Technically, all clothing can be embroidered on, but some are easier than others. Garments that are made of woven cotton or denim such as jeans, jackets, shirts, or anything with no stretch are definitely easier but the thickness of the material can be a challenge.
Stretch fabrics such as jerseys (t-shirts) and knitwear are a little more challenging to work with but less so with the right tools to help you along.
Materials you’ll need for Embroidery
- A garment you’d like to work on
- A design idea or transfer
- Embroidery needles
- Embroidery hoop (these come in lots of different sizes)
- Embroidery floss (The standard embroidery floss has 6 strands and comes in literally every colour you can imagine. DMC and Anchor are the most well-known brands. I often use fine crochet cotton which is easy to come by too and is just as effective).
- Scissors
- Washable or heat reactive pens (I use my daughter’s washable felt tip pens most of the time!)
Embroidering on denim or non-stretch woven cotton
This is the easiest fabric to start with. Draw your design onto the fabric with a washable pen. Then use a hoop over the area to make sure the fabric is stable. Then fill your design with whichever stitches work best. Honestly, on denim and heavier cotton, all stitches work. Make sure you finish your stitches properly so they don’t unravel on the first wash!
For knitwear, I tend to use neither a hoop or stabilizer but I have to be super careful not to pull the stitches too tight.
Embroidering on stretch fabrics
Most people use a type of stabilizer designed for embroidering on stretchy fabrics. Some are temporary and dissolve or tear away while others are permanent. I tend to use the temporary version as I don’t like the heaviness of the stitches with an extra layer of fabric behind but it is really up to personal preference.
With any of the stabilizers, the goal is to prevent the fabric from stretching, which would distort the embroidery once it’s removed from the hoop. To accomplish this, the piece of stabilizer should always be larger than the embroidery design and hoop you are using.
Depending on the type of stabilizer material you are using, it’s often a good idea to draw the design on the garment before you add the stabilizer. You can also use a hoop to add more stability but only with the stabilizer.
For knitwear, I tend to use neither a hoop or stabilizer but I have to be super careful not to pull the stitches too tight.
Modern embroidery as art
If you don’t want to embroider a piece of clothing, you can create wonderful pieces of wall art with some simple cotton fabric, a hoop, and some coloured threads.
