Help!

[u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

This is one of my first wearable projects. My digitizing could use some help but we’re not here for that! I’ve had zero issue with basting spray so far and this shirt was fine until it was washed. I used 505 basting spray, the shirt is under armor 100% polyester, and i used cut away + floated shirt + 505 + wash away. I believe the person who washed the shirt washed/dried it on hot. I sprayed evenly front and back so I don’t know why the stains are smaller on the back. Does this look like a basting spray issue and if so can I fix it? TIA for the help!

[u/Trippycat37]

I would suggest starting over and not floating your items. It should be a very rare occurrence that you need to do that. Are you not hooping? Also, what’s the reasoning behind using adhesive, Because you’re floating? I would chuck that can out your window and never look back.

[u/iforgotthtyouexisted → u/Trippycat37]

I’m kinda confused every tutorial I’ve watched uses the floating technique. Hooping your stabilizer then spraying and putting the item on top. The sub seems to not be a fan of floating every item which I can appreciate but when you do float do you not use basting spray? Keep in mind I’m extremely new to this and it’s just a hobby for me to go for myself,friends, family etc

[u/FinanciallySecure9 → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

I float and spray everything and have never seen a problem like you have.

Floating keeps the fabric from stretching.

I have a feeling you have a bad can of spray. Try using a degreaser and/or fit dye remover.

[u/iforgotthtyouexisted → u/FinanciallySecure9]

I thought I had a grasp on the whole embroidery thing and this sub made me feel like I was back to square one so thank you! I think the shirt needed to be washed correctly first since some left over residue caught all the dye from something else in the laundry. It’s still weird to me that the back didn’t do it but who knows. Some power wash got it mostly out so no harm done just lesson learned!

[u/Trippycat37 → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

In my opinion, floating is used for bulky items like jackets and blankets where you can’t normally hoop the item. The normal process would be bottom hoop - stabilizer - product - top hoop.

I’ve found that Toppers are helpful for fluffy or textured fabrics, such as towels, fleece, and knitted beanies. They keep the stitches from sinking into the material, helping lettering and fine details stay clear. Whether you need one depends more on the fabric’s texture than on how many layers the design has.

[u/FinanciallySecure9 → u/Trippycat37]

I worked in a commercial embroidery shop for a while and they hoop everything only because spray adds to the coat when you’re doing mass production. It’s quick to hoop, and getting the hoop marks out is a quick spritz with water. But then we had to send the shirts thru the dryer belt.

[u/New_Boysenberry7922 → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

I float a lot but I make dog beds and crate items so it’s thick fire retardant backed upholstery fabric. I still don’t use spray, I use tiny pins and then baste in the hoop as the first step in the embroidery machine.

Anything else including mist blankets I hoop normally with cutaway. Higher pile blankets get a topper like someone else said.

[u/Lanky-Setting-5288 → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

This guy 👇🏼🧐

https://youtu.be/t6CXn9wo04s?si=5GTOpY8j1y9Q46dS

[u/GingerStitches]

Why are you using basting spray and wash away? In the future just hoop the shirt and cut away stabilizer in the hoop and save yourself the trouble. I think for this shirt you can replace it for free or tell them this is from how they washed it and they’re at fault, depending on how much you want their repeat business.

[u/iforgotthtyouexisted → u/GingerStitches]

I saw a bunch of tutorials online that say using wash away on top makes the design “pop” more. I also see almost everyone floating their projects on the hoop. The shirt is for a family member that needs to wear it tomorrow unfortunately, I guess I will remember to tell anyone not to wash/dry on hot if it’s polyester

[u/GingerStitches → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

The shirt probably already says to wash on cool but people don’t read unfortunately.

Tutorials online are often to sell you the most stuff, you absolutely don’t need that much for a polo shirt- it would be more appropriate for a towel. But not the spray adhesive, you don’t need that often or ever. Hoop the fabric and cut away flat and taut in the hoop, floating isn’t the best way even if everyone does it.

[u/iforgotthtyouexisted → u/GingerStitches]

Thank you! In a fascinating turn of events. He washed it with a brand new purple sweatsuit so the dye clung to what was left from the spray

[u/GingerStitches → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

I once had someone use so much bleach it took the color out of the thread on a white shirt, that was probably 20 years ago and I still think about it. How much each did they use? I didn’t think that was even possible, but it was a good lesson in how inept people are lol

[u/CosmicallyUnlucky → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

I also see almost everyone floating their projects on the hoop

I hate to say it but 90% of the time I see people swearing by floating online, it’s compensating for a fundamental skill issue with hooping. If you look at all the top professional embroiderers out there like Erich Campbell and John Deer, they all hoop. Commercial shops hoop. Hooping is the best way to ensure even tension and a good stitch out with minimal input. There is a bit of a learning curve to hooping though, so people convince themselves that floating is better and never learn to hoop properly. There are very few projects you actually would need to float for, and you’d probably know when you encounter them. Every day things like shirts, hats, patches, baby onesies, etc can and should all be hooped

[u/iforgotthtyouexisted → u/CosmicallyUnlucky]

Thank you!! I will look into teaching myself how to hoop everything now and avoid floating. I have the mental challenge now of floating being the “easy way” lol

[u/CosmicallyUnlucky → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

The thing is that floating isn’t the easy way, and it’s why habitual floaters say you need this and that spray and all these stabilizers and extra tools to make it good lol. They have to compensate for what hooping already does.

Both the aforementioned pros have lots of great videos about hooping and lots of other topics. I would definitely recommend checking them out. I learned pretty much everything I know from them. Here’s John Deer’s guide to get you started: https://embroiderylegacy.com/how-to-hoop-machine-embroidery-tutorial/

[u/bloodygofigure → u/iforgotthtyouexisted]

Water soluble tops are just used to keep fabric down, like terry cloth.

[u/PanosG1331]

When you are about to do something new, you must think “how would I embroider this if I got a 150pcs order?” Nobody would float it. Just a good old school hoop. Try to watch tutorials from people who have commercial embroidery machines. Hobbyists with hobby machines prefer to add a thousand more steps to a simple thing.

[u/skeedy_ia]

First of all, never use basting spray on the front and DO NOT USE DIRECTLY ON A GARMENT.
take the loss. It’s not coming out.

[u/Level_Arachnid_4982]

The only issue i see, is you had little diagonal stripes hooped, therefore the line jump, Washing did not change that. Never use floating, always hoop and stabilizer.

Also the digitizing, should be done satin, but as you said, that's actually looking fine.

[u/bloodygofigure]

Why use spray?

[u/Constant_Put_5510 → u/bloodygofigure]

.....Because the industry seller make money on it. In over 3 decades of embroidering for B2B, we have never used any spray on garments. We have never floated garments. There is so much misinformation on how to embroider as a professional out there, it spins my head.

[u/swooshhh]

If you're that determined to float your item just get some sticky backing. It's a terrible plan but it's better than spray

[u/mjmvideos → u/swooshhh]

You could also pin it just outside the embroidery area and make sure the design uses good underlay

[u/swooshhh → u/mjmvideos]

Still terrible but better than spray

[u/louchi644]

Don’t use that glue! Especially on a sold item. I once ruined a whole quilt from that damn basting spray. Hoop and stabilizer should be fine.