May 25, 2016, Webinar Q & A Backing Basics: Your Backing Choice Can Make or Break Your Next Embroidery Project

Transcription

1 1 May 25, 2016, Webinar Q & A Backing Basics: Your Backing Choice Can Make or Break Your Next Embroidery Project 1. When putting backing on for a t-shirt, and using 2 layers of No Show backing & 1 layer of Crisp Tear Away, is there an order of placing them? Such as the crisp next to the fabric or the No Show next to the fabric? a. Yes, you would place the Weblon No Show backing next to the garment with the light weight Tear on the bottom. This is done so that the Tear Away backing can be easily torn away leaving the Weblon no show product to be trimmed away with scissors or shears. 2. When you say, "light weight," is it always 1 oz.? What are the ounces for medium weight? a. For Tear Away backings a 1.0 oz. is the light weight. A 1.5 oz. is a medium with a 1.8 oz. considered a heavy weight. 3. If you use Tear Away, won't it shrink around the embroidery after it's washed? a. Tear Away backings should be used for stable fabrics only. Once it is torn away, little to no backing is visible except for underneath the stitches. Most Tear Away backings will eventually wash away. 4. If you use two pieces of E-Zee Cut together, would you put the directions of the two pieces in opposite directions? a. Basic Cut Away backings are non-woven and have no directional differences. It is not necessary to alternate them. 5. What will the embroidered towel look like after it's been washed? a. When you use a Tear Washaway backing, you would tear away as much of the backing as possible. Any left over fuzzy pieces will dissolve when laundered, leaving a clean look on the back side. 6. Will this webinar be available on your website to listen to again? a. Yes, it is available on YouTube. Click Here to view it now! 7. Would you ever use a topping on a hat? a. Yes, for knit hats, you would want to use E-Zee Aqua Supreme water soluble topping to prevent the stitches from sinking in and getting lost. Designs embroidered on textured baseball caps would also benefit from a topping. 8. What about if you are embroidering on the back of a stadium chair where the back side will be seen. What do you recommend on this? a. Using a Tear Away for sure will allow you to tear most of the backing away for a clean look on the back side. For dark fabrics, using black bobbin thread along with a black Tear Away backing will give you the best look.

2 2 9. If you use 2 layers of a stabilizer, do you hoop both layers, or only hoop one and float the other under the hoop? a. Hoop both of them within the hoop. If you use the No Show stabilizer, add the 1 layer of light weight Crisp Tear Away underneath, and also hoop that one in. Do not hoop together any more than the 3 layers. You will not get a flat surface. It has a tendency to bubble up if you use more. 10. I missed a word that Joyce said. Put a hand towel over the cap and steam? What am I laying the cap over to do this? a. You are laying it over your cap hooper, or cap frame, that you use to hoop your cap with so that you have the same shape as the cap. 11. I m a newbie and missed the first 15 minutes! What do you recommend for a large, high stitch count design being stitched on a somewhat stretchy denim jacket where I don't want the backing to show on the inside? I m using a magnetic hoop. a. A heavy weight Tear Away backing would work great for this application. 12. What is the difference between No Show and Weblon? a. They are one and the same. E-Zee Weblon No Show is a non-woven stabilizer that works great with the thin, slippery, polyester performance wear fabrics. Watch for an invitation to our next webinar for more information on embroidering on performance wear, or contact our Customer Sales & Support department with questions at any time. 13. Do you use any iron spray with the iron? a. No, you do not. You just use the steam from the iron. You do not have to spray it. 14. So, on towels we should use a Crisp Tear Away, not a Washaway stabilizer? Why is that? I have used Washaway stabilizer on towels before. a. Tear Away Washaway backing can be used on towels and linens when they are going to be washed prior to presentation. When embroidering on gifts, you may want to consider a Crisp Tear Away stabilizer that can easily be torn away for a clean look on the backside. 15. What Do You Mean By "Badge Effect"? How do I prevent it on high density designs that require two pieces of 3.0 oz. Cut Away backing to not pucker? a. Badge Effect is when too heavy a backing is used. This is most apparent on light weight fabrics when the backing can be seen when worn. 16. What is a good starter collection of backings? a. Two starter packs were created just for you. Please Click Here to view them on our post webinar specials page online.

