# NEWBIE embroidery question for looping tees & onesies



## DapperDucklings (Feb 21, 2008)

OK, I just bought a brother PE750 embroidery machine to embroider baby blankets, bibs, etc. I am a COMPLETE NEWBIE to embroidering (and sewing for that matter) so excuse my ignorance...

I can figure out how to loop a blanket or bib, but how do I embroider on a t-shirt or onesie. Do I pull the back of the t-shirt away to embroider it. Is there a special loop to use to embroider so I don't embroider through both the front and back. yes, I know it's probably a simple answer that all of you know, but I figured I'd ask.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

I think you mean "Hoop" as opposed to "Loop"?

For the front of the t-shirt. you would place the outer hoop inside the shirt along with a piece of backing. You would place the inner hoop on the top of the shirt. When you put the hoop with the shirt on the machine, you need to make sure the back of the shirt is below the part of the machine that does the stitching or you will sew the back to the front. I can't tell you how many times I've done just that, caught the back of the shirt in the stitching.


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## DapperDucklings (Feb 21, 2008)

tfalk said:


> I think you mean "Hoop" as opposed to "Loop"?
> 
> For the front of the t-shirt. you would place the outer hoop inside the shirt along with a piece of backing. You would place the inner hoop on the top of the shirt. When you put the hoop with the shirt on the machine, you need to make sure the back of the shirt is below the part of the machine that does the stitching or you will sew the back to the front. I can't tell you how many times I've done just that, caught the back of the shirt in the stitching.


OK I do know what you mean, I have a sewing machine that has a pull off piece to sew arm pieces, etc. 

but... I am using the PE-750 machine from brother and the hoop/loop locks in on the left side, so there is no where (that I can see) that I can tuck the shirt under the sewing area. Am I making sense here? 

Maybe I have the wrong machine for this purpose???? Help!


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## imeccentric (May 13, 2007)

Coleen,
Your machine is just fine for what you want to do. All of us had to start somewhere. Just hoop the part you want to embroider on and slide the bottom out of the way so it isn't under the hoop. Either that, or, as most of us do, just hoop the stabilizer and use a tack spray and pins to hold the fabric down. Much easier , especially for newbies who have trouble getting the right tension during hooping. Your machine will do everything except caps(it will do those but you have to be pretty darned good and the quality isn't the best). Go to this home embroidery site to learn some tips. They have lots of information that will help you for all kinds of projects. Their designs are good too(although some are pretty dense). Embroidery Library Projects
Also, since you are new, you might consider joining a community for home embroiderers. ATW machine embroidery designs is a friendly, informative site and would be well worth your time to join. 

Jim
Embellishments in Thread


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## DapperDucklings (Feb 21, 2008)

imeccentric said:


> Coleen,
> Your machine is just fine for what you want to do. All of us had to start somewhere. Just hoop the part you want to embroider on and slide the bottom out of the way so it isn't under the hoop. Either that, or, as most of us do, just hoop the stabilizer and use a tack spray and pins to hold the fabric down. Much easier , especially for newbies who have trouble getting the right tension during hooping. Your machine will do everything except caps(it will do those but you have to be pretty darned good and the quality isn't the best). Go to this home embroidery site to learn some tips. They have lots of information that will help you for all kinds of projects. Their designs are good too(although some are pretty dense). Embroidery Library Projects
> Also, since you are new, you might consider joining a community for home embroiderers. ATW machine embroidery designs is a friendly, informative site and would be well worth your time to join.
> 
> ...


Thanks Jim i will look into those sites. My husband (who I would have thought was completely clueless in this type of thing LOL)  suggested using a smaller hoop so it would be easier to tuck the extra material away to embroider. I am going to try that too, because the hoop the machine came with is about the size of an infant onesie, which makes it harder to tuck the extra material aside. 

Thanks for the help. Guess I'll be spending the next few days experimenting and see what I come up with.


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## make_edit (Jan 25, 2008)

Your husband is right, always use the smallest hoop you can that the motif will fit inside it will help keep the material tight to prevent shifting. Just dont hit the hoop with the presser foot(I have done that on several occasions!Stuff can break!)


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## Buechee (Dec 22, 2005)

I have a Husqvarna Viking 955E, I was wondering the same thing. I'm glad I found this. Does anyone here make patches? That was one of the reasons I got that machine.

And I assume that adult tees are done in the same way. Just hoop and tuck, right?


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## make_edit (Jan 25, 2008)

I was on the verge of getting an order to make some patches, then it fell through. I read about the process, doesnt seem too difficult , just had to order/find a vendor for the blank patches themselves.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

If you have to buy the pre-made patches for $1-2/apiece and then stitch your design on them, it's tough to make money selling them. I made some for a client as part of a much larger order but we pretty much broke even on them.

I may look into trying to make more since we just got a Roland cutter. I could use the poly-twill as the backing and just stitch an applique edge instead of buying the premade patches.


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## Rayne (Jul 3, 2010)

DapperDucklings said:


> OK I do know what you mean, I have a sewing machine that has a pull off piece to sew arm pieces, etc.
> 
> but... I am using the PE-750 machine from brother and the hoop/loop locks in on the left side, so there is no where (that I can see) that I can tuck the shirt under the sewing area. Am I making sense here?
> 
> Maybe I have the wrong machine for this purpose???? Help!


I am in the same boat right now. I have the Brother PE770 and can't figure out where to put the extra fabric so it doesn't sew the front of the shirt to the back. Someone please help!


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## BML Builder (Jul 8, 2008)

I started out with the Brother disney machine and I found if I rolled the material up out of the way it worked the best for me. Also for the ones wanting to do patches check out the Madiera's AFS system. It is really an easy way of doing patches. The only problem with it is that you are limited to the size of patches you can make.


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## laz0924 (Jun 25, 2009)

I have a Brother pe770 and a commercial happy 1501 here is your solution to not sewing the back of the shirt, it's called a free arm. It lifts the machine about 4" so that the back of shirt goes under machine. I built my own out of wood 1x4's and plywood but they sell them for about 100.00 bucks. If you need I will take a pic and post it so you know what I'm talking about.


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## skaplan1 (Dec 20, 2010)

I am going to buy a brother 770 and i need know about the free arm you talked about in your last post in july


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## Elegant Stitch (Nov 7, 2010)

Hi there:

If you need videos to show how to hoop different items, just go to youtube.com and search for "embroidery hooping", there are some good videos that can help you with your problems. Follow this link to view some basic hooping techniques :

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtbCs8Clgp4[/media]

I hope this can be helpful


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## laz0924 (Jun 25, 2009)

I built my own free arm out of wood it's very simple but you have to have it or you will sew shirts together.
It lets the bottom of the shirt go under the machine, look for one online so you can see what it looks like then build your own. I did mine out of plywood and a couple of 2x4's


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## skaplan1 (Dec 20, 2010)

Thanks i have already looked into the riser. Will i be able to use it for newborn body suits that are much smaller then TShirts and the have a snapped bottom and a envelope neck. You can not open it up a much as a tshirt


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## laz0924 (Jun 25, 2009)

The width of the freearm is same width of machine. So you have to see if it will open that wide.


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