Are you missing out by not expanding your embroidery services to include performance wear? Performance wear is a multibillion dollar segment of the fashion and apparel industry - especially when you consider all the embroidery created for the active lifestyle markets like team sports, the golf industry and also casual retail consumers. However, performance wear can be challenging to embroider onto. The August issue of Stitches Magazine features an article by our own Marketing Communications Director, Alice Wolf, with some helpful tips on working with performance wear that's worth a look. Check it out here and turn to page 38.
Madeira hosted a webinar on embroidering with 60 weight and invited digitizing experts, Pat Williams and Rich Medcraft to help explain the uses of 60 weight thread as well as tips and tricks for using it in your embroidery. Loaded with tons of useful information for all embroiderers, you can catch the full recording of it below and on our youtube channel!
Did you happen to read the June issue of Printwear magazine? If you work with performance wear, or if you are afraid to take on this challenging fabric, we recommend that you read this article: "Six Tips for Stitching on Stretch". Written by our own product specialist Nancy Mini and award-winning digitizer Pat Williams, they troubleshoot how to embroider on this popular fabric the correct way! Visit http://read.uberflip.com/i/69552 and turn to page 78 (page 72 if you're reading from the physical magazine) to read the full article.
In the vast sea of embroidery that only uses a 40 weight Rayon or Polyester thread, an easy way to stand out from the crowd is to incorporate metallic threads into your embroidery repertoire. A good introductory metallic thread would be a 50 weight, such as our FS #50.
Pat Williams used FS #50 Gold 3 and FS #40 Astro - to achieve her elegant "Fit for a King" design.
The "FS" in our FS metallic stands for "fine silver", referring to its actual metallic content. A thin metallic thread, FS #50, is the easiest to run, and often can be substituted in a design digitized for a 40 weight thread. It is capable of impressive shading and can produce letters down to 4mm high - perfect for small lettering on logos, fine monograms and filigree embroidery.
"Gold Fish" created using FS #50 and Classic Rayon #40 by Rich Medcraft, a digitizer in Washington.
Tips on experimenting with metallic threads:
If you're new to running metallic threads, start with our FS #50 and incorporate it into any design that's been digitized for 40 weight.
For FS #50, we recommend using a #75/11 large eye needle, although you may also use a #75/11 standard eye needle if you'd prefer.
Reduce the tension on your machine slightly and drop the speed down to 600-650spm.
Avoid designs with lots of small detail.
To learn more about running our FS #50 embroidery thread, feel free to request a FS #50 Recipe Card. Madeira's 22 Specialty Thread Recipe Cards will be released throughout the year. Click here for additional information.
The longer daylight hours of summer can be harsh on embroidery that's exposed - unless you're running Madeira's Frosted Matt!
If you didn't already know about our Frosted Matt 40 weight thread, it's the only truly matte finish polyester embroidery thread on the market. It contains a ceramic ingredient that provides extreme color fastness, making it extremely resistant to fading from sunlight.
Embroidery design byAytül Küçük, Turkey
Its matte finish gives embroidery enhanced clarity, making it great for fine lettering and details. Also works well with shading and tone on tone affects. Being a polyester thread, it can withstand commercial laundering.
Frosted Matt is a general use 40 weight thread and runs similar to our other 40 weight threads, however you should keep in mind the following:
Frosted Matt is a #40 weight thread, but slightly thinner than a normal #40 weight so it is recommended when filling in large areas that you adjust the density.
For best results digitizing for Frosted Matt, set the punch parameter to 3.5 or .35 to maximum 4.0 or .40 stitch density.
A #65/9 or #75/11 needle is recommended.
To learn more about Frosted Matt, please check out our latest video.
So, stand out from the crowd with this unique embroidery thread and to the summer sun, we say Bring It!