3 3 17. When you use no woven Cut Away and Tear Away in what order do you use it? Which one is used closer to the fabric? a. When using a combination, always keep the Cut Away backing next to the garment so that the Tear Away can be easily removed after embroidery. After which, the Cut Away can be trimmed. 18. Does it make a huge difference on swim suits if you use Tear Away instead of Cut Away? Some prefer it because it s not as obvious on the swim suit after it is washed. a. You have two options. E-Zee Tear Stitck-on can be used and then torn away once the embroidery is done. E-Zee Cut Washaway Plus is an alternative to the Tear Away backing. Both are fine for swim wear. One tears away, while the other must be washed away. 19. Would it be correct to assume that the Aqua Supreme shouldn't be used as a backing? a. Yes, that is correct. Its true intent is a water soluble topping. 20. How do you prevent puckering with Weblon? a. E-Zee Weblon No Show backing provides a low profile stabilizer most effective on light weight fabrics. If you are still experiencing puckering, you may want to look at the digitizing of the design. Ensuring that the design has been digitized for the fabric will aid in reducing puckering. 21. What backing should I use for hats with mesh backs? a. Use the same 3 oz. Cap backing for any of the caps. If you are worried about it showing, it tears away very clean. If you are trying to embroider on the back of a plastic or nylon mesh back part of the cap, it is best to lay down some complex fill under the lettering to hold it in place better. 22. Would a hat heat press do the same thing as the iron? a. No, it does not. You need the steam. I tried it with a cap heat press and it left marks on the bill of the cap, plus I did not have the steam. You need the steam along with the slight pressure of the iron. 23. How do you stop the embroidery design from buckling and scrunching up? We constantly have to iron our embroidery to make them look crisp. a. Choosing the correct backing and digitizing will prevent puckering most times. 24. When cutting away your Cut Away stabilizer, is it bad to cut too close to the embroidery design? Is it bad to leave ⅛ inch backing rim as opposed to a ¼ inch rim? a. One quarter to one eighth of an inch are both great amounts of backing to leave around the edge of a design. Ideally, the closer the better, however you would want to avoid nicking the fabric. Always hold the backing while trimming, with the garment in view to avoid nicking the fabric by mistake. 25. What is the purpose of the waffle pattern on some backings?

4 4 a. E-Zee Weblon No Show backings have an embossed,or waffle, look to them. There is no specific benefit from the embossed characteristic. E-Zee Waffle Just Right backing also has some what of a waffle look to it with the uniform perforated holes. These holes allow this soft, Tear Away backing to easily tear away. It is an excellent choice for delicate designs and delicate fabrics. Little to no stress is caused when torn away. 26. What is No Show backing? a. No Show backings are low profile backings that work well with lighter designs on light weight fabrics. E-Zee Weblon No Show and the new E-Zee Cut Performance backings are both No Show backings. 27. Do you need less backing needed if you're embroidering puff foam on a hat? a. Stability is still needed when embroidering with puff foam. Cap backing helps to keep the cap still during the embroidery process. 28. Can you use topping as "backing" on towels? a. Water soluble toppings such as E-Zee Aqua Supreme are intended for use as toppings only. I would recommend E-Zee Cut Washaway for the stabilizing on the back side of towels. 29. I would like a written explanation of the topping ball method! a. Please Click Here for an instructional sheet and tutorial for E-Zee Aqua Supreme. 30. What about the topping? Isn't that Wash Away? a. Yes, water soluble topping will wash away. 31. When you say mesh side and back, you are not referring to the plastic mesh trucker type cap, are you? a. Yes, that is correct. 32. I find the lighter weight polo and t shirts challenging with heavier stitch logos. I usually use 2 layers of No Show and one layer of 2 oz. Tear Away. Sometimes there are still some minor puckering problems. Any suggestions? Should I use a 3 oz. Crisp Tear Away instead? a. A 1.0 oz. or 1.5 oz. Tear Away should suffice in conjunction with 2 layers of E- Zee Weblon No Show stabilizers. When embroidering on the lighter weight fabrics, you may want to consider lightening up the actual designs. Increasing underlay allows you to lighten up on density of the top fill areas. Reducing the stitches may help with this. Also, be sure that your designs are digitized for knit materials. 33. On mesh caps - similar to Richardson's I should use backing and topping, right? a. If there is any texture of loft to the cap, a topping will help to hold the stitches up creating a clean, crisp design. Backings should always be used.

