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Fabrics 101: Embroidering on Taffeta
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Fabrics 101: Embroidering
on
Taffeta
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The word "taffeta" is
synonymous with "wedding"
and "prom." It's a luxurious
and lustrous woven fabric
traditionally made with silk
or synthetic (polyester)
fibers.
The fabric has a similar
feel to crepe-backed satin,
but it's stiffer and more
crisp. As well as being used
in prom dresses, wedding
dresses, and evening gowns,
it's also used in home decor
items, such as curtains. |
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The word
"taffeta" means
"twisted woven" in Persian. |
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Taffeta is quite smooth and
slippery -- indeed, it's one
of the most slippery fabrics
around. Because of that,
special measures should be
taken to ensure that the
fabric doesn't slip in the
hoop while stitching.
To help hold the fabric in
place, spray the stabilizer
with a temporary adhesive (I
like Gunold's KK100). Smooth
the fabric on top, making
sure that there are no
ripples or bumps. Then, hoop
the fabric and stabilizer
tightly together. |
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Taffeta is
slippery; use special measures to
ensure that it doesn't slip around in
the hoop. |
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When
hooping, start with a non-slip surface.
Place a piece of rubberized shelf liner
on a flat surface. Place the outer hoop
down first, and loosen the screw. Then,
place the fabric and stabilizer on top.
Press the top hoop into place, and
tighten the screw.
When stitching on taffeta, use a
medium-weight cutaway
stabilizer (2.5 ounce). Using cutaway
prevents the fabric fibers from shifting
and skewing, and brings the most
professional-looking results to your
embroidery.
When stitching with very light designs,
like toile, Redwork, or sheer designs,
it's possible to use tear-away
stabilizer. However, if you see any
shifting, gapping, or poor alignment,
switch back to cutaway stabilizer.
There's a handy article written by Anne
Campbell that demonstrates
Perfect Hooping techniques, which
are excellent when working with slippery
fabrics.
Click here to read that article.
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Many embroiderers use an
embroidery needle. After
all, we're using an
embroidery machine -- so
using an embroidery needle
seems logical.
However, an embroidery
needle has a rounded tip,
and in my experience, a
rounded tip needle creates
fuzzy stitches. I prefer to
use a sharp sewing needle
(75/11), and find that it
gives crisp edges, neat
stitches, and a professional
look. |
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Using a
sharp sewing needle keeps the
edges of the design nice, neat, and
crisp. |
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This design is a
solid-filled damask flower.
It has nearly 30,000
stitches in it, and the
taffeta supports that
beautifully!
When choosing designs,
consider how the fabric will
be draped. If you're
stitching for a skirt or
gown, then the fabric will
need to drape well. Lighter
and more open designs will
flow better with the fabric.
If making home decor
projects (e.g. pillows),
then draping isn't a
concern. For projects like
that, a heavier and more
complex design like the
damask flower will work
great. |
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Debonair Damask Flower from Embroidery
Library |
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The
Rose Silhouette is a
great example of a light,
airy, and open design that
works beautifully on
taffeta, and still allows
for maximum effect when
draping. Skirts, dresses,
and scarves will be stunning
with designs of this type. |
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Rose Silhouette from Embroidery Library |
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Stitching tips for
taffeta:
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