# Embroider on T-Shirts



## sewwhat (Dec 29, 2010)

I have a customer who has requested embroider on center front of a t-shirt. I have read several posts with both pros and cons on embroiderying on t-shirts. The design itself has a cross as the center of the design with satin lettering above and below the cross. The cross is about 9400 stitches. The satin stitch lettering brings the total stitch count of the embroidery up to a little over 20,000 stitches. What weight/brand of shirt would you use? 100% cotton (ringspun or other) or 50/50 blend? What stablizer? Iron on poly mesh and soft tear-away or cutaway? or....2 layers of poly mesh. How to prevent puckering after washing? Thank you in advance for all your input or suggestions.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

this will pucker no matter what you do. putting 20K stitches on a tshirt is insane. you could go with the pro club 7oz shirts, they are pretty heavy but they will shrink and the sewing will pucker.


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

I agree that is a lot of stitches.. If you can eliminate anything at all that won't change the logo much I would try and get it down. 

I did 11k on a shirt with heavy backing and its held up well but its really needs to be digitized correctly. If you can see if there are layers or any extra area in the design that can be removed try that.


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## 707embzone (May 24, 2011)

It realy pedends on the design and the digitizing, but try sliding a pice of cap backing underneth before you start runinig tha machine, the hat backing will hel with the puckering


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## zoom_monster (Sep 20, 2006)

What are you going to charge for a $2 t-shirt with 3/4 of an hour invested in it? A design could be especially digitized to work with as little backing as possible, but you're going to have one expensive t-shirt there.


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## gnizitigid (Jan 23, 2007)

20k stitches are too many......if u want, send me design and i will reduce these without any much difference in quality


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## digitizewedo (Nov 2, 2010)

Hi , I embroider on T-sirts all the time, Its not my favorite past time, but it can be done. First you need to compensate the design for the t-shirt. I recommend a few things, a good brand of t-shirt, I use the Gildan 2000 series t-shirts, I also use the smallest hoop that fits the design, I use either 2 sheets of heavy tearaway, and sometimes a solvy for on top for more support, or a heavy cutaway. I have sewn a large 5 x 7 inch design with over 40k in stitches on a t-shirt and as long as its digitized for the material and compensated with the right underlay, and pull compensation and the right backing it should work.


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## skits (Jun 24, 2009)

Dont worry about it. We do loads of tshirts with designs reaching even 30,000sts.

Yes design density has to be checked but no design for us has been impossible.

We use 2 canvas (one horizontal and one vertical).

If you can attach the picture of the design here then we can advice you on how to go about it.

Usually for large fills we would rather go for applique.


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## Teamwear (Mar 12, 2007)

We won't do it. Your customer just will not be happy with something that heavy on the center of a t-shirt. 

Charge them accordingly to produce a sample and then ask them if they really want it. I would not ever do a lot of pieces without them seeing it if I know I would not like it.

On the other hand, if you talk them into printing it they will not be happy either.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Teamwear said:


> We won't do it. Your customer just will not be happy with something that heavy on the center of a t-shirt. ...


i agree with that one. we just don't want to produce something that is a pos at the end of the day.


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