Good afternoon friends! Yesterday I opened the mail to find a copy of Creative Machine Embroidery magazine and was pleased to find that my BLOG was noted in the magazine as “One to Follow“!! While sometimes I struggle to find the time to blog, or struggle to come up with anything to blog about, it has always been my passion to share what I’ve learned with all of you! I know sometimes it’s boring (WAKE UP!!!) and sometimes I go a month 2 weeks with nothing posted, but please know I’m here and hope to bring you helpful info as often as I can!! Thanks for reading and thanks for the comments and encouragement! 😉
Now, as promised…. I monogrammed a hat Friday using FAST FRAMES and took some pictures to show you. I posted the other day about doing a visor on my BROTHER PR650 using the cap frame. You can do hats with the cap frame also, but if you don’t have a cap frame or want to unpack it from the box, you can use fast frames. I’m not promising this will work on all hats, but the ones I’ve done have been NOT-stiff and easy to work with.
I used the below frame, as the monogram for my hat was around 2″ tall and wide. You could always do your monogram bigger. I did this hat for myself. A) I rarely wear hats but thought it might come in handy this summer {I typically wear a visor if anything on my head}. B) Being someone in the business of monogramming, I never wear anything monogrammed!!! As you can see I’ve used sticky stabilizer on my fast frame and wrapped it around the edges. Am I the only one who stares at my frames to determine which side is the top and bottom….
The first thing I did was get the liner out of the way so I don’t monogram it. I simply pinned it out of the way! As you can see, this is one of those cute “pigment dyed” hats that are so popular right now (like the Comfort Colors tees). It’s ADAMS brand and I got this from a friend, but have recently discovered Apparel N Bags website where you can buy the Comfort Colors tees, these hats and other cute things!
I flattened the bill of the hat out so that I could attach the face of the hat {where the monogram will go} to the fast frame and sticky stabilizer. As you can see below, I pinned my monogram area in place and tried to line up the center seam of the hat with the center of the fast frame. This takes some practice and I had to adjust and move the hat several times to get it right. As I said, my monogram is only around 2″ so I didn’t need much space.
This is what it looks like underneath. My lining is pinned down, and the face of the hat is also pinned in place.
My hat is on the machine now ready to sew. Just make sure the excess hat is out of the way on all sides! Also, since this is a FAST FRAME and my machine doesn’t recognize it as any particular hoop, I checked my borders to make sure my monogram would fit INSIDE the area on the face of the hat. You don’t want your needle to hit the frame on either side!! I lined my lead needle up with the center seam on the hat.
My monogram is complete. I used Monogram Wizard Plus “Master Circle” font.
When done I remove the hat and frame from my machine, unpin it and remove the hat from the sticky stabilizer. I then remove any sticky stabilizer from inside the hat, unpin the liner and it’s ready to wear! Again, some hats have seams like the one below which shows you where to center the design!
Here’s the finished product!
I am a little obsessed with the color of the hat and the below T-shirt, which is Comfort Colors Bright Salmon! The hat may be Poppy or Nautical Red (Adams brand)? These are all samples for my upcoming class at Ruthie’s Notions {this coming weekend!!}. In lieu of initials, I put our 3″ Mini Embroidery Anchor on the below Comfort Colors tee. I’m also using my vinyl backdrop I got recently from Bubble Gum Backdrops on Etsy! This is a 36″ X 36″ pale wood vinyl backdrop. It really makes the t-shirt pop!
Also this week, I monogrammed a few UMBRELLAS! EEEekkkk!! Scary I know! They were really pretty easy to do and I took pictures along the way! First of all, I did use my 4×4 hoop as opposed to fast frames. The material of an umbrella is so thin that I was afraid sticky stabilizer would not come off easily or cause the umbrella fabric to tear in the process of removing it. I used waffle tearaway and water soluble “solvy” stabilizer on top.
Here’s what it looks like from the inside. I love the waffle tearaway when I need a little more substance than regular iron on tearaway! I “stuck” it in place with a little temporary spray adhesive (Sulky KK2000).
I put the hoop on the machine and rotated the design upside down so it would sew correctly. Again, I used Monogram Wizard Plus “Master Circle” font.
As you can see below, the handle of the umbrella simply rested underneath the arm. I kept an eye on it so it didn’t hit anything causing the machine to mess up.
