An article showing you how to hand embroider a T-shirt. The perfect tutorial for beginners.
Adding embroidery to a T-shirt with stretchy fabric is easy to do with the right preparation and a little patience. The biggest challenge when embroidering on T-shirt is making the design so it won’t become distorted when the fabric stretches. Here is how I’m doing embroidery by hand, with step by step instructions perfect for beginners. I also added a few extra touches at the end of the video.
How To Do Embroidery On A T-Shirt
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Supplies and Tools
- Embroidery hoop ( hand embroidery kit for beginners )
- Hot fix rhinestone applicator ( optional )
- Silicone pad ( optional )
- Embroidery needle
- Embroidery floss
- Iron
- Heat transfer vinyl
- Alphabet cutting dies
- Heart cutting dies
- Sizzix big shot machine
Step 1: Preparing The T-Shirt
Start by preparing your supplies and the T-Shirt you want to embroider. Pick a design you want to embroider and print it on a paper. I used a little piggytails girl. Place the design inside the t-shirt and trace the drawing using a pencil, then fix the embroidery hoop around the drawing. Try not to stretch the fabric as it will distort your design when finished.
Step 2: Hand Embroidering On Fabric
Embroider the shoes using a chain stitch. If this is your first time doing embroidery, you can follow the video tutorial. Use the colors of the embroidery floss depending on your design. For the legs i used a back stitch. If the thread ends before you finish, make a knot on the inside of the t-shirt. Cut the thread away from the knot, so it will not come undone when washing. Continue embroidering using a new thread.
Finish embroidering the dress using the back stitch, and for the piggytails I used the same chain stitch used for the shoes. To create the eyes and the freckles I used a French knot stitch. If you follow along with my video tutorial, when you finished embroidering, place a silicone pad under the dress. I used rhinestones to decorate the dress, and I fixed them with a hot fix applicator. When you finished everything, start ironing the t-shirt so we prepare it to add some optional extra touches.
Step 3: Decorating The T-Shirt With Transfer Vinyl
I used the same method to decorate in the Heart Decoration Article. The only difference is that in that article I cut the letters using a cutter. Make sure you place the vinyl with the protective layer facing up. This time I used a cutting dies set for the letters and the hearts. Start by cutting anything you need for the design you wish to create. Place them in the desired spot, then fix them using an iron and let them cool down. Remove the protective layer, and iron them again by placing some backing paper on top. Your personalized t-shirt is finished and ready for you to wear it.
