The Sewing Place

Fabric Identification please

Iminei

Fabric Identification please
« on: November 10, 2020, 16:45:07 PM »
My neighbour has given me a jacket he wants Elvistoo to embroider a Logo on and I need your help with identifying the fabric and any potential problems with embroidery.

Its a Regatta Jacket and has a label saying Soft Shell .. The label says 96% polyseter and 4% elastene

Now I know a good cotton and even a silk but Im lost with stretchy fabrics so Can anyone help me here ..

Ive seen something like this stuff before when I went to buy a pair of Jods in 2012 ... Instead of the Ribbed waffle stretchy stuff Im used to most of them were made from something very similar to this.

Any help???????
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Marniesews

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2020, 17:17:36 PM »
With only 4% elastane it probably has 'give' rather than out and out stretch. It's not a knit so microtex needles would probably be the best first guess I'd have thought. That's just where the problem is though, isn't it? It's going to be a guess, how low risk is the embroidery that you're applying and, presumably with no spare fabric, what do you do if you're part way through and things don't go well?  :o

I still belong to a couple of machine embroidery groups from when I was looking at buying a machine myself (I decided against it eventually somewhat regretfully) but I seem to see a lot of issues with broken threads and other regular hissy fits.

Nerves of steel required when it's someone else's garment, I suspect!
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2020, 17:27:52 PM »
Is the jacket lined?  Can you get to the back of the shell fabric itself?  I always use fusible no show mesh on the back of knits.   Then I hoop cut away stabiliser and baste the garment or fabric in the hoop.  That way there’s no hoop marks.   But you may not be able to iron on this fabric.   Not sure as I haven’t used it. 

Iminei

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2020, 17:57:47 PM »
Its a work 'fleece' and it isnt lined and I can see the stabiliser from the original embroidery

Im sorry I dont understand the rest of what you wrote @Ohsewsimple
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Ohsewsimple

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2020, 18:24:04 PM »
@Iminei have  a look at this video.  The stabiliser is hooped but the garment or whatever is being embroidered isn’t.  It is basted or tacked to the stabiliser.  You may have the ability on your machine to baste round the hoop or round the design like this one does. 
https://www.embroidery.com/floating-in-hoop.ec

The no show mesh is fine stabiliser and stabilises stretch fabric.  So in effect you are now embroidering on a stable cloth. 

Something else you could consider is sticky stabiliser like these

https://www.lordsewing.co.uk/floriani-wet-n-stick-1615-p.asp

https://www.barnyarns.co.uk/interfacings-backings-and-waddings/madeira-stablisers/sticky-backings/madeira-premium-sticky-backed-stabiliser-50g-per-metre-051sv57w-.html

https://www.bsk.co.uk/starlite-sticky-self-adhesive-embroidery-backing-stabiliser-various-lengths--widths-2984-p.asp

These are hooped, the top film is removed to reveal the sticky and the garment stuck to the sticky stabiliser.



Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2020, 18:32:17 PM »
You could also stick it to your hooped stabiliser with 505 temporary adhesive instead of using sticky stabiliser.

Iminei

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2020, 09:14:35 AM »
Elvistoo has the baste option (He bloody well ought to at £2K !!!) and I think I have sticky stabiliser somewhere in a big box that @Celia generously donated to me ... But is that the right stabiliser for a garment?

Apart from that I dont see anyone warning me about problems embroidering the fabric ... Would that be correct?
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sewmuchmore

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2020, 18:32:11 PM »
Is it fleece or softshell? you mention both. If it is fleece then you are going to need to put a water soluble stabiliser on top so the stitches don't sink into the fabric.
It's not easy being this perfekt

Janet

Iminei

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2020, 09:09:59 AM »
Nope I think its softshell outer and slightly fleecy inner ... although the inner is just the wrong side of the jacket.
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Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #9 on: November 12, 2020, 09:18:44 AM »
What I call proper softshell then, the right side of the fabric is probably knitted so a little bit stretchy?  Definitely float, stick, and baste before embroidering.

Iminei

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #10 on: November 12, 2020, 09:36:47 AM »
Stick so not tearaway or cutaway???
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Iminei

Re: Fabric Identification please
« Reply #11 on: November 23, 2020, 11:52:34 AM »
Stitched Beautifully .. I used Cutaway underneath, hooped and basted it in the end.
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