This is what it looked like when I was done. I did 3, so these pictures have different initials on them. I removed the hoop and stabilizer from both sides, including inside the letters.
The waffle stabilizer is very easy to pick off. {I think I need some lotion!!!!}
Finished product! This would make a great personalized gift!!
I hope this is helpful! Please have a blessed week and live each day to the fullest!
I really enjoy your blog and the step by step pictures and comments. You definitely are very skilled and good at what you do. Please keep it up. I embroider for fun but it is so great to have such a helpful resource like your blog is to encourage me.
Can you use an innovis vm5100 dream creator to do umbrella
You should be able to!
Rosemary…..I hope if you cannot help me with this that a reader will be able to. There is bound to be someone out there that can help me!
My hubby and I have just bought a brand new iMac desktop computer…..but much to my chagrin my Monogram Wizard Plus and Bernina’s Artlink that I use on my Bernina 730 were run on our old PC. I contacted MW and they told me that I would have to have Parallels or Bootcamp on my new iMac to use MW+. I decided that with so many young people out there doing embroidery that there had to be some that were doing it exclusively on Macs. Did they use Parallels or Bootcamp? Do you use a Mac? It just seems as popular as Apple is that someone has learned to make this work on their products.
Thanks so much for your help!
Jane
I use a PC and know Sew What Pro can only be used w/ a Mac with a Windows Emulator such as Parallels. I know very little about Macs!
Hi Jane,
I do some hobby embroidery and use a Mac. I downloaded the Embrilliance software (http://embrilliance.com/) and have been pleased with it. Check it out!
Laura
I just got a new laptop today…was SO worried my Monogram Wizard Plus might not transfer from my old desktop, but it did!!! Long story, but I first bought a new desktop last week because I always heard my embroidery software was not compatible with a laptop…but things have changed in the last ten years…so 3 days later I asked if I could return my desktop and get a laptop, even though he had already transferred all my designs. He said OK. However…it is NOT a Mac. I still believe Mac’s are not friendly to embroidery software. And I love MWP – it is working fine on my new laptop. They are so helpful if you have to call them. Good luck.
I have the same story. Purchased a laptop because embroidery software did not work with Mac.
i use parrall s and ran windows on parrells and it works great
I ran in to the same problem when I purchased my new Mac. I was told the same thing about installing parallels. Since I work upstairs in my sewing room and my computer pretty much stays connected to my embroidery machine, I just went ahead and purchased an inexpensive laptop to use. I have my Mac downstairs where I usually am when I get on the computer to answer e-mails, shop, etc.
I purchased an inexpensive laptop to be dedicated to my embroidery when I discover my Mac Pro would not be comparable. Great results and keeps my mac for business and emails, etc.
I have a Mac and use parallel for the desktop. I love it- never a problem at all
Hi! You have been doing well keeping up with blog posts lately. Thanks! I have been looking at backdrops this week too so this was helpful. I’m wondering on the umbrellas. Do you know if they leak much after monogramming? I saw some waterproof stabilizer somewhere and was curious if it’s needed.
Cristina
I think it would have to be raining pretty hard to leak enough to notice! Most rain would just roll off the umbrella I think!
Jane- I’m not sure if this will answer your question. We have macs but I have kept my desktop PC to use with my embroidery machine so I can continue using SWP. Eventually I’ll make the switch to Mac and will purchase the embrillance software (assuming nothing new gets released). It’s Mac compatible and works basically the same as SWP (according to forums I’ve read). Hope that helps! It also wouldn’t surprise me if SWP eventually comes out with one- but I know that doesn’t help now. Not sure how MWP works either (I just have the trial). Good luck!
Love the umbrella Rosemary! And congrats on the magazine shout out! Could you link where you get the waffle tear away? Is this the same as polymesh no show?
I think this is it and I don’t think it’s the same as polymesh no show, but not sure?? http://www.sewingmachine.com/Waffle-TearAway-15-x25yd/dp/B003N3EDKO?field_availability=-1&field_browse=2265737011&field_keywords=waffle&id=Waffle+TearAway+15+x25yd&ie=UTF8&refinementHistory=brandtextbin%2Csubjectbin%2Ccolor_map%2Cprice%2Csize_name&searchKeywords=waffle&searchNodeID=2265737011&searchPage=1&searchRank=salesrank&searchSize=12
Thank you for such detailed directions! Although I don’t own any Fast Frames, I found the information very interesting.