5 5 34. What backing would you suggest to use when you have a larger stitch count design (up to 30,000 stitches) on a left chest logo? I work with a lot of Under Armor brand garments. a. You may find that most 30,000 stitch count designs are simply too large for this performance wear fabric. E-Zee Weblon No Show and E-Zee Cut Performance backings are perfect for these light weight, slippery, polyester fabrics. Proper digitizing will give you the best results. 35. What backing do you suggest for white garments? a. All backings are available in white. You would use these for most garments, including white. For thin white garments, best results will be achieved using E- Zee Weblon No Show or E-Zee Cut Performance backings. 36. Will 2 pieces of the performance backing handle more than 8,000 stitches? How many stitches would max it out? a. Yes, E-Zee Cut Performance will stabilize larger designs when doubled up. Knowing the fabric's limitations will ensure great looking embroidery. Be sure to watch for our next webinar on performance wear, or contact our Customer Sales and Support department with any inquiries. 37. When is the embroidering on performance wear webinar? a. Within the next month or two at the most. Watch your s or online at for details. 38. Do you use the Stick-On Tear Away by itself on velvet? a. Yes, hoop burns are easily avoided when you hoop E-Zee Stick-On backing with the release paper up. Score the paper and remove it, in order to expose the sticky side of the backing. Simply stick the velvet fabric on to the backing to hold it in place while embroidering. Un-hoop and tear away excess backing. 39. How do you determine heavy density? Is there a number you reach that determines if it is a heavy density design? a. Heavy density usually refers to the fill area of a design. When choosing backings, go heavier for large fill area designs. 40. Is there a guide somewhere that shows by number of stitches/by woven vs. non-woven - the recommended backing weights? a. I do not have one. I just use 2 layers of the medium weight Tear Away for woven fabrics and if needed, I will take another layer of the Tear Away, fold it in half and float that under the hoop. This works great for heavy stitch counts. For extremely heavy stitch counts, use a 3 oz. Tear Away, the same backing that is used on caps. Purchase it in a roll so that you can cut it to fit your hoop. 41. How do you know how many stitches a certain material can handle?

6 6 a. Design sizes are subjective to the types of stitches used in a design. Put simply, a design consisting of 7,000 running stitches could be quite large, compared to a 7,000 stitch design consisting mostly of fill stitches and detailing. That being said, learning to know the fabric's limitation will allow you to determine if it can support a design. Digitizing is just as important as a backing choice. 42. What would be the best backing to use on dog collars? Since they can't be hooped I imagine this Stick-On Tear Away, but I don't want to see any backing on the back side of the collar. a. E-Zee Tear Stick-On backing is a Tear Away backing. Depending on the design, most, if not all, backing can be removed once the embroidery is done. 43. Does it hurt to always use a topping when embroidering lettering on performance shirts or knit polo s? a. Using a water soluble topping will always help to enhance the crispness of the design. Especially with thin lettering. 44. When I use the Weblon No Show fusible backing, it gets a course feel from the glue melting, how do I avoid that or will it go away when washed? a. E-Zee Weblon No Show Fusible backing s true intent is to be used as a backing finisher. It does tend to leave some residue when removed. Try heating it up slightly before removing. 45. What type of backing would you recommend for a child's fleece blanket, where the back will be seen, but will be washed multiple times? a. Using E-Zee Cut Washaway would work great for fleece blankets. Don t forget water soluble topping, too. 46. Would the Cut Away Washaway Plus be good for stretchy headbands? a. Yes, it would work great. 47. How many pieces of performance backing would you use for performance wear? a. It would depend upon the design. A single piece would suffice for a 7,000 to 8,000 stitch design. Two pieces can be used along with a layer of a light weight, Crisp Tear Away backing for larger or more dense designs. Keep in mind that performance wear is a light weight, stretch fabric. Designs should not be too large, as they can over power the fabric and the garment will not hang well when worn. 48. I didn't understand the term, "Walking the machine." Would you explain? a. Walking the machine is when you press and hold the Start Button of your machine. Most machines will not take off and run at full speed until you release the button. This allows the first 10 to 20 stitches to run smoothly and will avoid thread breaks when embroidering caps. 49. Do you soften all hats, or just structured?

