# Frustrated - question about embroidery stitches (chain-stitch)



## empa79 (May 9, 2013)

Hi All,

I've spent nearly the past two weeks emailing as many embroiders in the UK as possible and nobody seem's to know what I'm talking about/nobody has been of any help.

I'm after a word of text embroidered onto t-shirts BUT I specifically require the text to be filled in with a chain-stitch (or something that looks similar. I'm not an expert, I have no idea what the stitching terms are but I think the thread might have multiple strands). I've posted some examples below. 

I've tried to be as descriptive as possible to what I'm after. Can normal embroidery machines do chain-stitches?

If you could help me out please let me know, I'm looking at ordering around 100 t shirts initially for PR, and possibly a few hundred afterwards.


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## RickyJ702 (Jul 23, 2012)

empa79 said:


> I'm after a word of text embroidered onto t-shirts BUT I specifically require the text to be filled in with a chain-stitch


tshirts? i could see this on jersys and jackets. why would you put art that cost 25 dollars for a 5x5 on a 1.76 shirt? chain stitching is a dying art though. the only carrier of this thread is Robison-Anton and you have to special order it. my family uses an old 1942 chennile/chain singer machine to make this type of stitch. i will definately not put on a tshirt.


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## logoadvantage (Nov 16, 2009)

Simple answer is NO that was not done on an embroidery machine. 

Anyone doing chenille could do this for you no problem.

You could mimic it with a texture in embroidery and change out to Burmilama thread but that would not be something most shops would do unless it was a big order since it would require special thread, needles, digitizing, etc etc etc.

Rick


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

Looking at the pictures, my first thought was it looks like sequins.


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## Liberty (Jul 18, 2006)

You can pickup a chain stitch machine easy enough. Use a template and dust the centerline of the letters then freehand sew it on a chain stitch machine.

It has been years but on all of the old school letterman jackets that's how we did it. We had an old Juki chain stitch machine that paid for itself the first season we had it. Nine months of the year it sat in the corner but come fall and jacket season it ran all day every day.

Tackle twill kinda took over the market and we got rid of the chain stitch machine probably ten years ago.


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## sttbtch (Oct 5, 2010)

I am a Happy embroidery machine owner and we do chenille stitch all the time. It is not a dying art. American Eagle and A&F have made it quite popular. I am able to digitize any words to do chenille. I dont have a special attachment and I don't have to get special thread made.

I use Madeira Burmilana thread and they have it one line for purchase if you have a resale permit or I am fortunate to have a warehouse in my town. we do letter mans jackets and just started doing a line of sweatshirts for our high school book store that they can not keep on the shelf.


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## RickyJ702 (Jul 23, 2012)

sttbtch said:


> I am a Happy embroidery machine owner and we do chenille stitch all the time. It is not a dying art.


it is a dying art when it's handmade not machine(digitized) made. there is also a different look when you know someone has created it handmade.


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## sttbtch (Oct 5, 2010)

RickyJ702 said:


> it is a dying art when it's handmade not machine(digitized) made. there is also a different look when you know someone has created it handmade.



your correct there are flaws and inconsistency., the industry has converted to machine made to have less waste and to be a mass produced


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

Liberty said:


> You can pickup a chain stitch machine easy enough. Use a template and dust the centerline of the letters then freehand sew it on a chain stitch machine.


To me, operating a chain stitch machine is kind of like being able to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time. Takes a lot of practice and looks funny until you get good at it.


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