The umbrellas are absolutely adorable!
Love the step-by-step on the umbrella. One question, do you put any seam sealing spray on the outside threads to keep raining from coming in under the umbrella?
Thanks!
I did not, but I believe there is stuff out there you can put on it!
I have embroidered on several umbrellas and never had leaking complaints. If by some crazy chance it did, its gonna be at the bottom so it shouldn’t matter that much anyway. Hope this makes you feel a little better.
Rosemary I love your designs. I just got on your blog today for the first time and am thoroughly enjoying it. Thanks a bunch for having me..
I love reading your posts! I am learning so much from you! I have a question about the pocket design. Do you use your fast frames and hoop inside the pocket so you can still use it or do you embroider on top of the pocket so the pocket is stitched to the shirt? Hope that makes sense:-) Thanks!!
Also, my used machine I just bought came with the hat frame and I’m honestly not sure if I will ever embroider a hat so I was thinking about selling it so that I can buy the fast frames. It’s good to know that if I do that I can still embroider a hat if I “need” to. Do you think it would be better to have the fast frames rather than the hat frame and driver? Thanks again!
I NEVER use my cap frame! I think I’ve used it 3 times in the past 5 years. I use my fast frames often on bags, backpacks, lunchboxes, etc. The only thing you really NEED a cap frame for is visors – I found them hard to do otherwise. But, I was able to do a hat w/ my fast frames no problem!
I stitch the pocket closed. Even though my machine can get inside stuff, most pockets are too tiny once you put a frame in there too. I have heard of people unstitching the pocket and then sewing it back on, but I just monogram them shut. I usually notify my customer beforehand to make sure that’s OK!
Love all your informative post! But my mother in law and I was just wondering the other day if I could put a design on the soft ball caps we wear (on days “off”) Lol! I just purchased my Bro 10 needle & did not invest in the hat hoop. I LOVE my fast frames!
& no- you are not the only one who stares at that darn fast frame to see what is top. haha. I was doing that the other day. So, I use my label maker & created a small label to stick on it so I’m not staring at it like a dummy. Lol!
I absolutely LOVE the monogrammed umbrella! It makes it look so fancy!
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
You could do the softball hats on the fast frame!
Rosemary, you are the bomb!!! Your posts are so informative, relevant and just fun! Thank you sooooo much for giving of your time to share tips and tricks.
I have never used that waffle backing but if you want to avoid hooping I always use sticky backing and fast frames with my umbrellas. I also use binder clips to make sure the umbrella doesn’t slip at all and the clips hold down my solvy topper as well. I haven’t ever had a problem peeling the backing off inside the umbrella. It looks like your method works great as well, but if you want to save some time and not hoop the fast frames are great 🙂
Thanks for writing your detailed blog posts. They are great!
What size hoop did you use and what size was your monogram? Thanks!
On the umbrella, I used my 4×4 hoop so the monogram is probably as close to 4″ as I could get it!
This is so interesting! I have been embroidering for several years but haven’t heard of a fast frame. Where do you get them? Thanks so much!
http://www.sewingmachine.com/7N1-Fast-Frames-Hooping-System/dp/B003VBBVTE
What style or type of hat do you think works best?
I’ve mostly done soft hats that are easy to monogram and flexible!
Thank you so very much for your blog of the umbrella. I’ve never done one but going to give it a shot. I’ve got someone wanting some done for Christmas. Will let you know how they turn out. Thank you so very much! Sincerely, Daphne
I have done dozens of umbrellas and I always spray both sides of the umbrella with a product called Force Field. Also if the monogram is done in black or on a black umbrella, I use a black tear away stabilizer and a black bobbin thread.
I purchased my Babylock from Ruthies! She is awesome!! I really must take some of the classes though!!! I certainly love her shop!!
She is great!! Congrats on the new machine!
Tried the umbrella with the recommended waffle mesh backing ordered specifically for this project. Used 505 spray to hold it in place while hooping. After monogrmming there is a sticky white waffle pattern left on the nylon. Any ideas for cleaning it off or should I just buy another umbrella?
Sounds like the 505 spray may have caused the waffle weave to stick?