The Embroidery Column
Never overlook an underlay W
hen people first get into embroidery, most of their attention goes on thread colours, stitch types, and the finished design. What often gets overlooked is the part of the embroidery you never actually see: the underlay. Despite being hidden beneath the top stitching, underlay is one of the biggest factors in determining whether a design looks crisp and professional or ends up looking uneven and distorted. Think of underlay as the foundations of a house. If the foundations aren’t right, it doesn’t matter how good everything else is because the finished result will suffer. Underlay secures the fabric to the stabiliser, supports the top stitches, and helps prevent movement while the design is being embroidered. It also helps reduce puckering and stops stitches disappearing into soft or textured fabrics.
Choose the right one
Different stitch types require different underlays. For satin stitches, the most common is a centre walk underlay. As the name suggests, it runs down the centre of the satin column and provides enough support for narrow satin areas such as lettering, borders and fine details without adding unnecessary bulk.
As satin columns become wider, extra support is usually needed. This is where zigzag underlay comes into play. By spreading stitches across the width of the satin column, it lifts the top stitches and prevents them from sinking into fabrics such as fleece, towels and knitted garments. Many embroidery programmes automatically combine a centre walk or edge walk with a zigzag underlay to create a stronger base and produce a smoother finish. Fill stitches have different requirements because they cover much larger areas. One of the most common choices is an edge run underlay, which follows the outline of the shape before the fill stitches are added. This helps hold the edges in place and reduces the chance of the fabric pulling inwards as the design stitches out.
Larger fill areas often benefit from a tatami or double tatami underlay, which creates a lattice-like pattern beneath the main fill stitches. This provides a firm foundation for the embroidery, helping the fill remain smooth and even across larger areas. It also improves coverage by preventing the top stitches from sinking into the fabric and helps the fill stitches meet the borders cleanly, reducing the chance of unsightly gaps appearing around the edges. Choosing the correct underlay isn’t simply about the type of stitch being used. The fabric plays an equally important role. A design that stitches perfectly on a polo shirt may need completely different underlay settings when sewn onto a fleece jacket or a towel. That’s why, if you outsource your digitising, it’s essential to tell the digitiser exactly what fabric the design will be embroidered onto. Without that information, they’re forced to make assumptions, and the
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk September 2026 | 47 |
Threads, machines, needles – all important things in embroidery; but sometimes the things most overlooked can be the most important. Liz Woodhouse, founder and owner of the Embroidery Academy, explains how focusing on underlays could improve your end products.
underlay they choose may not be the best option for the material you’re using. A good digitiser will always want to know the intended fabric before deciding on the underlay and other stitch settings.
When not to use one There are occasions where underlay can be reduced or even removed altogether. Stable materials such as heavy canvas, leather or vinyl often provide enough support on their own, allowing the stitch count to be lowered without affecting the finished quality. Likewise, if an embroidered object is going to be completely covered by another element, or if the detail is extremely small, underlay may add very little benefit.
That said, removing underlay simply to save stitches is rarely the best approach. While it can reduce production time, it also increases the risk of poor coverage, uneven edges and fabric distortion. Any changes should always be tested before going into production, as every combination of fabric, stabiliser and thread behaves slightly differently. Although underlay is hidden from view, it has a huge influence on the finished embroidery. Understanding when to use centre walk, zigzag, edge run or lattice underlays will help you achieve cleaner lettering, smoother fills and more consistent results across a wide range of fabrics. It may not be the most glamorous part of embroidery, but it’s often the difference between a design that simply looks acceptable and one that looks truly professional.
Examples of underlays
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