Can You Hand Embroider a Towel
Embroideries have become a common practice for decorating different fabrics. You can use it as home décor, gift it to your loved ones, or simply embellish your outfits. It is essential to understand that you can embroider in any piece of fabric depending upon your preference. From cotton shirts to chiffon skirts, there is an endless list of options for embroider-worthy fabrics. The world is your oyster when it comes to choosing the right material. Embroidery is done for two main purposes, to embellish or to personalize it.
Here we are talking about personalizing, and you can also embroider on the towel to make it more interesting. Towel embroidery is so popular these days that people are even using it as their bridal props. As a bridesmaid, you can gift an embroidered “His” and “Her” towels to the to-be-bride. You can either buy it or do it the traditional way and embroider yourself. The latter has more feel to it. So, here we are with a guide to towel embroidery and everything you need to know about it.
Can You Hand Embroider A Towel?
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Of course, you can. The entire process is extremely straightforward. You just need the necessary supplies and follow the right steps to get there. First, decide the pattern or message you need to add and draw with a marker on your towel. Secure the towel in the hoop and start stitching your design. That is it. You don’t need any extra training or preparation to embroider your towel. You can watch some YouTube Tutorials before starting to get a fair idea.
How To Embroider Towels By Hand?
Embroidering a towel is simple if you follow the right procedure. Just like embroidering any other fabric, a towel can also be made personalized with embroidering. Here are the step by step processes to complete your embroidered towel. So, let’s get started.
Supplies You Will Need
- Attractive Hand Towels
- Embroidery Floss
- Mark-B Gone Pen
- Embroidery Needle
- Embroidery Hoop
- Fabric-Tac
- Scissors
The list of supplies might change according to the embroidery you are going to make on the towel.
Now that you have arranged all the materials, let get into the process-:
Step 1 – Create The Message or Pattern
The first and foremost thing that will determine the quality of your towel is creating the message onto it. You need to first decide what you need to embroider on your towel and then move forward to making it on the towel. Get your marker, and draw on the towel lightly, just to get an idea of how to stitch the embroidery.
Step 2 – Secure Your Hoop
The next step is to secure your hoop and put the embroidery mark inside it. The inside of your hoop will be underneath, and the upper area will be on the top. Make sure to tighten all the nuts to secure your towel in it tightly. In case you have loosely tied your towel, you might not be able to stitch properly.
Step 3 – Start Stitching
Now the most crucial part comes in where you need to start stitching. A regular backstitch will be ideal for making this embroidery work. Just follow the marks you have created on your towel and make sure you are not out of line. You have to just remember the right way of tying the knots with your embroidery floss; it is a crucial part of completing your embroidery.
Step 4 – Wash Away The Mark
Once you have completed the entire stitching part, it is essential to wash off the markings you have created on the towel with a marker. You can either wash and remove the mark, or you can saturate it with water and a paper towel. Both ways would work the best in removing the mark from your towel. It is important to remove the mark as it won’t look aesthetically appealing after the embroidery.
So here you have it, embroidering your towel in just four simple steps. It would hardly take you 20-30 minutes to complete the embroidery and cleaning the towel. You can also use different types of embroidery stitches when, apart from the backstitch. But as it is one of the easiest stitching techniques, backstitch would be ideal for you.
How Do You Stabilize Towel For Embroidery?
This is particularly important for those who are going to embroider with a machine. It is true that a towel is a soft fabric that has high chances of getting sulked when the needle of sewing machines penetrate into it. It might hamper your embroidery as well, making it look inefficient. Hence, you need a stabilizer that can hold your stitches and prevent it from sinking into the towels. There are different types of stabilizers available in the market that are meant for different fabrics. If you are going for the hand embroidery, you won’t necessarily need a stabilizer, until and unless you are not confident.
To use a stabilizer, you need first to mark your design and then use the stabilizer over it, either with glue or spray; make sure to top it with a water-soluble stabilizer so that the stitches do not dissolve. Secure the stabilizer and the film with a hoop before starting to stitch in a sewing machine. Once the stitch is complete, you can gently remove the water-soluble stabilizer from the top and clear all the remaining pieces with a paper towel or damp sponge.
What Stabilizer Should I Use For Towels?
There are different types of stabilizers available in the market. When it comes to choosing the best stabilizer for towels, you will be bogged by the options available. Among all the options, the cutaway stabilizer is the most effective one that will do the work. It is also the best choice for terrycloth towels. Just spray a cutaway stabilizer with a fabric adhesive and smoothen the top of the towel. Using a water-soluble stabilizer on the top of it will also help in securing the hold.
If you are using thinner towels, it would be better to avoid the cutaway stabilizer as it might see-through. You can use tear-away stabilizers on such light towels. Do not forget to use a water-soluble stabilizer on top of it. This stabilizer will help the stitches to stay intact and not sink in. Research about different stabilizers and make sure you invest in a good quality stabilizer that will optimally help in your embroidery endeavor.
Is It Necessary To Use A Stabilizer In Hand Embroidery?
When you are embroidering our towels with your hand, you don’t need a stabilizer as you already have the embroidery hoop, and you can stretch the stitches and keep it intact by tightening it. In case your towel is flimsy, and you find it hard to manage, you can use a tear-away stabilizer to provide your fabric with the right support to the towel. You can easily hand embroider without a stabilizer if you know how to tackle your fabric.
Can You Hand Embroider Without A Hoop?
The embroidery hoop is an essential part of embroidering, but yes, you can go on without a hoop as well. These hoops are used to stabilize the fabric and prevent it from slipping and allowing you to make firm stitches. If you are using any other method to stabilize your fabric, you can follow that and avoid the hoops. It totally depends on your experience with the embroidery.
Should I Wash The Towels Before Embroidery?
A pre-wash is necessary before beginning with the embroidery. It will help in stretching the fabric thoroughly and preventing the cupping of the design. For instance, if you wash after the embroidery, there are chances that your stitches might stretch or shrink and ruin your entire design. So, it is always better to wash the towel before putting the stitches.
Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years.
I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills.
It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.
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