7 7 a. This is for the structured caps. I do not press the unstructured caps at all. 50. Please, elaborate when to use the different types of needles. a. Use Ballpoint needles for knit and lightly woven fabrics. Use Sharp pointed needles for heavy woven fabrics and caps. The size of a needle is determined by the type of thread being used. Click Here to download a Needle Chart. 51. Do you suggest 2 pieces of topping? a. A single piece is sufficient for most applications. Two pieces can be used for extra lofty fabrics if needed. 52. Are you using a Ballpoint needle on the sweater fabric? a. Yes, Ballpoint needles tend to push the fabric aside without cutting the threads of the fabric. Sharp needles can cut the thread of the fabric, resulting in runs and fraying of knit fabrics. 53. I want to stitch out a name on a piece of canvas and adhere that to another piece of canvas, can I use Appliqué Magic for that? I can't embroider on the piece directly because it's a dog crate! I need to embroider on a separate piece and stick it on the crate. a. If you are looking to permanently adhere it, like a badge, you would want to use a double sided Heat Seal. E-Zee Appliqué Magic is used to provide a finished edge to fabric and then to temporarily hold it in place until it is tacked down and finished off with a satin stitch. 54. For the Weblon No Show Cut Away, since it's pretty thin, is it stable enough to use just 1 layer? a. It would depend upon the design itself. Generally a single sheet will support a 7,000 to 8,000 stitch design. For larger or more dense designs, you may use up to 2 layers of E-Zee Weblon No Show and can add a single sheet of a light weight Tear Away on the bottom so it can be easily torn away. 55. Is there a significant difference when using a 2.5 oz. backing vs. a 3 oz. backing? Are there certain garments that would benefit from increasing the backing weight by 0.5 oz.? a. When it comes to backing, one half of an ounce can make a difference. A 2.5 oz. Cut Away is considered a medium weight backing. Being a medium weight, it may cover a larger amount of your embroidery needs. 56. If you use topping, and then the garment is washed multiple times, do you lose definition? a. Using a water soluble topping compresses the lofty fabrics down during the machine embroidery process and will continue to do so after laundering. 57. On what kind of fabric exactly would you use the Pop Away? Bed sheets possibly?

8 8 a. E-Zee Tear Waffle, otherwise known as Pop Away, can be used on bed linens and delicate fabrics. Most importantly,it is best used for delicate designs so as not to cause stress on the design when it is torn away. 58. I embroider a lot of very delicate fabrics like silk veils. What kind of backing would suffice? I have used waffle weave (it leaves too many unsightly pieces behind); Stick On (this creates too much stress on the material when trying to tear it away, as well as damaging the fabric by pulling the weave); and Tear Away 1.5 oz., which is tricky and can cause stress on the stitches. a. If the fabric is true silk, soaking the finished garment may not be an option. E- Zee Tear Waffle may work well. If it can be soaked in water, I would recommend E-Zee Cut Washaway, with or without the pressure sensitive adhesive (the adhesive on this product is not nearly as sticky as the E-Zee Tear Stick-On product). 59. Is there a gauge of what is light weight, etc.? a. The ounces of E-Zee Backings & Toppings are listed on the chart we showed during the webinar. Click Here to view this chart now. Ounces are relative to the type of backings themselves. The lower the ounce, the lighter the weight. 60. What backing would you use when you do puff embroidery on a structured hat? a. Stick with your 2.5 oz. to 3.0 oz. Tear Away Cap backings. 61. Can you again explain the process of using Tear Away Stick On backing to embroider a long border on a sheet or curtain? a. Using a piece of E-Zee Stick-On backing larger than the hoop size, remove the release paper and place this paper aside for now. Place the half of the curtain or sheet, front facing up, on top of the sticky side of the backing. Grab the release paper and replace it back on to the exposed sticky side of the backing. You can now hoop and stitch out your boarder designs on the hooped and stabilized fabric. Depending on the size of your hoop, you can repeat this process along the entire border. 62. Are the listed prices of the special backing bundles only for Wholesale customers? a. E-Zee Backing & Topping prices are the same for wholesale and MSRP. 63. With the Magic Appliqué product, doesn't the bobbin thread cover up the adhesive when you stitch it out? a. With Appliqué Magic, both sides of the backing are covered up with the top appliqué fabric. 64. Dri-fit athletic performance fabric is a common request for embroidery where I work. Which backing and how many layers do you suggest? a. Using E-Zee Weblon No Show and E-Zee Cut Performance works well for the drifit performance as well.

