The Embroidery Column Heads up! Tips for embroidering onto caps
Images supplied by Woven Inc
Thinking of ways to grow your embroidery business? Have you considered adding customised caps to your portfolio? Madeira UK’s marketing manager, Natalie Greetham, shares how.
W
ith many different styles on the market from high and low
profi le, to structured six panel baseball caps, it can be diffi cult to know how to get started, but don’t be put off by thinking cap embroidery is too tricky to master.
Cap frames have improved significantly in recent years allowing for more accurate framing and registration and a 270° frame will permit embroidery in different areas all around the cap.
Frames and backing
Whichever style of cap frame you have it’s important to make sure the cap is tight inside the frame, hooped too loosely and you run the risk of bird nesting, thread bunching up on the back. Selecting the correct backing is as important for a cap as any other garment. Just because caps are often made from stable woven fabric don’t think that backing is not required,
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it’s still a key element for successful embroidery. Using a heavyweight tearaway will cover the panel seams, provide the extra stability needed and can easily be removed. Most embroidery suppliers will stock backing that’s already cut to the correct width for caps either on a roll or in pre-cut pieces.
Needles
To avoid needle defl ection and missed stitches using the correct size and style of needle is crucial. Madeira recommends using MXK5 SAN1 size 80 sharp point needles from Groz Beckert’s special application needle range. They are titanium coated, super strong and although slightly more expensive they are well worth the investment when it comes to avoiding thread or needle breaks. Don’t forget replacing needles regularly is essential and will help to achieve a consistent high-quality fi nish.
Digitising
Digitising is often product specific and understanding some of the limitations
is important. Caps are a great choice for branded merchandise but with a limited vertical area to decorate, it’s not always possible to use an existing design. Some alterations may be necessary such as increasing the pull compensation and adjusting the size of the design particularly if the logo has small text or extremely fine details. • Make sure that the design is of an appropriate size for the profi le of the cap.
• If the cap has a centre seam, a zig zag of underlay stitches over the seam will give support to the top stitching and prevent them disappearing into the seam. • To help with consistent
placement, wherever possible use the centre seam as the start and finish point.
• To help maintain registration and minimise ripples in the fabrics, digitise the sew path to stitch from the bottom upwards towards the crown and from the centre outwards.
August 2022 |73 |
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