during the run, it's rela- tively simple to remove the loose zigzag stitching and move the material into the proper alignment and re-run the tackdown before continuing. If hand-cutting your material, carefully remove the hoop and cut the material away from the cut line after this step, getting as close to the stitched line as possible to avoid threads falling out of the final covered edge. Run your central design. Again, the main decorative body of the design should run before the outline, as the satin outline has the most chance of compro- mising the stabilizer through closely aligned, dense perforations. With the stresses of the central design causing the patch to shift as it degrades, compromised stabilizer may deform the border of the patch or prema- turely tear out and entirely ruin the emblem, particularly with plastic films. Stitch the final, full-density satin-stitch border. Remove the patch from the hoop and remove the excess stabilizer by washing/rinsing it in the case of water-soluble stabilizer or tearing it away in the case of plastic films. Run your placement lines. Using an adhesive, place the cut pieces on the stabilizer. 1 2 3 4 Run the tackdown stitching. Run your design and border. 5 6 7