[HNW] Embroidering garments

[Carolyn Kayta Barrows]

>   I agree, embroidery should, if possible, be done
>before the garment is assembled with the cutting line
>and sewing line of the pattern piece drawn on the
>fabric. For example if you want to embroider a
>contrasting key hole neck line treatment on a tunic,
>draw out the neckline piece but do not cut it out,
>stretch it, embroider it, then cut it out to sew on
>the tunic. This will also help you to plot out just
>how the pattern should be laid out on the fabric so
>the pattern does not "over run" the edges or not match
>up.

I'd rather do embroidery on a shirt after the shirt is finished.  That way 
the pattern flows smoothly over any seams, without any gaps.  Also, a shirt 
is not so big that it gets awkward to handle while embroidering on it.  I 
have an 1850's under-sleeve that was embroidered after it was finished, and 
some of the eyelets go right into the seam allowance.  From the outside the 
embroidery is in a continuous piece, with no gap from mis-guessing how much 
to allow for seams.

>   Ideally the fabric should be stretched on a frame so
>that the needlework will not distort the fabric and
>thus distort the fit of the garment. You will be much
>more satisfied with the results of your embroidery
>this way.

I do mostly cross-stitch and blackwork, and never use a frame or hoop for 
it.  My tension is good enough, with those techniques anyway, that there is 
no puckering.  But if I use a hoop, there always seem to be stretch marks 
in the finished work, caused by the hoops.  But if you even think there 
will be a problem with puckering, that's why they invented hoops and frames.


        CarolynKayta Barrows
dollmaker, fibre artist, textillian
          www.FunStuft.com

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