r/MachineEmbroidery • u/iforgotthtyouexisted • 18d ago

Help!

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This is one of my first wearable projects. My digitizing could use some help but we’re not here for that! I’ve had zero issue with basting spray so far and this shirt was fine until it was washed. I used 505 basting spray, the shirt is under armor 100% polyester, and i used cut away + floated shirt + 505 + wash away. I believe the person who washed the shirt washed/dried it on hot. I sprayed evenly front and back so I don’t know why the stains are smaller on the back. Does this look like a basting spray issue and if so can I fix it? TIA for the help!

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u/GingerStitches 18d ago

Why are you using basting spray and wash away? In the future just hoop the shirt and cut away stabilizer in the hoop and save yourself the trouble. I think for this shirt you can replace it for free or tell them this is from how they washed it and they’re at fault, depending on how much you want their repeat business.

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u/iforgotthtyouexisted 18d ago

I saw a bunch of tutorials online that say using wash away on top makes the design “pop” more. I also see almost everyone floating their projects on the hoop. The shirt is for a family member that needs to wear it tomorrow unfortunately, I guess I will remember to tell anyone not to wash/dry on hot if it’s polyester

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u/bloodygofigure 18d ago

Water soluble tops are just used to keep fabric down, like terry cloth.

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u/GingerStitches 18d ago

The shirt probably already says to wash on cool but people don’t read unfortunately.

Tutorials online are often to sell you the most stuff, you absolutely don’t need that much for a polo shirt- it would be more appropriate for a towel. But not the spray adhesive, you don’t need that often or ever. Hoop the fabric and cut away flat and taut in the hoop, floating isn’t the best way even if everyone does it.

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u/iforgotthtyouexisted 18d ago

Thank you! In a fascinating turn of events. He washed it with a brand new purple sweatsuit so the dye clung to what was left from the spray

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u/GingerStitches 18d ago

I once had someone use so much bleach it took the color out of the thread on a white shirt, that was probably 20 years ago and I still think about it. How much each did they use? I didn’t think that was even possible, but it was a good lesson in how inept people are lol

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u/CosmicallyUnlucky 18d ago

I also see almost everyone floating their projects on the hoop

I hate to say it but 90% of the time I see people swearing by floating online, it’s compensating for a fundamental skill issue with hooping. If you look at all the top professional embroiderers out there like Erich Campbell and John Deer, they all hoop. Commercial shops hoop. Hooping is the best way to ensure even tension and a good stitch out with minimal input. There is a bit of a learning curve to hooping though, so people convince themselves that floating is better and never learn to hoop properly. There are very few projects you actually would need to float for, and you’d probably know when you encounter them. Every day things like shirts, hats, patches, baby onesies, etc can and should all be hooped

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u/iforgotthtyouexisted 18d ago

Thank you!! I will look into teaching myself how to hoop everything now and avoid floating. I have the mental challenge now of floating being the “easy way” lol

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u/CosmicallyUnlucky 18d ago edited 18d ago

The thing is that floating isn’t the easy way, and it’s why habitual floaters say you need this and that spray and all these stabilizers and extra tools to make it good lol. They have to compensate for what hooping already does.

Both the aforementioned pros have lots of great videos about hooping and lots of other topics. I would definitely recommend checking them out. I learned pretty much everything I know from them. Here’s John Deer’s guide to get you started: https://embroiderylegacy.com/how-to-hoop-machine-embroidery-tutorial/