Add metal to the mix of special embroidery techniques
at your fingertips. We combined foiling and embroidery on a leather
jacket in the January/February 2008 issue of Creative
Machine Embroidery (See “Foiled!” on page
30). Step-by-step instructions for the jacket treatment appear below.
Can't find CME in your area? Order a copy
online at SewNShop.com.
Supplies
Leather jacket
(Check out the local thrift store if you don’t want to purchase
a new jacket.)
Foil
Embroidery and bobbin thread
Cut-away stabilizer
Iron-on metallic shapes and hot-fix applicator
Embroidery designs of your choice (see notes below)
Instructions
Remove the stitches between the lining and the jacket front
so you have access for the embroidery. Roll and pin the lining
out of the way to avoid catching it in the stitching.
Embroidery motifs stitched on any leather or suede should be
fairly open, as dense stitching may damage and distort the soft
skins. Look for designs with light fill or simply texture fills,
often designed for use on fleece.
Test-stitch the designs on scraps of similar leather to be sure
they're appropriate for the jacket skin weight. Use a cut-away
stabilizer with temporary spray adhesive to avoid hooping the
suede. If possible, slow the machine speed.
Don't use a leather needle for embroidery, as it may cause unsightly
holes in the design area with every needle penetration. On most
leathers and suedes a titanium needle works well, on others a
topstitching or embroidery needle may suffice.
Print full-size templates of your designs and plan a random
or regular arrangement on the jacket fronts. Avoid having designs
cross seams as the added bulk may distort the stitching. Mark
the locations using removable tape, rather than drawing on the
leather.
After embroidery, trim away the stabilizer around the designs.
Test foil on the garment hem area to see what method works best
for the surface texture of the leather. Decide if you want to
foil under the embroidery and if so, complete that process before
stitching the designs. Otherwise, plan for adjacent foiled areas
after stitching is complete. The rough texture of the suede doesn't
allow for well-defined foiled edges like on a flat-surface fabric,
so keep that in mind when determining accent shapes.
Add metallic iron-ons to accent the embroidery motifs and collar
points for added pizzazz.
Linda Griepentrog
is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services in Portland, Oregon. She
writes, sews and edits for several industry companies.
Credits
Kandi Corp. provided the Small Brass Dome Star Brass It Up hot fix
embellishments and the Kandi Kane hot applicator tool.
Laura Murray Designs provided foils and adhesives. A DVD on foiling
is also available.
Sulky of America provided the KK2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive and
Rayon Embroidery Threads.
