Ann The Gran Community

HI FROM NEW BLAINE ARKANSAS-----I need help with a problem I'm having. I was embroidering on a fleece blanket for a birthday gift. I almost had it done and than it happened! The material got stuck in the machine! It grabbed it and I had to remove the blanket from the hoop before I could get it out. Then I couldn't get it back in the hoop at the right place. What do you do with something like this? It's not the first time it has done this.

Before I started the blanket I cleaned out under the bobbin and put a new needle in. I was using 3 pieces of dissovable stabilizer. 2 in the hoop and 1 on top of the blanket.  If there is anyone that can tell me what to do about this,PLEASE I need help. I'm afired of sewing anymore, I can't afford to mess things up anymore. Your friend---horsearoundmom(Alice)

Hi Alice-What a great avatar!

You were probably caught (and I use that term lovingly) because of two different factors.  The first is your stabilizer.  While water soluble stabilizer (wss) is recommended for this project, you also need to consider a stabilizer like adhesive wss.  It will hold your fabric and still be washed away. 

Fleece has a little 'give' or stretch and that is how the fabric got into the opening in the first place.  Even well hooped fabric will do this without an adhesive.  That little stretch is hazardous to your project.  I sure have ruined one or two projects myself with this same issue.  The bottom line is that you must use the right tool for the job. 

Another point is that this sort of thing NEVER happenes in the beginning of a project, but when the fabric has been pushed and pulled it starts to push and pull back.

Please do check out my blog and the others that have lots of great information and tips.

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

HI, Thanks for the imput. I should have told more. I used adhesive on the water soluble stabilizer. I hooped 2 sheets of stabilizer and sprayed them. Then I put the fleece on and then another sheet of stabilizer. I didn't know if it was me or if it was my machine! I have a Brother Innov-is 4000. My husband got it for me in 2007. I love it (most of the time)

I have a Janome 9000, with the Customizer 2000 and Start sizer Gold software. It is for sale! It is just to much for my pea brain to deal with!

My Brother--you just put the pattern in and set your hoop and it goes! But it was a lot more money.

How do you know what it the right tools to use? I use what I have but I would love to learn more! There isn't any classes around close to me. I'd have to drive 2 hours to get to the closest big town.

Hi

I have done fleece and I use a tear away first, then a cutaway, the fleece and either clear plastic or tulle on top of the fleece.  Some may disagree with me but I don't like spray adhesive.  I gums up the needle on my machine and then I do run into problems.  With the cut away next to the fleece it keeps it from moving and going out of shape, the with the tulle on top again you get a smooth finish.

Hope this helps

Marge

It is interesting that you sprayed water soluble stabilizer (wss).  I would think that may have caused some deterioration of the stabilizer because fluid will cause it to dissolve.  I suppose if you put catsup on wss, it would dissolve.  I don't know if you would be able to see that deterioration because the two pieces would have fused together but not necessarily in a strong bond.

I agree with Marsuz, you need a cutaway for better results.  A fleece item should have a soft backing and a tearaway is softer than cutaway.  Look at the two of them side by side in single layer and you should see a little bit thru the tear away but less with the cutaway.  When you tear the tear away, you may find some fuzzy edge left, that is the nature of tear away, it does not tear cleanly.  I think (have not checked this) that after the first wash, that fuzzy edge should be diminished and several washings will remove it completely. 

The right tools are really important to a professional result.  I recommend reading my blogs.  I say that humbly, but sincerely, this is the sorts of issues I try to address.   When I do address things, readers are thoughtfully and sincerely put a word or two into my blog, so you have multiple eyes and opinions to assist in your learning progress.  WE ARE ALL LEARNING, and will continue to do so because they are coming out with more things for ME enthusiasts everyday.

Last month, I read an article about embroidering on a screen for a screen door!!!  Stay tuned, next week they will figure out how to ME on a spider's web. LOL

Check my blog(s) on this link.  I am also starting a tutorial on the PE700/PE700II machines.  While machines do differ, there are some things all of them have in common.   I hope you will learn something from each of my blogs because I plan it that way!

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer 

Hello, lady who loves horses.

Isn't that the way it goes .....everything works perfectly, and then it seems as though the machine has turned on you!  [:'(]

I have never taken lessons and lessons cannot prevent a spool of thread being defective or stabilizers not living up to the mfg's promises.

I have found a lot of information in books, especially those by Jeanine Twigg - http://www.embroideryresource.com/html/eme.html

This is also an excellent site for tutorials and videos - http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/elprojects/holder.aspx?page=techniques

With these books, tutorials and forums available today, you will soon know more than the people who work for the SM/EM dealers.

There weren't any forums when I started, and dealers didn't know squat.  As recent as two years ago a local Bernina dealer couldn't even demo the software....and she owned the shop!  However, the manager at a local Babylock dealer was absolutely the best, so I have an Ellegante instead of a Bernina.

For ME forums, my personal favorites are ATG and Sewforum and I visit a few other sites gathering information and techniques.

Test your design to be sure the stabilizer/thread/fabric/design are made for each other, or if they will fight each other.

Best wishes for many successful, fun projects.

Pattiann