The following lesson is designed as a guideline for future reference when embroidering on most knit fabrics. Some of the guidelines may change depending upon the fabric stretch, nap, thread type, stabilizer being used, the embroidery design size/density and the size of the finished project.
Materials Needed:
- 8” x 8” square of T-shirt knit fabric
- 8” x 8” square of Iron-on stabilizer
- Assorted thread
- Memory Card of choice
- Blue Tip Needle
To prepare your embroidery machine for this exercise:
- Attach the “P” foot.
- Fill a bobbin with Janome embroidery thread and place it in the bobbin holder.
- Insert a Blue tip needle.
- Set the pressure Dial at “2”
Instructions:
- With your machine power turn “0ff”, insert Memory Card of your choice into the card slot on the right side of your machine.
- Turn the Machine “on”.
- From the Menu, select the Memory Card key.
- Select the design of your choice. Press the Next Page key to view all of the designs.
- Fuse the iron-on stabilizer to the back of the knit fabric (following the stabilizer manufacturer’s directions). *
- If available, locate the design template and mark the crosshair marking on the fabric. Hoop the stabilized fabric. (Refer to the instruction manual for proper hooping.)
- Attach the embroidery hoop to the machine by turning the knob so it is parallel with the hoop. Insert the key into the carriage and turn the knob clockwise.
- Using the screen as your guideline, select the first thread color in the sequence.
- Thread your embroidery machine.
- Lower the presser foot. Press the Start/Stop button. Sew 5 or 6 stitches and stop the machine by pressing the Start/Stop button again. Raise the presser foot and cut off the extra thread close to the starting point. Resume embroidery by pressing the Start/Stop button once again.
- The machine will stop automatically after each color segment is sewn. Clip the upper thread and rethread the machine with the next color in the sequence.
- After design is completed, un-hoop the fabric and clip away excess thread tails on top and underneath.
*Hint: Depending upon the stretch of the knit, a layer of water-soluble stabilizer on top of the fabric may be needed in order to prevent distortion of some embroidery designs. Follow manufacturer’s directions for water-soluble stabilizer use.
