Cut a piece of medium-weight cutaway stabilizer a bit larger than your hoop. Spray the stabilizer with adhesive. Unzip the sweatshirt and smooth the fabric on top of the stabilizer leaving a few inches of the stabilizer extending out past the edges of the fabric. Use a straight edge to extend the center line out onto the stabilizer.

Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the stabilizer - leave a couple of inches of the stabilizer exposed. Doing this will allow the needle of the machine to easily reach the edge of the zipper.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the embroidery design (the file that starts with "X" followed by 4 numbers and one letter, or "Y" followed by 4 numbers). We are embroidering the left side of the split letter "A" (the file starts with "X" and ends with "a"). Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point. Embroider the design - the first thing that sews is the dieline. After the dieline has sewn, stop the machine.

If you're using the Hip to Be Zipped designs, some detail in the design may sew before the dieline. Follow the color change sheet to see the sewing order.
 

Spray the back of the corresponding fabric shape with a bit of adhesive.

Remove the hoop from the machine but do not unhoop the fabric. Lay the fabric right inside the shape. The dielines have small "tabs" wherever there is a point or corner on the shape. Align the points or corners of the fabric piece with the tabs on the dieline.

Change the thread to match the fabric color. The next thing that sews is a tack down stitch that sews about 1/4 inch from the outer edge of the fabric piece - this binds the fabric piece to the hooped fabric. Choosing a matching thread color helps this tack down to blend in with the fabric so it will not be seen. 

Change the thread color and continue with the design - another tack down stitch will sew. This tack down is a decorative stitch that follows along the outer edges of the letter.

To embroider the remaining non-split letters, keep the fabric and stabilizer hooped. Load the next file, move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point, and embroider the design. The first thing that sews is the dieline.

Spray the back of the corresponding fabric piece with adhesive, remove the hoop, and lay the fabric piece right inside the shape aligning the points and corners of the fabric with the tabs of the dieline.

Continue with the design - a tack down will sew next. This tack down binds the fabric piece to the hooped fabric and has a decorative stitch, so there is no need to change the thread color to match the color of the fabric.

Continue sewing each character until you're finished with the first line of the first side of the sweatshirt. Carefully trim away the stabilizer on the back of the embroidery. 

Repeat the hooping and embroidering process for each side of each line of text just as you did for the first hooping. When hooping for the bottom line you may have to hoop over the top letters - this is OK.  The letters will not be damaged by the hoop.

We also added a couple coordinating designs to our sweatshirt for a little more pizzazz.

Tips for laundering: Wash your sweatshirt using cold water on a delicate cycle. Turn the garment inside out to help protect the embroidery. Tumble dry on low. The applique will come out a bit wrinkled, but...

...press it with a cool iron and pressing cloth to restore it to its original crispness.

Whooooo's ready to get started? Stitch a name, phrase, or word, or pick from a variety of themes to embellish your hoodie, and choose colors that match your personal preference and taste. Whichever designs you decide to use on your hoodie, it's sure to be a hoot!