9 9 65. Will you be covering when to use spray adhesives? a. Temporary spray adhesive can be used to hold slippery and stretch fabrics in order to hoop garments properly. 66. Do you have sample packets of your various backings to be able to feel the differences? a. Yes, sample books may be requested by contacting our Customer Sales & Support department at or by Live Chat on our website: Is there longer cap backing, in case you have a front and side logo to stitch? a. Cap Backings are available in 4 x 7, 4 x 12 or in 4 wide rolls of 50 to 150 yards, making it easy to customize them for your specific needs. 68. Should an embroiderer wash a finished piece to remove the topping, before presenting to customer, or remove as much as much as possible with tweezers? a. Excess E-Zee Aqua Supreme Topping can easily be removed by tearing it away much like a Tear Away backing. Any small remaining pieces can be removed with steam. The Bubble Gum or Topping Ball technique can be downloaded here. 69. Do all types of caps, structured and non-structured, need backing? a. Yes, they help to hold the cap in place, preventing bouncing during the embroidery process. 70. Do the backing finishers remain attached after the garment is washed several times or do they come off after time? a. Yes, a tip is to round the corners of the backing finisher prior to adhering it to the garment's back side. Keep in mind that it is heat activated. Using medium to lower temperatures will reduce the chances of these backing finishers from coming off. 71. I have a roll of Aqua topping that has gotten fairly dried out. Is it possible to restore it? I was thinking of putting a wet paper towel in a large plastic bag with the topper but not allowing it to touch of course. Would this maybe work? a. While you may be able to still use it, I would advise purchasing a new roll or pack to have on hand. It is a relatively inexpensive product. Keeping it in a sealed package, the product can last for years. 72. I am puzzled. Most seminars have informed me that it is not cost effective to double layers. Wouldn't it be more cost effective to use a heavier backing rather than doubling up? a. The cost effectiveness comes in the ability to carry a single type of backing as apposed to several types. If you are a larger company, I would recommend carrying several types of backings and bulking up on the ones you use most often.

10 Would the Cut Away Washaway be good to use on blankets so the design does not shrink when washed? a. Yes, Cut Away Washaway backing can be used on blankets. Designs should not shrink when washed. You may want to evaluate your digitizing to be sure they are proper for the type of garments. Or simply pre-wash the blankets as they may be casing the shrinking. 74. I thought you never use Tear Away backing for embroidery that touches your skin, because it is rougher than Cut Away. Is that true? a. That is generally the rule of thumb, as any left over pieces can cause irritation to the skin. There are softer Tear Away backings that are fine to use, like E-Zee Tear Plus-Soft and E-Zee Tear Waffle. 75. I have a customer that is a classic car refinisher and wants us to embroider into a dashboard cover and maybe some carpeting. What would your recommend as far as a backing? a. Assuming the dashboard cover is vinyl, a Tear Away backing would work well. Same for the carpeting. 76. What is the benefit of Weblon backing? a. E-Zee Tear Weblon No Show is best used with thin and/or stretch fabrics. The low profile, Cut Away characteristics of this product provide good stability without the bulk of the basic Cut Away backings.