A guide to t-shirt embroidery

You can wear t-shirts anywhere. A t-shirt is an extremely versatile piece of clothing and they can be worn for work as well as when doing sports. No one wants to wear boring clothes, so why not customise your own t shirt. First, design a t-shirt and then create your own promotional apparel by making them embroidered t-shirts. Very snazzy!

What you will need

-T-shirt embroidery pattern
-Iron-on paper / washable fabric
-Pen
-Iron embroidery hoop
-Needles
-Cotton thread

Step one

-Decide what type of pattern you want on the shirt. Ready-made iron-on designs can typically be found in most craft stores like Michaels and fabric stores like Jo-Ann Fabrics. -You can also use free graphics found on the Internet by printing them onto a transfer paper. Such paper can be found in office supply stores like Staples. Another option is to place the design on the t-shirt. -Where you choose to place the design will have an impact on the design ultimately chosen. Draw your own design or use transfer printers to place one on your shirt.

Step two

-Choose an embroidery hoop which will allow you to create the entire design rather than just a section of it. -Smaller hoops will mean that you will have to reset them several times during the process. -Place the top of the embroidery hoop over the design area where you want to begin. Tighten the hoop into place.

Step three

-Thread your needle with the chosen thread and do not forget to knot the end of the thread. -Push the embroidery needle through the underside of the fabric at the point on the iron-on line where you wish to begin. -Pull the thread completely through until the knot connects with the fabric. -Now, stitch as much as you need to complete your chosen area. -Pull the needle and thread to the underside of the fabric, tie off and cut.

Step four

-Repeat for the other areas to be stitched. -Loosen and then remove the embroidery hoop from the fabric. -Make note if any lines have formed around the hoop area. -Wash the t-shirt and when it is dry, you can wear it! Enjoy the comments that you get about your new top!

Other ideas

Use embroidery designs for custom embroidered work wear uniforms and company shirts or embroidered polos. You could also make embroidered caps and other promotional clothing. This process is much easier than screen printed promotional printing and bulk t-shirt printing as it can make it a bit more special.