Through my embroidery business I have stitched hundreds of corporate logos, team items and unique baby accessories. I am always open to new ideas; once in a while a customer will bring me a special request. This time the request was for a kindergarten t-shirt. The mother’s youngest of 4 children was starting kindergarten in a few weeks and she wanted a special send off outfit for her 5 year old.
Check in with me for next week on Software Saturday to learn how I created the text for the Kindergarten Rocks t-shirt. Below I list the steps for embroidering a child’s t-shirt with the requested text. The Children’s Perfect Placement Kit was used to align the design centered on the t-shirt.
1. Pre-wash a purchased child’s t-shirt (youth size medium was used) and press before stitching. Position the t-shirt on flat surface and place the template labeled: center front youth small/ medium on the t-shirt. Line up the black bold lines on template with the bottom of the t-shirt ribbing.
Place a target sticker in the center hole of the template. The target sticker will designate the center of the embroidery design.
- I sized my embroidery design to fit in a 5×7 Monster Snap Hoop (check DIME for hoop sizes and models to fit your multi-needle machine) to make hooping easy and quick. Embroidering a child’s size t-shirt is so simple with a multi-needle embroidery machine. The bulk of the fabric hangs in front of the machine and out of the way of the embroidery attachment.
- Use fusible cut away poly mesh stabilizer on the wrong side of upper portion of t-shirt. Lay the magnetic frame of the Monster Snap Hoop on a flat surface and cut the stabilizer larger than the frame.
Make sure to iron the stabilizer centered in the area to be stitched. 
Turn the t-shirt right side out and slide the magnetic, teal frame inside the t-shirt (magnets facing the top). Attach the metal frame on top with target centered within the metal frame.
- Slide the frame onto the multi-needle machine with the neck area placed over the bobbin throat. Use your hands to feel underneath the t-shirt for any excess fabric. Line up the target sticker with the correct needle bar (this is a great time to use the live camera if available on your machine).
- Remove the target sticker and add water soluble stabilizer (light weight type) to the top of the fabric. Use the automatic basting feature to tack down the stabilizer.
- Embroider the t-shirt and remove after stitching is complete. Turn t-shirt wrong side out and clip the basting files carefully.
- Re-iron the cut away stabilizer from the wrong side of t-shirt. The adhesive is deactivated and can be trimmed.
- Turn t-shirt right side out and spritz with water to remove excess water soluble stabilizer from the text design.
Use the coupon link to save $10 on my Craftsy class: How to Start a Machine Embroidery Business.
https://www.craftsy.com/ext/MarieZinno_4963_D
14 COMMENTS
Pam Bjorlo
9 years agoThanks for such thorough explanations. I am going to look into the hoop pictured for my 10 needle. I LOVE to embroider and so glad I found your blog. I got the blog address from Lorraine. She is a big fan. Thanks again, Pam
marie zinno
9 years agoI’m glad you like the blog. I hope you find more inspiration and helpful techniques in future posts.
Donna Fecteau
9 years agoThat is adorable! Thanks for all the instructions.
Jeannette
9 years agoWhere is the coupon code?
marie zinno
9 years agoHere you go Jeannette.
It is listed above “Related Posts”
https://www.craftsy.com/ext/MarieZinno_4963_D
Maureen
9 years agoEvery time I read one of your blogs I learn something new, or remember something that I always forget to do. Like de-activating the stabilizer to trim it. Thanks for the reminder!
marie zinno
9 years agoThere is a lot to learn in the machine embroidery craft, it’s nice to have have a blog just for us! Thanks for writing.
Carolyn
9 years agoLoved learning about the fusible cut-away stabilizer in a previous blog entry. It’s made a big difference in embroidering tee shirts. Plus, I LOVE my magnetic hoops!
marie zinno
9 years agoThanks for the nice comment.:)
Clem
9 years agoIs it possible to embroider the top of the foot on a sock? My son requested this for a surprise gift for his wife, but I could not figure it out! Thanks!
marie zinno
9 years agoIt is possible, however you will need a multi-needle machine for sure.Use the Quick Snap hoop frame system and larger size sock that will fit over the bobbin throat of the machine. Quick Snap has a few small size frames that would work for this particular item.
http://www.shop.dzgns.com/collections/designs-in-machine-embroidery-snap-hoop-hooping-systems/products/quick-snap
Clem
9 years agoOhhh…not the cuff, the part that is hidden by the shoe! Thanks…just a clarification!
Kitt
9 years agoI love your blogs, I learn a lot. Little tricks I had not thought of that makes the jobs a lot easier. Thank you for posting these helpful hints.
Annette
6 years ago[email protected]