For the Business of Apparel Decorating
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20 1 5 M A RC H PRINTWEAR | 65 last longer, they still degrade with wash and wear. Personally, I'd be aghast if some frag- ment of plastic worked its way from under one of my designs, even if the loops stayed tucked in place. For the best long-term look, use structural embroidery so that the thread manages the pile and lives as long as the rest of the design. As with other thick, textured substrates, one of the easiest, most effective methods to knocking down a pile is the light cross- hatch fill. Select a thread that closely match- es the color of the toweling to make a flat surface. This is done by simply filling a shape under the design that's slightly larger than the design's overall area. By running two fills at less than full densi- ty with the first at a 45-degree angle and the second at a 135-degree angle before stitch- ing the design, it creates a net of embroidery that tightly holds down the loopy surface without leaving it as smooth and impene- trably heavy as a full-density fill. This allows you to run a standard design over the top of the mesh fill without adding unneces- sary density. Done well and with a thread that doesn't provide too much contrast, the mesh fill will look like a debossed area more than an embroidery of its own. Appliqué is another method for fighting loops. To avoid working with pile, apply a fabric insert or strip in the beginning of the design and attach a material with a smooth- er, more even surface that can better uphold small detail in finished designs. Even with- out detailed upper-design work, the textur- al differences you can explore with smooth or shiny appliqué on the fluffy and rough surfaces of a towel can make for impressive contrast. If you work with the loops, it's necessary to digitize specifically for the fabric at hand. One way to work with the pile is to create designs that don't overly suffer from the problems loops create. If properly under- layed with structural stitching, large, bold lines and natural motifs will tolerate some of the variation that the terrycloth's surface creates. In a large satin-stitched monogram, add extra thickness and pull compensation to the satin columns with a combination of edge-walk and double zig-zag underlay. This page and opposite: When decorating on towels, one way to avoid working with high pile is to stitch on the woven bands. The lightly figured band shown here will likely stitch well. (All images courtesy Celeste Schwartz) Stahls .c om • 800.4.S TA H L S PW0315 STAHLS' Rip-Away Appliqué ™ is a simple, patented process that produces extraordinary results. All you need is embroidery equipment, a heat press, and Stahls' heat transfer materials. Deliver a vibrant, premium finished appliqué with a multi-color, multi-texture look. It's a whole new way to appliqué…try Stahls' Rip-Away. S TA H L S ' R I P - AWAY A P P L I Q U É ™ The season's hottest look, made simple Visit stahls.com/rip-away to learn more. Sew It Rip It Print It Shown: Rip-Away with CAD -CUT ® Glitter Flake™